New YouGov Survey Highlights Surge In Online Gambling Popularity
A new survey from YouGov has highlighted a significant rise in the popularity of online gambling.
The organisation published its International Gambling Report 2021 late last month, which looked at the attitudes towards gambling across 13 markets worldwide, including Great Britain, Singapore, Germany, Australia, France, India, Italy, Mexico, Denmark, the USA, Sweden, Poland, and Spain. The study also looked at a range of gambling activities and the motivations for individuals to play them.
YouGov’s study found that 63% of respondents worldwide said they would prefer to gambling online than at a brick-and-mortar casino. In addition, two-fifths of gamblers worldwide said their main motivation for playing gambling activities was for fun. Respondents who played the lottery said their main motivation for playing was the fantasy of winning. The study also found that respondents were also more likely to talk with friends and family about online sports betting, lottery games, and instant-win games over more traditional casino content like slots and table games.
What’s more, the International Gambling Report looked at what the most popular forms of gambling were across all 13 countries. In six of the 13 markets, online lottery was considered the most popular form of gambling. Six countries named sports betting the most popular form of gambling. Sports betting and online lottery tied for most countries’ second most popular form of gambling, and eight countries named instant win games as their third most popular form of gambling.
YouGov’s study also found that millennials are the most likely to talk about gambling with friends and family and on social media, that men are more likely to gamble more than once a month when compared to women, that Great Britain has more female gamblers than all other countries surveyed.
The International Gambling Report also quizzed respondents on their attitudes towards gambling regulation. A majority of respondents (44%) agreed that gambling should be legal but disagreed (44%) that the rules around gambling and betting are too strict. Respondents also agreed (44%) that governments should do more to protect gamblers and that gambling firms don’t take problem gambling seriously enough (57%).
In its study, YouGov concluded: “This survey comes at an important time in the evolution of online gambling across the globe. It provides a snapshot of opinion towards the relegation of the sector and suggests rising levels of acceptance, albeit with important caveats. Key to this is the public’s perception of the industry.
“The sector needs to be sensitive to how it is perceived. There are large constituencies of the public who are worried about the growth of the sector and whether it does enough to ensure that gambling harms are minimised. Responsible gambling looms large, both as a political issue and, for the companies that are talking to the wider investment community, for environmental, social and governance reasons.”
They added: “These broad demographic trends affect not only how the activity is viewed but also the type of games that are played. These are changes that legislators and regulators will need to be aware of and able to adapt to in order to effect regulation that captures the largest possible audience for an industry that is now clearly moving towards acceptance as a mainstream leisure and tax-generating activity. For operators, the demand for fun and entertainment will grow alongside the need for a positive and safe experience.”
Relax Gaming Expands In Romania With FavBet Partnership
As online gambling continues to increase in popularity, gambling firms continued to expand worldwide by striking agreements. Most recently, game developer Relax Gaming has struck an agreement with gambling operator Favbet to boost its presence in Romania.
Under the agreement, all content from the developer’s Silver Bullet and Powered By Relax partners have been made available to FavBet in Romania, along with content developed by Relax Gaming itself. This includes games such as Templar Tumble, Money Cart 2 Bonsu Reels, and Top Dawg$.
Daniel Eskola, the CCO at Relax Gaming, said in a statement: “FavBet’s focus on technology and high-quality content represents the ideal partner for us and our studio partners. The brand is very highly regarded in Romania, so it’s great to sign a deal that will improve our footprint so significantly in the country. We look forward to supporting their next chapter of development.”
Sergiu Burbulea, the CEO of FavBet Romania, added: “Our vision at FavBet is to become the best form of entertainment so our clients, employees and partners are part of a unique experience. We work to an incredibly high standard at FavBet, so naturally we wanted a partner with a similar work ethic. As a result, Relax Gaming was an obvious choice. We are more than confident that they will live up to their reputation and deliver on this.”
The above news comes months after Relax Gaming expanded its Silver Bullet aggregation platform by adding content from developers Storm Gaming, Ruby Play, Leap Gaming, and Spadegaming. It also comes after Relax Gaming announced partnerships with Tivoli and Royal Casino in Denmark, and after the studio was acquired by operator the Kindred Group.
Endorphina Expands Betsson Group Partnership
Meanwhile, developed Endorphina has announced a partnership with gambling operator Betsson Group to launch its games across Latin America and Europe.
As part of the agreement, Endorphina’s entire catalogue of casino games have launched in several markets across Latin America, including Peru, Chile, and in European countries like Estonia and Croatia. Now, players registering with Betsson brands can play Endorphina content like Minotaurus, Cupid, Gladiators, Blast Boom Bang, Shaman, Chimney Sweep, Fairy Tale, and more.
Paul Malt, the Head of Games at Betsson Group, said in a statement to FocusGN: “We are always looking for great games that offer something a little bit different and that helps to diversify our portfolio. We are really looking forward to seeing how the games perform in some of our most exciting markets.”
Jan Urbanec, the CEO of Endorphina, added: “It is an exciting day, to move our partnership with Betsson Group to the next level and have our games delivered to more brands of this legendary operator. We are convinced that the seasoned players at these casinos will welcome Endorphina’s games with open arms and we hope to see Endorphina games performing well across all the brands where we are live.”
Wazdan Expands Latin American Presence With Virtualsoft
Also, game developer Wazdan has boosted its presence in Latin America after striking a content agreement with Virtualsoft.
Under this agreement, Wazdan’s entire catalogue of casino games have been made available with Virtualsoft and its network of partners. In addition, the platform provider has been given access to Wazdan’s unique features, including customisable volatility levels, ultra-fast mode, big screen mode, ultra-lite mode, and plenty more.
Wazdan games to launch in Latin America via Virtualsoft include Prosperity Pearls, Larry The Leprechaun, the Magic Stars series, Unicorn Reels, 9 Lions, Clover Lady, the Burning Stars series, High School Manga, and dozens of other popular slot titles.
José Luis Osorio, the Head of Business Development at Virtualsoft, said in a statement to CasinoBeats: “As a well-recognised provider in the market, we are very happy to have negotiated a strategic partnership with Wazdan. The agreement will allow us to continue our impressive growth trajectory in the market, and brings significant value to our brand.”
Albert Bellavista, the Head of Business Development for Latin America at Wazdan, commented: “This partnership is another monumental step for Wazdan in terms of its expansion in LatAm. Virtualsoft is involved with various up and coming brands that are crucial to our expansion in the region, providing us with a unique opportunity to strengthen our reputation and utilise our experience as a provider in the territory.”
The agreement with Virtualsoft is the latest struck by Wazdan as part of a move to grow its presence worldwide. The studio recently struck a partnership with Tuko Productions to launch in Italy, has acquired certification for Belarus, and made its debut in Switzerland after releasing its games with Swiss Casinos. Earlier this year, it also announced a “major” content deal with Buzz Bingo.