The Rise of Online Casinos in the UK

Betting and gambling have long been a passion for Brits. For centuries, people have put wagers on all manner of things, from horse and dogs to whether their favourite football team would win the FA Cup Final.

Before the internet, bets were taken in high street betting shops or in casinos. It was a niche area, mostly populated by men of a certain age.

Women tended not to enter betting shops unless it was a special occasion, such as Grand National day, and casinos were only for the high-rollers with lots of money to spend.

Pick Your Favourite Casino

When the internet grew in popularity and smartphones overtook personal computing, high street betting brands saw their opportunity. Today, the gambling industry is worth in excess of £14 billion, and 37% of that comes from the remote gambling sector, i.e. online casinos, bingo sites, and other betting websites.

There are dozens of online casino brands, so players can take their pick. Each one has it’s own personal branding, which sets it apart from the others. Many are offshoots of the major high street betting brands, so they are instantly recognizable.

It’s really easy to open an account, and thanks to the many sign-up deals, you can even play for free if you want.

A Choice of Games

Whereas in a physical casino, you are limited to classic games like poker, roulette, and baccarat, in an online casino, there are hundreds of games available. Video slots are among the most popular, with top games like Aztec Gold and Starburst offering large payouts in return for nominal bets. The graphics are amazing, and players can bank huge jackpots if they strike it lucky.

Progressive Jackpots

The vast choice of games helps attract players, but it is the progressive jackpots that keep them coming back time and again. These progressive jackpots can reach millions. One player in the UK won just over £13 million on Mega Moolah, a massively popular progressive jackpot slots game. Wins like this don’t happen every day, but they happen often enough to make slots worth playing.

Sports Betting

Let’s not forget about sports betting, too. Brits love to bet on their favourite sports, but many people don’t have the time or the opportunity to go and catch every game. Thanks to the power of online sports betting, we can now bet on any sport we like, all from our smartphone.

Fire up your iPhone and place a bet on your favourite team. You can select from a wide range of different sports, even sports you know nothing about!

Bingo

Bingo is another popular sector of the online casino industry. The live hall experience really comes to life on a virtual screen. You don’t even need a dabber when you play online bingo, but you can still shout “full house” if want to keep it real.

But whilst the choice of games is a huge draw, the main reason why online casinos have risen to such prominence in the UK is that these sites are so accessible.

Accessibility

Whilst people love to visit physical casinos, online casinos are much more popular. For one thing, there are not that many physical casinos, and those that exist are in larger cities, like London, Manchester, and Leeds. This makes them inaccessible to a large number of people, especially those living in rural areas.

Physical casinos may be glamorous and a fun night out, but the average person won’t make a habit of going there. Online casinos, on the other hand, are instantly accessible and anyone over the age of 18 can open an account and play.

Players can login from their smartphone or tablet anywhere they have an internet connection. Often, this is at home, but equally, there is nothing stopping you from playing a quick game of slots while you commute to work on the train or wait for a bus.

And that’s why online casinos are now one of the fasted-growing areas of entertainment in the UK. You don’t need to dress up in your finest cocktail attire to visit an online casino. Instead, you can settle down on the sofa in your PJs and have a quick game. What’s not to like about that?