Online gambling in India has grown exponentially over the past 10 years, and while it was late to the show compared to its EU and US neighbors, India now recognizes that upto 80% of its population gambles at least once a year. This can be linked to the increased ownership of smartphones across India, as this technological advancement has allowed the Indian population to access online casino sites that exist on a global scale. Yet, while this accounts for accessibility, how exactly have smartphones led to the increase in popularity of online casinos in India?
The sharp increase in smartphone technology
Back in 2000, around 2% of India’s population had access to the internet via landline telephones and PCs, which was a stark contrast to the US’s 50%. This number has now grown to 465 million in India and is growing by the second. This growth can be attributed to tech companies like Samsung who have provided smartphones at an affordable price to the population of India that live outside of large, expensive cities.
How smartphones link with online gambling
This advancement in technology correlates with the increased usage of online gambling. First and foremost, it made India a market that global casino organizations could explore, especially since automatic translation technologies could offer gameplay in India’s native language. As more and more gambling services became readily available in India, naturally, more people began to pick up their phones and play.
With cricket currently being India’s most popular sport, a natural link was found here, and more people began to place bets on cricket matches. Though, the Indian population didn’t just bet on local matches, but international matches too. In India’s quest to bet on cricket matches, other sporting events like horse racing attracted attention and began to rise in popularity, something that wasn’t considered as popular in India prior to technological advancements in smartphones.
How the online casino catered to increased search volumes
With this rise of online sports betting came increased searches for online forms of casino. With such demand from a new audience, online casino review sites catered to the demand by providing robust comparisons between games, while also offering detailed gaming instructions.
CasinoWings is one example, which, with their years of experience in the industry, is a site that offers a summary of online gambling options. Catering to the needs of the user, the site provides a breakdown of online casinos based on their casino ranking, affordability, active bonuses, and game offerings. This is somewhat of an educational tool and via a learning process, has led to the rising popularity of games like slot machines, some of which are India themed, like Bollywood Fantastic.
How word spread
While review sites offer a service pre-gameplay, they also have a post-gameplay star rating feature that allows players to review the game they have played. With thousands of online casino games available, from Indian Rummy to Teen Patti, these reviews are a useful feature for the next player to identify if the game sounds like something they would enjoy.
Of course, everyone has a different opinion, but a lot of people are influenced by a game’s aesthetics, overview, and rating, which is what has caused some online casinos to be more popular than others.
All in all, it is with thanks to India’s growing smartphone market that online casinos have grown in popularity. Combined with ease of access, the ability to bet on the nation’s favorite sport, Indian-themed games, and instructional information for gameplay, it’s no wonder the online casino market grew its appeal in India.
(Note: In case of doubt, TheYouth does not provoke or motivate any of its readers to play the game. It is only an informative article based on information collected from online sources. You can play the game only if it is legally allowed in your country/state. It must be noted such games involve both monetary losses and gains. Either you win or lose, TheYouth shall not be responsible under any circumstances.)