The answer to this is simple – it’s a resounding yes!’ Just like all businesses, online casinos have needed to adapt to their customers’ needs in order to thrive. The result is an online casino market that does seem somewhat similar from website to website, but there is innovation there.
Let’s look at how customers are influencing the way in which online casinos are doing business.
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Mobile-first approach
This is something that has been happening for a while now. Just a few years ago, the vast majority of online gambling happened on computers. Nowadays? It is mobile devices. It’s just easier for players to whip out their phone and play a couple of games than it is to boot up the computer.
While major online casinos were a bit slow on the uptake for mobile gambling when it first became a reality, online casinos are now all-in. Most online casinos are developed for mobile gamblers, with almost all games on their platforms supporting mobile devices, right there in the web browser. There’s no need to download anything else. This is something that players have been demanding for a long while, and developers have responded.
Accepted payment methods
There hasn’t been that much change on the payment method front in the UK, since we don’t really have that many payment methods available to us. Plus, what we do have is relatively simple in comparison to the alternatives.
Recently, more and more online casinos have started to accept eWallets such as PayPal; something that was rarely accepted a decade ago. This is partly due to UKGC rules, which specify that you can only withdraw to the same service that you deposited with. Having PayPal as an option just makes things a little easier for the player.
One area where online casinos do seem to be listening to players is on the cryptocurrency front. Sure, only a minority of players are likely to ever use cryptocurrency in a casino, but more and more online casinos are starting to cater to them.
Fast withdrawals
Fast withdrawals are now big in this business. Previously, withdrawing from an online casino could take days. Now? If an online casino is set up properly, withdrawals can be processed in minutes. Players love this, as it means that they are getting access to their winnings far quicker.
Not every online casino will have fast withdrawals at the moment. This is because it can be difficult to offer fast withdrawals while staying compliant with UKGC legislation with regard to Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, but since more and more people are now avoiding platforms that don’t have fast withdrawals, online casinos need to adapt. We wouldn’t be surprised if, within a couple of years, you’ll be able to get guaranteed fast withdrawals at all online casinos and other digital platforms in the UK.
Bonuses
Online casino players love casino bonuses. While laws surrounding online casino bonuses have changed a little over the last few years, bonuses are still one of the main ways companies drive people to their platform.
When you look at Casino Bonuses in the UK nowadays, you’ll find a much more varied selection than you would have in the past. While initial welcome bonuses are a touch smaller than they used to be, it is clear that players are demanding far more ‘long-term’ bonuses to stick around on a website.
So, you might find that platforms are starting to offer reload bonuses, loyalty programs etc. This benefits the players as they don’t need to keep hunting for new websites, and it benefits the casino because it keeps their user base within their ecosystem.
Vast game selection
While many people do tend to limit themselves to playing just a couple of casino games, players are demanding more variations of these games, and maybe a couple of unique offerings, so they can check out a few other things on occasion. Online casinos now offer a wider range of games than ever before.
One trend that we are spotting is that many online casinos are ditching the idea of being exclusive to one or two game developers, and are trying to make deals with dozens of game providers, including smaller developers. After all, the bigger the selection, the better the chance they have of gaining a customer.
You will also see live dealer games expanding online, since that is what players are demanding.
Provably fair games and site security
Online gamblers want to know that they are not being scammed. While a casino’s registration with the UKGC should be enough to prove that a site is fair, players want more than that. They want games to be provably fair (ie the player can check that the game is paying out fairly), and site security needs to be top-notch.
Final thoughts
The world of online casinos is changing. While online casinos have been somewhat slow to adapt over the years, player demands mean that they need to change quickly. This is why we are starting to see more casino bonuses, mobile gambling and faster withdrawals from platforms. You might even see new payment methods being offered.
