All over the world, online casinos are becoming more and more popular – and that certainly includes Ireland. Though online casinos been around for a couple of decades already, there has been a massive increase in their popularity over the past few years.
So, in this post, we’re going to take a look at the reasons for the dramatic rise in the popularity of online casinos in Ireland.
Social lockdowns
Online casinos worldwide received a big uptick in usage around 2020, right when the pandemic started and the world was going through social lockdowns. As more people stayed home and businesses spent an increasing number of days with their doors closed, many people took to their computers and their phones to seek out entertainment.
In the case of gambling, land-based casinos took a hit, while online casinos ended up booming. As people realized they could enjoy the fun and convenience of a casino right from home, or even while on the go via smartphone, it soon became clear to millions of people that online gambling would become the way of the future.
Now, players have access to an expert-curated list of reliable Irish online casinos available to players, making it easier to find safe and trusted platforms. Since the online casino industry was capable of quickly adapting to the lockdowns, business boomed and has never slowed down from then. Online casinos were able to not only successfully attract players coming over from land-based casinos but also those who were completely new to gambling.
Integration of crypto
Staying in touch with new technological developments is always a wise move to keep a business or industry afloat, and online casinos do that in spades as far as crypto is concerned.
Whether it’s blockchain technology in general or attempts at improving their own cybersecurity, cryptocurrencies and online casinos are a match made in heaven. Their inclusion shows that an online casino is willing to embrace new features for the benefit of their users.
As a payment method, crypto has done particularly well to help improve the online casino market in Ireland and elsewhere. Many online casinos still do not accept crypto, but those that do are in high demand. Crypto is popular because of its anonymity and privacy, its diverse coin options and its speed, which is instantaneous compared to debit cards, credit cards and e-wallets.
Most online casinos that accept cryptocurrencies will take all of the popular options, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT, Dogecoin, Tether and Litecoin.
Live streaming games
Though online casinos have often struggled to replicate the same comfy atmosphere of land-based venues, they have made up for this by popularizing the technology necessary to live stream table games with actual human dealers from a physical location.
Like the online casino industry itself, live streamed games became incredibly popular during the first months of the pandemic. That’s because part of the fun of visiting a land-based casino is getting to interact with dealers. They are not only very helpful and cordial, but they add an element of atmosphere and authenticity to games that many apps or online sites lack.
Live streamed games can also showcase the actual casino, so players are treated to a lot more eye candy. An element of software can display tight menus and flashing graphics, but live streams can show off much more, like fancy furniture, trendy decor, expensive attire and much more.
Most importantly, live streaming casinos help establish a level of trust that many online casinos may lack. Players feel more comfortable playing a game that is run by a real human. Perceived or actual, dealers give off a sense of reliability and honesty. A casino that’s willing to film its premises and its employees feels less shadowy to people.
Influence from video games and sports
As software providers create more elaborate games, and as online casinos continue to collaborate with sportsbooks, the connection between these industries and online casinos becomes more apparent.
For one thing, there was already quite an overlap between online casino enthusiasts and sports bettors. Many of them are one and the same, plus many sports bettors end up becoming fans of online casinos, and vice versa.
As for gaming, some types of slots take their cue from the world of video games by optimizing their apps a certain way, borrowing from various colour palettes or menu configurations, as well as introducing mechanics that have proved to retain player bases as well as provide improved entertainment value.
Another important factor is those in the Gen Z demographic, who are slated to be the new main consumers of online casinos these days. Many businesses, online casinos included, are beginning to shift their marketing research and advertisement campaigns to Gen Z preferences. And since Gen Z users are big fans of social media and video gaming, you can expect to see increasing numbers of casino games with a more modern flair than before.
Put simply, online casinos have tapped into the world of sports and video gaming, two of the biggest entertainment industry titans around, and it has paid off well.
Improved mobile and portable functionality
Most online casino fans do their gambling on the go. That’s no secret, and neither are the attempts that online casinos are making at drastically improving their mobile presence.
Countries around the world, including Ireland, have most of their online gamblers signing up and spinning their slots on smartphones, so a lot of work has been done to create sites that fit well on a small screen, and produce apps that are clean, glitch-free and easy to comprehend.
Software providers have also worked hard to make sure their games look good on smaller screens. This is part of why slot games and slots-based casinos are especially popular, as it is easy to put slot reels on a smartphone. A game can look good on a computer, but if it looks really good on a phone, that’s the modern recipe for success
