The Online Gambling Train Keeps Rolling, What to Expect in 2020

When the first internet-based casinos were born in the mid-1990s they were nothing like the online casinos of today.

For a start, their games were rudimentary and of poor quality with very basic graphics and sounds, and that at times were difficult to play uninterrupted due to the slow and often unreliable internet connectivity of the day.

But since then due to enormous technological advances that have been made with the internet, computing power, HD + 3D graphics and animation, live streaming and smartphones and devices, online gambling sites have reached new heights.

What started out as a tiny subset of the global gambling industry has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry that continues to expand year-on-year.

So as to the question of what we can expect in 2020 as this online gambling train keeps rolling, read on to find out more about our trends and predictions for the coming year.

1. More Countries will Legalise and Regulate Online Gambling

One of the biggest expectations for 2020 is that even more countries will legalise and regulate online gambling. While many have embraced this popular online activity, many haven’t, often to their economic detriment.

It’s no secret that people who want to gamble online will gamble online no matter what their country’s stance is on online gambling. Even nations that frown upon their citizens playing at offshore online casinos, poker rooms, bingo rooms or sportsbooks rarely have laws in place to prosecute or punish them.

Player safety is one of the biggest reasons countries opt for legalization. By legitimizing online gambling they can put controls, rules and regulations in place so their citizens can play at licensed gaming sites that have been thoroughly vetted and tested, and found to be legitimate, safe, secure, honest and fair.

Another reason counties choose to liberalize online gambling is an economical one. Through non-regulation tens if not hundreds of millions leave non-regulated countries every year to end up in the pockets of offshore operated, hosted and owned sites.

However, through licensing and regulation they can ensure only reputable and ethical online gambling firms can accept players from their country. And importantly, gaming regulators can levy taxes and annually renewable licensing fees on licensed operators.

But getting a license is no easy feat since casino operators and their senior people have to undergo rigorous and stringent inspections, checks and audits. Their games – and thus their respective software providers – are also subject to scrutiny to ensure that they are fair and their outcomes are each 100% random, every time.

Even their bonus offers are scrutinized to ensure they’re as fair as advertised. In fact, online gambling regulators continually evaluate the types of bonuses online casinos offer, especially ones that appear to offer zero risk i.e. new player no deposit bonuses that are 100% free to claim and use, and that can yield cashable winnings.

Their ‘books’ are also thoroughly examined to ensure they’re financially sound, their taxes are up to date and that their business practices are beyond reproach. Only once the licensing and regulatory body of that country is totally satisfied that the operator has ‘ticked all the correct boxes,’ will they be issued with a license.

In addition, licensed online gambling operators may be required to renew their licenses annually. Plus they may be subject to ongoing financial and tax audits. Regulated online gambling ensures millions stays in the country and is fed back into the economy.

2. Increase in Mobile Online Gambling Globally

When the first online casinos were established mobile phones were still in their infancy. Few people could have foreseen back then how they would eventually evolve into the high-tech cutting edge app-powered devices of today.

At one time gamblers could only access online casinos and other virtual gaming sites on their personal computers or laptops. These were immobile as they were limited by their fixed 55k, DSL, cable or other broadband internet connections.

Only when Wi-Fi became more widely available could people gamble online outside of their homes or work environments. Later smartphones and tablets came along that could connect to the internet via 3G and later 4G and of course, Wi-Fi making online gambling sites 100% portable and accessible anywhere, anytime.

The advent of smart mobile technology has revolutionised the virtual gambling industry because it meant that every tablet or phone can be turned into a portable casino, poker room, bingo hall or sports betting site accessible 24/7.

Some online casinos took longer than others to make their sites responsive i.e. to give them the ability to be accessible by any and all internet-enabled computers and mobile devices with the same login details, but today most sites are multi-platform friendly.

As such, because 2019 has seen a jump in the number of gamblers that have switched to gambling on their smart devices from their PCs, Macs, laptops or notebooks, 2020 is expected to be no different, where mobile gambling numbers will likely explode. 

3. Bigger and Better No Deposit Bonuses

As mentioned above, no deposit bonuses are solely for new players and are 100% free because they don’t require a deposit. This is in contrast to traditional percentage-based welcome or match bonuses that can only be unlocked by an initial deposit(s).

No deposit bonuses offer either a fixed amount of credits to play a selection of eligible real money games, or a fixed number of free spins that can be used to play one or more specified slots. Each gives players the chance to win and withdrawal actual winnings without spending a cent.

That’s why they’re currently so popular and are expected to be even more so next year. This is because there’s an increasing trend of prospective players to ‘try before they buy’ or more accurately play for real before they deposit.

High Expectations for 2020

In summary, expect 2020 to deliver more legalised and regulated countries, even higher usage of smart phones and devices for online gambling, and an increase in bigger and better no deposit offers to entice first time players to ‘test drive’ gaming sites and their real money games.