Online gaming is growing—and growing fast— due to COVID-19-fueled consumer trends and increasing legalization. This rapid expansion is upending traditional business models, with implications for stakeholders across the entire gaming ecosystem.
The Global Consumer Shift To The Digital Realm
Digital interactions, transactions, and communications have been on the rise for many years, with some industries further along in their digital maturity than others. When COVID-19-related shutdowns made online interactions necessary, the digitization of almost every sector was accelerated. People have changed how they work, go to school, exercise, shop, enjoy entertainment, and more; and many changes that may have been uncomfortable or strange at first have now become habits.
Count “how we gamble” as another area where digital interactions increased during COVID-19. KPMG recently published the results of its second consumer survey around casino health and safety and online gaming. Among the casino customers we surveyed in September, 61 percent have played free casino, sports or poker games since COVID-19, and between 40 and 45 percent bet real money.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY RICK ARPIN IN THE SPRING 2021 EDITION OF GAMING & LEISURE MAGAZINE.