The online casino and betting industry continues to show impressive growth, becoming one of the most dynamic and fastest growing sectors. This business is attracting the attention of investors and players alike, offering a wealth of opportunities to make money and have fun. By 2028, the iGaming market is expected to surpass $138 billion with over 243.2 million active players.
Who are today’s online casino players? What social groups do they belong to? What goals are they pursuing when they choose to play slots, live casino games, and other forms of gambling entertainment? In this article, the authors including Sizzling Hot Spot portal analyst Marta Nowakowska, have tried to provide answers to each of these questions. The information is based on various studies conducted by independent analytical companies, as well as marketers representing the interests of the world’s leading casinos online.
The Importance of Attracting and Retaining Customers
First of all, let’s determine who might be interested in the information provided in this article. We are talking about online casino operators. The best of them use a wide range of tools for this purpose, including cooperation with portals offering start bonuses, demo games and casino ratings, for example, such as https://sizzlinghotspot.pl/. However, in a highly competitive environment, it is important not only to attract customers’ attention, but also to keep them. To do that, you need to understand who they are and what they care about. Knowing your target audience is the key to a successful marketing strategy and increasing customer loyalty.
3 Basic Features
To create a complete portrait of an online casino player, experts conduct a detailed market analysis in three main areas:
- Age and demographics.
- Game and betting preferences (many platforms offer casino games and sports betting).
- Psychographic characteristics.
Let’s take a closer look at each of the above.
Age and Demographics
Due to the fact that global gaming policy defines the lower age limit of players as being of legal age (it varies from country to country), children and teenagers are automatically excluded from the list of research subjects. Lack of skills in modern technologies almost completely excludes older users. A comparison of a number of other factors shows that the main age group of players varies from 25 to 45 years old. This is the most active group using digital technologies and mobile devices.
In terms of gender, men still “win”. Remember that in the 19th century, when the first offline casinos appeared, such establishments were visited exclusively by representatives of the stronger half of humanity. However, despite the historical trend, the number of women playing casino slots is steadily increasing. Perhaps this is a consequence of the fact that the first slots were created for the female representatives of the fair half, who were waiting for their husbands at the poker tables or roulette.
Gambling in Different Countries: Trends and Preferences
As for the geographical distribution, the indicators differ depending on the region. According to statistics from SoftGamings experts, the largest number of gamblers live in the countries of North America, Europe and Asia. These regions lead both in the number of users and in the volume of bets. Here is the data for some countries and continents.
Europe
In Europe, Sweden has the largest market share (60% of online betting) and the UK has 34% of the European market with growing participation in gambling. More than 68% of European players bet via mobile devices. The average European online gambler is a male between the ages of 18 and 35.
Canada
Gambling is common among Canadians. About 65% of the country’s residents prefer slots, sports betting, bingo and roulette. According to the University of Lethbridge, about 71% of people between the ages of 18 and 39 play online games, of which 82% are men and 18% are women.
THE USA
In the US, where traditional online casinos are banned, social casino games and sports betting are leading the way. In 2023, Americans will bet more than $31 billion on sports, a record for the country. The target audience is males aged 25-34, of which 56% bet only on professional sports and almost 40% on youth games.
Australia
In Australia, the number of online gambling enthusiasts is almost equal between men and women: 54% vs. 46%. The majority of players are between 30 and 49 years old. Online casinos cater to solvent adults. Approximately 20.1% of Australians participate in lotteries and 15% regularly bet on sports. Approximately 80% of the population has an occasional gambling habit, which accounts for approximately 10% of the national income.
Latin America
Latin America is characterized by young gamblers between the ages of 25 and 40, with a predominance of males. The exception is Brazil, where, according to Grupo Globo, 63% of online casino customers are women. In other countries, their share is around 17.5%. The main preferences of players include betting on football, slot machines and roulette. In Colombia, the local payment system is an important factor when choosing a casino.
Asia
Gambling is also popular in Asia, although it is illegal in China. Online casinos in the Philippines cater to Chinese players. In this region, 72% of players prefer mobile betting. Female players make up about 6% of the total. The dominant games are slot machines with Asian characters (80% of all games).
As a result, gaming attracts a wide variety of audiences around the world with different preferences and demographics. Understanding these characteristics helps casino and betting operators develop effective strategies to attract and retain customers.
