While gambling used to mean an excursion to your local casino, racetrack, or bookmaker, things have changed dramatically. Today, you can gamble from almost anywhere, whether waiting in line at the store or riding in a car. All this is in great part a result of the internet and smartphones.
The change began when online casinos first appeared in 1994. The release of the first mobile casino application in 2008 marked another major turning point. No longer bound to PCs or laptops, gambling opportunities were now in everyone’s pocket.
The trend of using casino apps has grown steadily since their first release. Today, there are hundreds to choose from, including those released by operators of the world’s largest physical casino brands. Let’s take a look at the history of this rising trend.
2003
The concept of mobile gambling came to the forefront in 2003 in the UK. At the time, the National Lottery was searching for ways to build revenue and increase access to playing the lottery. After receiving approval from the relevant governing bodies, the Mobile Lottery was launched.
Adding a mobile play option for the lottery had undeniably successful results that encouraged the development of other mobile gambling concepts across the world.
2005
As mobile gambling increased in the UK, Asia, and Europe, more gambling bodies began to recognize the potential. This was fueled by a 2005 prediction that mobile gambling revenue could increase to over $19 billion by the end of 2009.
2006
With Europe becoming the largest mobile gambling market globally, the United States began exploring similar opportunities. In 2006, the Nevada Gaming Control Board, which is responsible for regulating gambling in the state, opened the floor to proposals from operators on how they would implement wireless (mobile) gambling.
Many casinos proposed dedicated gambling devices that would be located on the outskirts of their physical casino properties but removed from the main gambling floor. These would allow players to play their favorite games without needing to enter the actual casino.
While some states attempted to embrace some form of mobile gambling, the federal government tried to increase restrictions, exemplified by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) of 2006 prohibiting all forms of online gambling in the US. Across the ocean, however, the industry continued to grow steadily, with Asia and Europe vying to hold the largest market.
2007
The world was turned upside down by the release of the first smartphones. The iPhone, released in 2007, followed by the first Android device the next year, brought about an entirely new way of life. These phones were also the first to support third-party applications as a mainstream feature.
The first casino apps appeared within a few months of the smartphone’s launch. As these apps were not accessible through official app stores, however, many players remained skeptical about downloading and installing them—let alone gambling on them. These apps paled in comparison to the incredible features of the best casino apps available today.
2009
As the world adapted to smartphones, uncertainty about gambling apps remained high. Partly due to this, the original forecast for mobile gambling revenue in 2009 fell far short of the predicted $19 billion. Instead, mobile gambling only generated $4.7 billion for the year.
2011
Although player wariness persisted, the popularity of gambling on the move using casino apps grew steadily. Apple’s decision to allow real-money gambling apps onto the App Store contributed significantly to the increase. With casino apps now conveniently available from a verified source, player qualms about trying them relented. A new level of migration to mobile gambling thus began.
A landmark decision aided this development in the US. Following an investigation into the UIGEA of 2006, there was a ruling by the Department of Justice that the act only applied to sports betting. As such, many states began considering the legalization of other forms of mobile gambling, including casino apps.
2012
A year after the ruling on the UIGEA, Delaware and New Jersey passed laws that officially allowed mobile gambling. The trend that had been thriving in most of the world came to the US in full force as players in legal states downloaded their favorite casino apps.
2015
With trends in upcoming casino apps being increasingly accessible and popular, global mobile gambling revenue roared past $11 billion per year. More than 51% of that revenue was from players using casino apps on their smartphones.
2017
With more players worldwide choosing to gamble using casino apps, developers continued to innovate. Live casino games began appearing in these apps in 2017, allowing users to interact with real dealers and players.
In the same year, Google announced support for real-money gambling apps on its Play Store. Although this was only limited to the UK, the change inspired more players to download apps and play.
2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down physical casinos around the globe, players who had remained skeptical of mobile casino apps now had no other choice but to try them. Ease of access was aided by more states in the US legalizing these apps.
Revenue that year passed the $3.52 billion for online wagers in the US alone. A staggering 80% of that amount came from mobile device users.
2021
Following a record year for the mobile gambling sector, 2021 started with another boost. The Google Play Store announced in March that it would allow casino apps to be officially hosted on the store in 15 additional countries, including the US.
With Play Protect verifying these apps, more players were encouraged to make the switch to casino apps.
Conclusion
Mobile gambling has been a steadily growing industry since it first made massive strides in the late 2000s with the launch of modern smartphones. As key app stores have come to officially support casino apps while players look for more accessible play, this trend is unlikely to slow down in the future.