The COVID19 pandemic has led to a lot of unprecedented changes in the world as we once knew it. From the way that we work, shop, connect with families and friends, and much more, we’ve been doing things differently for the past eighteen months to keep ourselves and others as safe as possible. Around the world, many people realised that the internet was the best way to continue shopping or getting entertainment as normal. With many stores and physical locations for fun and entertainment temporarily closed to the public as a result of the virus, the internet became even more of an essential for our everyday lives. People spending more time at home than ever before during the lockdowns meant that online entertainment options, including online casino gaming, kept many of us sane. Here are some of the main reasons why the number of people playing online casino games rose so much during the pandemic.
Why Play Online Casino Games?
Even prior to COVID19, more and more people were choosing to play their favourite games at online rather than physical casinos. There are many reasons why online casino gaming has become increasingly popular over the years including the fact that they allow players much more freedom when it comes to how, where and when they game, compared to playing at a traditional casino. When you are playing online, you can simply enjoy the games from the comfort of your own home, and you don’t need to worry about issues like opening times or dress codes. All you need to do is log into the website or app of your favourite online casino and choose the game that you’d like to play at any time of the day or night and wherever you are as long as you are connected to the internet.
How Casino Closures Impacted Online Gaming:
The closure of traditional casinos was one of the driving forces behind the uptake in online casino gaming throughout the pandemic. For many people who visited traditional casinos often as a hobby or a way to spend time with friends, their only option during the national lockdowns was to play online if they wanted to continue playing the games that they were used to and enjoyed. Since the lockdown rules prohibited traditional casinos from opening to the public under COVID19 guidelines to encourage social distancing and prevent people from mixing unnecessarily in indoor spaces, an increasing number of people who would usually frequent their local casinos turned to online gaming spaces instead.
Ease of Access:
Another main reason behind more people playing online casino games at home during the COVID19 pandemic is that these sites and games are becoming increasingly easy to access, with a growing number of casinos available to play at. You can easily check out OnlineCasinos.co.uk to find out more about some of the best new online casinos that are available. Use the Online Casinos website to find out more about where you can play certain games, where you can find the best new player bonuses and offers, and which sites have the fastest payouts to name a few. Today, anybody over the age of eighteen can easily start playing their favourite games at an online casino using a connected device like a smartphone or tablet.
Better Responsible Gambling Controls:
Many people worried about their financial situation throughout the pandemic, leading to a greater need for more control over how much they were spending on entertainment options such as online casino games. Playing online is often a better option for people who want more control over their budget and to reduce the risk of going too far or spending more than they planned. Unlike a traditional casino where it’s solely up to you to keep track of how much you are spending, online casinos are set up to help you out. When you play online, you can take advantage of features such as setting deposit limits, self-excluding from the casino for a few days if you need a break, and more. So, it’s no surprise that this might have become a more popular option during the pandemic with a growing number of people feeling the need to get in more control of their money.
Safe and Easy to Enjoy From Home:
One of the biggest reasons why casino gaming became a bigger pastime during the COVID19 pandemic is that it is a safe, easy, and enjoyable hobby to take up from the comfort of your own home. For people who felt like they needed a break from family video calls or binge-watching Netflix and wanted something different to do to bust the boredom during the national lockdowns, online casino gaming was a great option to consider. When playing casino games online, there is absolutely no need to leave the house – you can do it from your living room, kitchen, bedroom, and anywhere else in the house where you have a decent internet connection.
Social Aspect:
Many people play casino games for the fun of it, others like the thrill of winning money, and for some, it’s the social aspect of casino gaming that keeps them returning to their favourite casinos and casino sites. While online casino gaming may not be as social as traditional casino gaming in the sense that you don’t get to meet up with other people in person, it can still be a good way to talk to others and even make new friends. Some casino sites offer in-game chat rooms and other social features where you can talk to the other players and get much more out of the experience than simply playing your favourite game. This was an attractive feature to many during the lockdown when we had to avoid meeting up with other people outside of our household and the internet became the main way to keep in touch with existing people and make new friends.
The COVID19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns led to many people looking for online alternatives to their favourite activities or new things to do online to pass the time, including online casino gaming.