Social Casinos Emerging as a New Normal in the US Test Case
Published July 8, 2020 by Lee R
Huge growth in April in the US despite shutdowns offers new solutions for iGaming industry expansion overall.
The massive emerging US market has been posting record-high numbers of late in this period of adaption of online gaming technology, with the convergence setting a new standard for iGaming as a sustainable tool for insulating large-scale and rapidly growing markets against major disruptions.
The Power of iGaming
The unfortunate coronavirus closures have nonetheless given iGaming the chance to shine in the US through April.
The Figures
The eye-popping figures include the state of Delaware's year-on-year jump in April of 138.5%; New Jersey's $80 million revenue figure (118.6% increase year-on-year); and Pennsylvania's online gaming totals pressing past the $1 billion mark for 2020 all the way to $1.4 billion in April--all totals with land-based operations fully suspended for the period.
Users also jumped in the period, with Delaware welcoming 1,400 new users registering in April alone.
Relying on New Sustainability
With the sustainability of online gaming proven beyond a doubt in the US, experts believe that land-based gaming organisations will strengthen their ties with iGaming operators and providers, to protect themselves against further closures of any kind. The reliance on electronic forms of gaming further opens the door for social casinos; games of skill and other changes relayed to the electronic medium.
Room for Growth
In the key US example, there are only three states that allow iGaming, with sports betting having been legalised post PASPA in 20, which means that a huge vacuum of 47 remaining states stands to benefit from the adoption of iGaming, and with online sports betting already blazing the trail of precedent.
Outline of New Model
In states that remain opposed to gambling sites per se, casino brands may introduce social casinos, offering through social interaction “consideration, chance and some sort of prize.”
Outlook
The social casino notion sounds like the most revolutionary aspect emerging in the US as a solution to both large-scale closures and opposition to online casinos.
