When the COVID-19 virus was first detected, Australia seemed to be fairly insulated from the worst of the pandemic. However, over the past year and a half, the landscape has changed significantly and Australia is now enduring a series of lockdowns engineered to keep the spread of the sickness at bay.

States such as Queensland have re-implemented government-prescribed anti-COVID-19 health procedures that have had moderate to severe effects on the profitability of many industries. The gambling industry in particular has experienced a mixed bag of consequences with online gambling websites and land-based casinos recording differing results.

The grounding of brick-and-mortar

Australia’s recent wave of lockdowns has meant that popular gambling destinations like Sydney and Queensland are almost completely closed for business with their brick-and-mortar entertainment establishments facing temporary closures. The casinos that have managed to stay open have a litany of pandemic-fighting restrictions to contend with. One of these is Crown Casino that is currently allowed to host a maximum of 300 customers at any time.

These measures, unfortunately, harm the bottom lines of these establishments, exacerbating already reduced turnovers due to most players remaining in their homes. With fresh outbreaks of the virus regularly popping up, even more land-based casinos could be compelled to close down if the rate of infections does not fall.

Doors closed

Brick-and-mortar casino visitors have watched their options shrink as most local venues have shut down amid rising fears associated with the spread of the virus. On the other hand, some casinos have had to suspend business due to a lack of walk-in customers, while others cannot accommodate stringent capacity limits. All of this has led to many players being left without access to their local gambling venues, while others have described the restrictive regulations, like being made to sit down while drinking and eating, as detrimental to their casino experience.

Other gambling-related businesses like offline betting shops have also felt the pinch as they struggle to compete with the attractive no deposit bonuses and other offers available via online casinos. With the absence of clubs, restaurants, and performance events, discerning fans of the gambling experience find themselves searching for simulated experiences and many platforms have responded by boosting their investments in streamlining online gambling.

The online casino sweet spot

Some sectors within the gambling industry have experienced the opposite of devastation in the wake of the pandemic. Recent studies and surveys have revealed a significant surge in online betting, with a report published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) declaring that 1 in 3 respondents registered a new gambling account with online casinos since the onset of COVID-19 and 1 in 20 respondents revealed that they had started placing real money bets at these casinos. The report additionally notes that younger players (between 18 and 34 years) are the most likely to sign up for online betting accounts and take advantage of the alluring welcome bonuses that most of these sites have in place.

With more land-based casinos closing, gambling websites have seen an influx of customers looking to explore digital versions of the real-money games found in classic gambling halls. Online operators have now been faced with the welcome challenge of optimising and growing their resources and operations to meet the rising influx of transactions and communications. Many players have also ventured into the world of offshore casino websites, putting pressure on local online operators to become more competitive.

Containment breeds compulsion

The convenience of online gambling is a double-edged sword as while it enables players to engage in their favourite pastimes from any location on handheld devices, it represents a significant danger to problem gamblers. Recent studies have revealed that an increasing number of people have developed troublesome gambling behaviours during the pandemic, losing significant amounts of money while wagering online. These players lose where casinos win and regulators, along with support groups, have actively championed new measures like mandatory self-exclusion for at-risk players.

Mixed fortunes

An AIFS survey detailed how the closure of local gambling establishments has had a positive effect on the lives of many as players have been able to save the money that may otherwise have been spent on betting. Some casinos have moved their operations online, but a certain segment of players do not enjoy the simulated experience and have chosen not to engage through these channels.

Regardless of the chaos the industry finds itself in, gambling revenue in Australia has remained stable, even with the lack of sports events. Games of chance have risen to replace sports betting, giving casinos further opportunities to modify their online offerings to meet the needs of a market in flux.​

Sydney residents will likely feel hard done by as the Australian capital city remains under lockdown, while most other cities in the country gradually reopen.

This situation is not without reason as Sydney continues to suffer under waves of Coronavirus infections, giving the government plenty of reason to keep FECs and bars shut for the time being. 239 new infections were recently reported in New South Wales with many hot spots located in the state’s capital.

Bringing down the hammer

In an effort to enforce the lockdown in the city, the army has been deployed and will remain there until at least August 28, ensuring that the local population stick to the rules and do not leave their homes for anything other than essential exercise, shopping or caring for others. In order to comply with the lockdown residents will have to take up online gambling and shopping, and even consider taking part in the cashless pokie trial.

Sydney has already undergone five weeks of lockdown and authorities have laid the blame on a minority who keep breaking the rules and effectively sabotaging efforts to contain the disease. Significant attention has also shifted to those who refuse to get vaccinated.

NSW’s health minister, Brad Hazzard had a particularly stern message for the unvaccinated in a recent interview with The Guardian. He said,

“I would say even more than that, what a ridiculous position is that when you are going to put health staff at risk and when you get sick, you are going to expect to come into the hospital and get paid for by taxpayers. It is time for those who actually think that way to wake up, including commentators who actually don’t base their commentary on logic whatsoever.”

