It was not long ago that online casino players who preferred to play on their mobile phones were somewhat short on available options.With many sites not supporting mobile players at all, and those who did only offering a small and disappointing selection of games compared to those offered to desktop and laptop players, the mobile playing community was very much an afterthought.However, it is fair to say that mobile players are an afterthought no more, as the mobile market now takes up a decent percentage of the iGaming industry’s total revenue.It has got to the point that providing mobile friendly software and services is now of primary importance to online casinos and iGaming companies who are looking to find long-term success in the online casino world, and with the introduction of 5G not far away along with many more technological advances in the mobile world, that looks set to continue.
Natural Progression
It would not be fair to suggest that the iGaming industry was late in realising the advantages offered by mobile gaming, and how lucrative the market could be.In fact, all industries have recently become far more mobile facing, with more people owning mobile phones, and the technology itself capable of far more than it has been in the past.At this point a smartphone or tablet can, in many ways, function as quickly and effectively as a desktop computer, more so in some cases.It was therefore necessary for the online casino world to start providing the same kinds of choices that they offered desktop players, to mobile and tablet customers, and that is a choice that has undoubtedly worked out for everyone involved!The casinos are benefitting from the increased custom, mobile players are benefitting from new services and games, it’s been quite the step forward all in all!
Mobile First
It is speculated by many that it will not be long before positions switch, and most online casino developers and companies aim their products at mobile players before they do those who prefer static devices.It’s not too difficult to imagine that this may prove true as there are many online casinos and many games that are designed primarily, or in some cases, solely for mobile users.It’s amazing to think that this turnaround for mobile players, from forgotten second-class citizens of the iGaming world to the most profitable people in the entire industry, has only happened in the last few years, but why has it?What is it about mobile play that has made it so popular in such a short space of time amongst online casino players?
The Advantages of Mobile Gaming
Mobile gaming is not something that is exclusive to the online casino industry, in fact, almost as long as there’s been mobile phones, there’s been mobile gaming.Think back to the popularity of Snake on early Nokia phones, when teenagers would move their PlayStations aside to try and cause a tiny snake to grow on their phone screens.It wasn’t so much the game that appealed to people as much as it was the ability to play it anywhere, on public transport, at school, at work, on the move, anywhere.This love of constantly available gaming has continued to grow since that time, as proven by the outrageous popularity of games like Candy Crush.It was never going to take long for the iGaming industry to see the opportunities that presented themselves in the mobile gaming world, and casino games have become just as, if not more popular than the casual and social gaming options that are available to mobile players.But what is it about mobile gaming that makes players prefer it to the more conventional computer-based gaming options?
Accessibility
One of the advantages of mobile gambling comes from the growing demand for mobile devices in the world in general.With almost everybody having a smartphone and/or tablet by this point, developers realised that mobile gaming was the future and, as a result, started building games that were playable on mobile, exclusively in some cases.This means that the availability of mobile devices doesn’t only make it easier for players to access online casino games, it also means that the games themselves are of a higher standard due to that same availability.It is claimed that the average user of a mobile phone, picks up that phone over 1,500 times a week, it ha become that much a part of our day to day lives.It is moving towards the point where mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets will replace desktop and laptop computers as the first choice for many when it comes to the majority of their online business, so it can be assumed that mobiles will become the largest part of the iGaming world in the not too distant future.With a phone constantly to hand, you can definitely see the appeal of mobile gaming.
Appealing to 18+ Group
Smartphones may be being used by most people by this point, but they are used the most by Millennials, and this is especially true of social networking.With marketing via social media being less successful in general last year, but more successful among the 18-34 age bracket, online casinos have started appealing to these players.As a result, younger players, who may have felt somewhat left out in the past, have become a huge point of focus for online casinos and betting sites, which is proving to be a successful tactic.This is great news for young players, and mobile players in general as it is another reason that more games are being tailored specifically towards the mobile gaming market.
In-Play Betting
Of course, it is not only online casinos that are become increasingly popular amongst mobile users, the same is also true of sports betting sites.With preferences being as they are in the modern market, betting in-play has never been more popular, and with the ability to access one’s betting account on a mobile device gives much more freedom for making bets during games.Of course, this service is available to desktop and laptop users as well, but the ease of use offered by a mobile device makes in-play betting easier than ever before.
New Options
In the early days, making a game or betting style available to mobile players involved simply changing the software the smallest amount possible in order to offer essentially the same experience for mobile players as desktop and laptop players.This has changed, however, as the mobile market has become substantially more lucrative, and now smartphone and tablet players are often given a completely different playing experience.This may be a feature game on a slot that only triggers during mobile play, or an in-game bet option that only exists for mobile users.On top of that, there used to be an issue with the design of games when they had been converted from desktop to mobile, now, the mobile games are designed specifically for mobile devices, and often look better than their desktop counterparts.There are also games, and even online casinos and sports betting sites that only serve mobile players, giving a host of options that are not available unless you use a mobile device.
Why They Love It
It isn’t only mobile players who are loving the iGaming world right now, casino and sports betting site operators are also delighted, as it has been proven that mobile gamers spend more, on average, than those who play on laptops or desktops.A study by Optimove proved that not only do mobile gamers convert into paying customers faster thanks to the easy access offered to mobile devices, but they also tend to make more payments and initiate more playing sessions.The Optimove study noted the following about mobile players:“Across all metrics, they are like Web players on fast-forward! Having their platform (mobile device) with them at all times surely helps, as well as the current tendency to check their device 200 times daily, on average.”So, while it may seem like operators are going to great lengths to accommodate the growing mobile gaming market, it must also be noted that the operators are likely to make more money from mobile gamers as opposed to traditional desktop players, so it’s a win in both directions.
What’s Next?
It seems unlikely, at this point, that the rise of mobile devices will stop any time soon, with technological advances moving mobile industry forward at a startling rate, we will not see desktop players suddenly regaining their dominance.In terms of where the industry goes from here, it is unlikely that any other medium will be able to compete with mobile gaming, so we should anticipate more evolutions to favour these types of players, with more features, more incentives, more betting options, and even more besides.It is swiftly becoming the case that if you want to get the most out of the iGaming world, you must use a mobile device, a statement that would’ve been unthinkable just a few short years ago.