We already know that the pandemic led to an online gambling boom. Online casino gambling went up 67% last year due to lockdowns related to the pandemic. However, we now have a bit more insight into how the pandemic has impacted traffic for select Australian online casinos.
In a recent report from AgileHatch, traffic to online casinos continues to increase. According to its research, traffic is up as much as 46% at some casinos.
AgileHatch Claims 3x Online Casino Traffic Jump from March 2020 to April 2020
A year ago, we were all in the middle of either significant restrictions or outright lockdowns. Australia was in complete lockdown while most of the remaining world was headed in that direction. The Australian lockdowns began in March, and the amount of traffic generated to online casinos skyrocketed.
According to a report from AgileHatch, online casino sites received three times more Australian traffic in April 2020 as opposed to March 2020. Ignition Casino was the leader, with around 1.1 Aussies going to the site in April 2020.
It’s logical to assume that online gambling will skyrocket during a lockdown. However, once that lockdown is over, traffic will go back to pre-pandemic levels, right? That’s not necessarily the case. According to AgileHatch, players are continuing to play pokies and online casino games at online casinos in Australia.
The Uptick in Traffic Continues
While live casinos and pokies venues began reopening in the latter part of 2020, the fears over COVID-19 continue. As such, there are many players that have continued to play online rather than risk their health in live venues. This is reflected in traffic posted by casinos for March 2021.
Most online casinos still show a sizable gain in traffic. Some online casinos have seen traffic jumps as much as 46% for March 2021 as compared to March 2020. To give you some examples, let’s look at some of our casino partners:
Ignition Casino – Ignition led the gaming charge last year but has cooled off a bit. However, they still saw a 13% increase in traffic compared to March 2020. They saw 51,000 more Aussie visitors in March 2021 as compared to March 2020.
Ignition Casino is a great Bitcoin-friendly casino.
Joe Fortune Casino – Joe Fortune saw a 24% increase in March 2021. 312,000 Aussies visited the site in March 2021 as opposed to 238,000 last year.
Woo Casino – Woo Casino saw the largest increase from our casino partners. They saw a 37% increase in Aussie traffic in March 2021. Last year, 113,000 players visited in March. This year, 178,000 Aussie players are playing at the site.
Mobile Gambling and Virtual Reality Gaming Also on the Rise
While the pandemic was a primary driving force in the rising traffic numbers, it’s not the only factor. For starters, mobile casino gambling and virtual reality gaming is already growing amongst younger Aussies. Presently, around 59% of all online pokies gambling is coming from mobile devices.
Next, the average gambler is getting younger. The biggest spike in traffic from last year is in the 18-34 demographic. Also, with many people now working for home, gambling online is more convenient.
According to Arthur Wood, an economic forecaster who was quoted in the report, “Internet devices, particularly mobile phones, will drive the Australian casino market. With the option to gamble in public while commuting to work, or at home telecommuting, the clear winner is the versatile online pokies company that provides the fast and easy experience.”
While much of the world is working on getting vaccinated from COVID-19, it is still unlikely that we will not emerge from this pandemic fully until 2022. As such, we can expect online gambling rates to continue to rise. The question is whether the government will take steps to regulate the activity rather than put up roadblocks to responsible Australian gamblers.