A tough time ahead

Modelling data released by the University of Sydney has revealed that lockdowns in the city may have to continue until as late as mid-September if the city’s vaccination rate reaches 40% by that stage. From a global perspective, Australia has done fairly well in dealing with the pandemic with its total reported infections coming in at just shy of 34 000, a mere drop in the ocean, compared to the USA  which is nearing 36 million reported infections.​

The introduction of smartwatch gambling by the Mobile World Congress in 2014 set off a series of events that have seen the wrist-based pastime rise in iGaming popularity stakes.

Smartphone gambling is easily the most popular alternative to the traditional desktop method, and numerous major players in the iGaming space, including Playtech, Microgaming, and Ladbrokes are looking to the future and embracing the next emerging platform for their offerings. Popular smartwatch models like the AppleWatch, Android Pebble, Moto360, and Android Gear already have a respectable selection of smartphone-optimised gambling apps for players looking for the next level in entertainment portability.

The smartwatch game apps available from Google’s Play Store already number in the thousands. The popularity of using these devices for entertainment purposes is at an all-time high, despite the platform’s largest challenge, namely, the minuscule 1.4-inch average touchscreen size that players have to contend with when spinning digital reels or placing a sports wager.

The pros of smartwatch casino games

Smartwatches offer instant access to your chosen casino games with little possibility of distractions, unlike other mobile platforms where animated banner ads and popups are fairly commonplace and some elements of the game may not be fully optimised for the mobile experience.

Smartwatch casinos and apps provide simplified, more intuitive interfaces, to meet the challenge of smaller displays. Only the most important elements of a game or a real money casino like the menu, the play/spin button, and the bet/wager buttons are included to avoid unnecessary clutter.

Versatility defined

The integration of gambling into this technology means you can access your favourite games and casinos anytime, anywhere while also taking care of your other concerns for the day. You could schedule a meeting then have a quick game of roulette, or perhaps play a couple of spins of your favourite slot while waiting for an incoming email on the same device. Thanks to the wrist strap, you can keep your hands mostly free while playing and avoid the trauma that dropping your cellphone normally triggers.

Super convenience

Smartwatches integrate seamlessly into your life. They are lightweight and often come with a variety of cosmetic customisation options so that your accessory will always match your outfit and your mood. The devices offer a level of comfort of use unmatched by smartphones, tablets, or laptops which have to be carried around and often need to be placed or propped up somewhere to be used comfortably for some functions.

The catch

While the growth of this technology has been impressive, the elephant in the room is ironically the tiny touchscreen size that is guaranteed to frustrate some players, who may need to play for some time before becoming accustomed to it. The wide array of smartwatch designs, operating systems, and shapes, also present unique challenges to developers and can slow down the app development process. The industry is currently on the hunt for universal optimisation solutions that will accommodate all brands, as a lack of market standardisation could seriously hamper the growth of gambling innovation on the platform. There is also the obvious issue of how well a 5-reel game fits on such a small screen with developers working furiously to find solutions.

There have however been encouraging developments, particularly with Android smartwatch pokies. The Thunderstruck smartwatch pokie operates simultaneously on your smartwatch and another paired device like your smartphone or laptop. The smartwatch touchscreen can be used to operate the game while the casino payment and customer support functions will be accessible on the paired device. If you have an LG G Watch, Asus ZenWatch, Samsung Gear Live, or any other compatible smartwatch, you can play Thunderstruck as you’ve never played it before.

Thrilling horizons

Mobile gaming is nothing new, so the transition from smartphones and tablets to smaller, worn devices for online gambling should be simple enough for most people. The number of ‘wrist-warriors’ is likely to increase significantly over the coming years as the iGaming providers refine their offerings with more improvements, enhancements, and standardisation. With the devices themselves becoming increasingly popular, Aussies can expect to see a boom in Android smartwatch pokies and other gambling offerings.​

While the world at large has been enjoying the waves of exciting online gaming content streaming out of the iGaming industry in 2021, not everyone on the planet will continue to enjoy the same kind of access to the plethora of slots and other games on offer.

Punters in the UK are facing a changing landscape with the UK Gambling Commission having already prohibited credit cards and enforced restrictions on casino VIP schemes in 2020. Now, the UKGC has published new laws targeted at real money pokies and the iGaming industry as a whole

The Regulations

The UKGC published a series of new regulations, some of which mandate the removal of pokie features like Autospin and others that affect banking options.

The commission’s recent work has resulted in credit cards being disallowed as a method of transaction and the elimination of features that have been deemed to be misleading. Online operators have been given until 31 October to implement all the new rules.

Speed bumps

Pokies will no longer be permitted to spin faster than 2.5 seconds, as in some games, the first four reels will spin at regular speed, but if a win is more likely to occur, the fifth reel spins faster and for longer. This feature is designed to increase feelings of anticipation and expectation.

UKGC casinos will no longer carry titles that employ this feature, and speeding up play in any way, as well as creating the illusion that the punter can control the outcome, are also prohibited. This is a significant measure that affects a large percentage of pokies that offer the option to speed up the spin animation to provide an immediate spin result. From now on, all pokies will spin at a normal pace, regardless of the potential outcome of your spin, wiping out the majority of high-variance titles.

