Why Londoners are turning to online casinos for entertainment

Gambling has been part of British society for a long time – since time immemorial, both locals and residents have resorted to it as a popular pastime. And like any other industry, this sector has continued to witness remarkable changes, resulting in its magical growth. In fact, you may actually be surprised to learn that some studies value it at £7 billion.
So, what is London’s gambling culture like? What is drawing more people to the activity? Will this industry continue to grow as some anticipate? Well, if you have such questions, you need to worry because we are here for you. This article will uncover amazing insights into how gambling in London was in the past, how it is now and how things might change in the future.
Where have we come from?
Did you know that His Majesty King Henry VIII was an avid gambler? In fact, most historians claim that casino-style gambling dates back to the period when he was in power. Over the years, access to the entertainment has changed, thanks to the rise of online platforms like Razed crypto casino that enable players to participate at any time and from anywhere. All you need is a smartphone with great internet connectivity, and you’re good to go.
But before this was possible, the entertainment was only available in specific physical locations. In fact, during King Henry’s time, Sir Thomas Neale would always ensure the king’s table had willing opponents, cards and dice. After being mandated by King Charles II, Neale would later oversee gambling operations in London by licensing, closing down and arraigning those who owned illegal playing destinations.
Several years after, during the agrarian revolution, casinos became more popular due to the population increase the capital witnessed. But this was nothing compared to the growth that happened during the Victorian era when a new wave of casinos called gentlemen’s clubs was established.
And many actually believe that these establishments brought a lot of changes because of the exclusive feel they offered. Shockingly, there are several clubs formed during this period that are still operational today.
Moving into the digital era
As casino spots continued to be established, players would later be met with a remarkable innovation: online casinos. After the first one was established in the 1990s, many others joined, allowing players to access gambling experiences more conveniently.
And if we were to look at the statistics, some studies show that more Brits (37%) gamble online, while only about three in ten still participate using traditional methods. This trend, where more Londoners are joining the industry, could actually increase, given the rising popularity of mobile-optimised platforms.
Remember, we now use mobile devices to do almost everything, from shopping to entertainment. And now that about 99% of people aged between 35 and 44 in UK own a smartphone, we may see more operators tailor their platforms to target such an audience. And, of course, what do you think will be the implication? More mobile gamblers, right?
There is more
This is without mentioning the technological advancements expected to make gambling more engaging. Talk of VR, AR and AI, amongst many others. AI, for instance, is pushing for a new trend that perhaps no one ever thought about: personalisation.
Just imagine visiting a platform and finding all the suggestions that perfectly match your preferences. Who would not desire such an encounter? Platforms are now taking advantage of AI’s ability to monitor players’ habits and preferences so as to customise experiences. According to experts, more than 81% of consumers love this, and if this entire industry takes this direction, more Londoners would likely join.
AR and VR come in to make the experience more immersive and realistic. You definitely do not want to just interact with the computer algorithms of the basic, traditional casino games – the online experience should also try to mimic real-life casinos. And that’s exactly what operators are doing, and will continue to do in the coming days.