The Covid-19 pandemic saw many industries struggling to cope with the crisis. However, a few of them took advantage of the current situation to make a more significant growth than expected. A far as the entertainment industry is concerned, the online gambling market is more popular than ever. Despite the economic challenges, this industry continued to overgrow. Online gambling in Ireland is on the rise, and a lockdown had a significant part in that. If you want to try out your luck, you can find the best online casinos in Ireland at www.roulettesites.org/best-casino/ireland.
Visits to online casinos increased significantly worldwide, and Ireland is not much different. The online gambling industry in Ireland is opened for both domestic and offshore operators, and many companies have taken the opportunity to enter the market. Thanks to the Betting Act of 2015, online gambling in Ireland has been officially regulated and legal. It has been one of the most popular ways of entertainment when used responsibly. Since people are spending the majority of their time at home due to a lockdown, it is an exciting way to kill time. The ones who have been visiting online casinos earlier tend to do that more frequently nowadays.
Another reason from which online casinos profited significantly is the cancelation of sports events. Since sports betting is prevalent in the UK and Ireland, gamblers needed to find the appropriate alternative. The Premier League was on hold, horse racing and golf championships were postponed or canceled, and bettors turned their attention to online casinos.
Players from Ireland have a broad choice of different games at their disposal. Slots are the most popular, and gamblers can pick from hundreds of titles of the top-rated games. Slots at online casinos can provide massive payout and jackpots, and that is another reason why they are so famous. Players also have the possibility to spin the wheel at different types of roulette, from the traditional European, American, or French, to the innovative ones such as multi-wheel roulette. Other table games like online poker or blackjack also attract lots of gamblers. Although land-based casinos are currently closed, and you cannot feel the Vegas-like atmosphere, online casinos provide you a great experience from the comfort of your home, lucrative payouts, and a vast choice of available games. Besides that, players can count on generous welcome bonuses that are bigger than ever. It is not strange, since the level of competition in the industry keeps increasing.
But how is this surge represented in numbers? The studies highlight that online poker and virtual sports booked an increase of 38% and 40%, respectively. The interest in online slots increased by 25%, while 64% of engaged gamblers say that they have increased the time spent on online gambling. It also means that they are spending more money on gambling activities than it was before the lockdown. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, over 40% of people registered an account at one of the online casinos. However, the studies also reveal that the surge of online gambling isn’t caused because the majority of people started gambling, but because the ones who gambled before are wagering more frequently.
Although these figures indicate a promising future for the online gambling industry, they have ring the alarm related to gambling problems. Since they are spending more and more money, people can get addicted to this way of gambling. Different payment methods are available at any online casino, and you can load money to your account instantly. The problem for those people with a gambling addiction hasn’t gone away, as they are more vulnerable in these uncertain times. The economic instability may push some people to start chasing their losses, and that requires specific measures to be put in place.
Since the gambling industry in Ireland regulates itself, this country is third in the world in how much its people spend on gambling per capita. Problem Gambling Ireland, a charity, contacted Irish operators and proposed the implementation of limitations. It advocates for the online gambling spending limitations, as well as for the deposit limitations. Players can access online casinos at any time, and that is even more dangerous in comparison to the land-based venues that close at some point. Some European countries have already applied specific limitations, and the charity expects that Irish authorities make that decision as well. The charity also noticed that the number of calls they receive is reduced.
The online gambling industry in Ireland is still expected to grow. Nevertheless, if you intend to, or you already play online casino games, keep in mind to remain responsible since it might turn into a severe problem.