Success Stories: iGaming - August 2021

In success stories, we profile some of the key stories in iGaming this month, focusing on areas of growth, resilience and innovation.

This month’s snapshot features exciting iGaming statistics, a booming Asian market and fresh advances in responsible gambling.

Online Gambling reaches new heights

63% of players prefer online gambling to retail

A survey conducted by YouGov found that 63% of respondents who had gambled online during the past year preferred the vertical to retail 

The pollster’s Global Gambling Report was taken from surveys of more than 1,000 respondents across Mexico, France, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Poland, India, Sweden and Singapore.

Larger samples, of more than 2,000, were taken in the US, Great Britain, Germany and Australia.

YouGov found that 63% of respondents across the whole sample preferred to gamble online than in person, with the highest single country iGamers being found in India (76%), the UK (70%) and Italy (69%).

“Fueled by innovation, de-regulation in key markets, and the pandemic, it’s clear that the popularity of online gambling globally has achieved new highs,” YouGov said.

Philippines Flying in Q2

PAGCOR recorded a 762% revenue increase

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has recorded revenue figures of PHP20.88bn (£304.7m/€355.3m/$414.8m) for the entire Philippine gaming industry, climbing 762.5% year-on-year.

Slot games was the biggest contributor to this massive figure, bringing in PHP1.07bn (£15.6m), a 2062.8% from 2020. Table games generated PHP486.2m, casino junkets brought in PHP243.5m, Poker generated PHP1, whilst in-house bingo revenue was PHP1.8m.

The quarter saw the effects of PAGCOR permitting domestic online gambling for the first time. In April, it allowed Tiger Resort, Leisure and Entertainment, operator of the Philippines’ Okada Manilla Resort to offer its online services within the country.

Combined these licensed operators brought in PHP40.26bn across H1.

Betting Beats Retail In Age Verification

Uk Betting shops lead the way in age verification

Serve Legal released data showing UK betting shops have better age verification than than convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol forecourts.

Serve Legal carried out spot checks to test whether or not secret shoppers were asked to verify their age, with the shop scoring a pass if they asked customers to display proof.

A total of 90% of betting shops have passed in 2021 so far, compared to 83% of convenience stores, 77% of supermarkets, and 76% of petrol forecourts. This is also a 23% improvement on scores since tests began, a great sign of the progress being made in recent years according to the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC).

“By any measure, age verification standards have improved since they were first introduced and once again betting shops are leading the retail sector in terms of compliance,” said BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher.

Macau’s Golden Expectations

25,000 visitors per day expected during Golden Week

The Macau Government and Tourism Office expects more than 25,000 visitors per day during the October Golden Week (National Holiday).

Despite the fact that Chinese tourists could freely travel to Macau guest numbers fell in 2020, by nearly 86% year-on-year, with a total of 150,000 visitors or 20,000 per day.  

These new figures are based on the slowly recovering visitation numbers after the latest surge of Covid-19 cases, and the eased travel restrictions between Macau and some of the neighbouring regions.

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