It’s safe to say that we are on our merry way to leaving the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in the past. But that doesn’t mean we did it without sacrifices. People and their businesses worldwide experienced a major downfall throughout the COVID-19 timeline.

Being isolated meant no more gaming. Lottery outlets, gambling venues, and offline casinos had to close their doors while sporting events with betting systems were terminated. While offline casinos were closed, the online gambling industry started gaining traction. 

No player thought they would find the offline casino games they loved right on the internet. While the casinos closed, online gambling restrictions were eased in many states, giving birth to many USA online casinos

The closure of offline casinos evoked many casino operators to make casino services available digitally. These online casinos offered way more gaming options and advantages that gamblers didn’t find before. 

Market Statistics of the Online Gambling Industry

Currently, the US online gambling industry is valued at 59 billion dollars. It is projected to reach 92.9 billion USD at the end of 2023. This will result in an 11.6% increase in the annual compound rate. (provigil pharmacy)  

With IoT, Virtual Reality, and Blockchain technology rapidly enhancing, the online gambling industry will only boom further and grow at an exponential rate of 14.8% till the end of 2025. The formation of mobile-friendly applications has dramatically helped the USA online casinos scale and attract more users. 

So, why is this online casino trend scaling? 

According to multiple reports (after the pandemic), almost 10 million US citizens gamble daily through online casino applications. And this number keeps increasing every year. To conclude, citizens love the USA online casinos for obvious reasons. 

States Which Allow Online Gambling

Gambling is legal on a federal level, allowing every state the right to regulate it offline and online. But gambling in itself is a broad term, and each state regulates these multiple facets differently and within a limit. 

For example, only 20 states allow players to gamble on sports digitally. New Jersey has more than 12 licensed and legal sites with an annual market cap of 225 million US dollars. Players can access sportsbooks and online sports betting apps other than online casinos in New Jersey. 

In 2013, New Jersey became the first state to legalize online casinos in the US. Other than New Jersey, the best states for online gambling include:

  • Pennsylvania
  • Michigan
  • Delaware
  • West Virginia
  • Nevada
  • Connecticut 

Gambling is legal in some forms across 48 states of the United States. Only Hawaii and Utah are the two states that ban gambling of any sort. Utah has a large religious community that affects local regulations resulting in the ban on gambling. Residents in Hawaii believe gambling adversely affects the family atmosphere and relations, resulting in the ban. 

Reasons Influencing the Expansion of Online Casinos and Gambling Industry Post COVID-19

Other than convenience, let’s break down other reasons why the online gambling industry is expanding in the USA. 

1. Multitude of Games

The best factor to consider about the USA online casinos is the diverse range of games available. Each game found in an offline casino has multiple online versions with exciting features. 

In short, technology has changed everything about the conventional way of gambling. Now, a player can change the background of the game, choose to play free demo versions, and even create an avatar. 

The fact that online casinos have more than 1000 games in their gaming library is simply what the players want. 

2. Return to Player (RTP) Rate

The Return to Player (RTP) rate greatly defines the chances of a player winning the game. RTP also lets a player know the average payout percentage they should expect. (https://www.caprinow.edu/) Each online casino defines this RTP rate according to the games they offer. 

As a player, RTP works to your advantage as you would know your chances of winning against the house. Most commonly, the house edge of online casino games is less to attract and retain players. 

3. Different Available Bonuses

When compared to land-based casinos, the USA online casinos have more benefits and bonuses available. These bonuses market the online casino platform while alluring potential customers to sign up with them. 

These bonuses include:

  • Welcome Bonus – given to a new player after their sign-up.
  • Loyalty Bonus – offered to regular players 
  • Referral Bonus
  • No Deposit Bonus
  • Deposit Bonus
  • Free Spins
  • Sticky Bonus
  • VIP Program – after buying a space in the VIP lounge. It offers a higher win and cashback percentage and other VIP benefits.                                                                                                           

    2.Jackpots and Progressive Jackpots 

     Jackpots and progressive jackpots make online gambling for players even more thrilling. These ensure a player takes home a massive sum of money. But they are harder to acquire. This doesn’t mean they are impossible to score.

Over the years, multiple players have won millions of dollars through jackpots and progressive jackpots. Their allure never fades as they can make a player a millionaire or even a billionaire within a night. 

3. Better Odds

Multiple online sports betting platforms have been offering better odds and lines to players. Again, this increases the chances of retaining players while providing them attractive winning chances. 

4. Play from Anywhere, Anytime

It is a no-brainer that the USA online casinos offer convenience by allowing you to play and gamble while lounging on your couch. You can even gamble while on your way home after work. In simple words, you aren’t confined to four walls to play games. 

5. Multiple Payment Methods

Different players prefer different payment methods. While wagering online, you have multiple options to deposit your money in your online casino account. Depending on what the platform offers, you can use the following methods:

  • e-Wallets like Neteller, Paypal, etc. 
  • Credit or Debit card
  • Open banking methods like Zimpler
  • Cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Ethereum

The Bottom Line:

The COVID-19 pandemic has benefitted the online entertainment and gambling industry in the US significantly. There’s no stopping this growth as long as online casinos provide players with new and exciting games.