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The casino industry in Canada is booming, according to the 2016-2017 figures published by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Released at the start of 2018, the report shows that turnover was up to C$7.5 billion (US$6 billion), with casinos contributing just under 50% of the total. Essentially, when it comes to industries on the up, Canada’s casino culture has led to more options in the online arena. For those in the know, this hardly surprising. In 2018, revenue from the video games industry is predicted to top US$2 billion. Alongside the continued growth of gaming, an estimated 25.6 million people now use smartphones to play games on a daily basis, while 1.8 million people are eSports fans.
Online Gaming is on the Rise
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Given the move towards a virtual form of gaming, the betting world has responded well. Today, players can go online via their desktop or mobile and explore a variety of gaming options. Essentially, what the leading operators have done is tap into the dorm room gambling culture and combine it with modern technology to offer easily accessible betting hubs. At the lowest level, many of the leading online casinos offer free play games. Used as a gateway into the industry, these games mimic those commonly found on social media platforms such as Facebook. In other words, players can spin a slot machine’s reels or play blackjack using fake chips. From this, minimum bets are typically set around the $0.01-mark, which means even the most inexperienced players have an affordable way to play.
As online casinos have evolved, so too has the industry surrounding them. With choice now at an all-time high, players can use review sites to get a better insight into the latest offers and, moreover, into what makes a platform tick. At online-casinos-canada.ca online casinos are given star ratings based on a variety of factors. By assessing each of Canada’s online casinos by the size of their bonuses, the accessibility of their interfaces and the range of games they offer, the reviews are able to show players the best place to play. Much like TripAdvisor or Amazon provides users with objective and subjective opinions, third-party casino review sites do the same. The end result is that players find more of what they want and, in theory, less of what they don’t want.
Choice + Direction = Growth
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In many ways, this is one of the main reasons online casino gaming has become a lucrative industry in Canada. Building on the foundations laid down by live casino operators, online entities have been able to thrive. This, in turn, has given consumers a huge amount of choice. When consumers have more choice, they’re more likely to engage; especially if they’re given some direction. Review sites have become the signposts of the industry and this is pointing more people towards the bet button. Although live casino gaming is still recognized as the dominant force in Canada, things are changing. As more people embrace online gaming in all its forms, the number of people placing a bet via their desktop or mobile will increase. Indeed, with third-party sites actively working to guide consumer’s decisions, many would suggest it’s a safe bet to say online casinos will usurp their live counterpart by the end of the decade.