Rejected pokie and casino features

The Autospin feature is one that UK punters will likely miss most. The new regulations from the UKGC remove the option for players to set their pokies to ‘auto’, forcing them to rather press the spin button each time.

It has been pointed out that the Autospin feature does not impact the win-loss setting at all, so its removal has been characterised by some as peculiar.

Operators have also been instructed to cancel reverse withdrawals from now on. Players could previously request a withdrawal and then cancel the transaction to rather continue betting with the funds. Pokies are now also prohibited from featuring sounds and images that give the illusion of a large win, like ‘Mega Win’ or ‘Big Win’, if the actual win matches or is less than the bet amount.

Miscellaneous restrictions

Some regulations are not specifically related to pokie gameplay. For example, operators now have to display the total losses or wins and the time played during all online sessions. This regulation is aimed at operators, rather than the pokies themselves, but is a significant change, nevertheless.

Other laws take aim at practices within the iGaming industry, including VIP memberships and the methods employed to identify potential problem gamblers.

While these regulation updates only directly affect UKGC licensed operators, the regulator is a leader in international gambling regulations, so the chance that other jurisdictions may adopt similar measures is not beyond the realm of possibility.

How iGaming is affected

These new UK regulations are designed to make online gambling safer with a focus on increased player protection and addressing compulsive gambling.

The immediate effects of these will exclusively impact UK operators, but game providers may find themselves having to provide two versions of their titles as one will have to meet the UKGC requirements.

This presents a significant challenge for providers who will have to provide alternate versions of large chunks of their portfolios. Some will likely sidestep the UKGC requirements and shift their focus to offering content for offshore operators.

Over the years, The UKGC has introduced numerous regulations to protect players from the adverse effects of gambling. These include self-exclusion schemes like GamStop and strict KYC requirements.

While the agency should be applauded for its player-centric approach, the new rules may result in a situation where UK operators have severely limited offerings for players. If more regions adopt similar rules, the situation may resolve itself, but this would probably take a couple of years.

There are no existing laws that stop UK punters from gambling offshore, so the likely result is that increasing numbers of UK-based punters will sign up on websites that are licensed outside of the country.

The future

Global trends in gambling laws consistently shift and change with more regions creating regulated betting industries, while others pile on restrictions.

The UKGC’s new regulations will hopefully increase awareness and transparency around gambling practices and pitfalls and the global iGaming industry will have to adapt on its toes if it hopes to survive with its profitability intact.​

With the closure of Australian pubs and casinos precipitated by the menace of the COVID-19 pandemic, one may have assumed that Australia’s gamblers would end up losing a little less. However, this is not the case and the nation’s gambling losses have risen, with the re-opening of gambling venues expected to cause record levels.

This is not a new problem for the country that has a long-standing gambling problem among its citizens.

Downhill down under

Australia’s currently worsening gambling losses are part of an extended trend. A study conducted in 2017 revealed that Australia’s gambling losses per capita are the highest across the globe at $958. Hong Kong comes in at a somewhat distant second with $768, third and fourth are Finland and New Zealand with figures of $515 and $454, respectively.

Japan’s figure is $447, Ireland comes in at $433, Norway is only slightly lower at $430, and The US round up the top 8 with $421.

Canada, Panama, the UK, Malta and Iceland all have figures ranging from $382 to $339 per capita.

Studies have shown that low-income individuals spend an average of 10% of their disposable money on gambling, with their high-income counterparts coming in at a mere average of 1%.

The elephant in the room

Far from curbing gambling spending, the country’s mandatory lockdowns drove Australians to online alternatives to their preferred gambling venues. One in three gamblers surveyed admitted to opening a new account with many of them already falling into the at-risk category. Further information gathered from reports shows that the number of gamblers who indulged four or more times per week shot up to 32% from 23%.

While the lockdowns were fully in place, many Aussies found themselves with more cash than normal and while some made the wise decision to use the surplus to pay for essentials, a significant number decided to hoard their savings until gambling venues were re-opened. The resumption brick-and-mortar gambling has seen the nation’s gamblers spending at an alarmingly unseen rate, with examples like Melbourne’s suburb of Brimbank setting a single-day pokie losses record ofAU$482,168 causing concern.

Questionable ties

Many of the voices of concern raised regarding gambling losses come from the mouths of politicians. These utterances seem disingenuous to some when the fact that the National government gains taxes from the legitimate gambling industry, and where the money eventually winds up is largely unknown.

In 2019, it was reported that the government claimed over $500,000,000 in taxes from gambling. If Australia’s punters were more conservative with their gambling spend, this number would decline, leaving revenue void in its wake and negatively affecting the economy.

Punishing pokies

An overview of gambling in Australia shows that the country spends more on lottery tickets than anything else. The biggest losses, however, are created by the ubiquitous pokie.

The Australian Gaming Council shows that pokies and other types of gaming machines contributed $12.5 billion in losses over an average year. More than 200,000 pokies are currently in operations across the country, making up a whopping 20% of the global tally. The machines are also firmly ingrained into the national landscape with more pubs and clubs than not featuring a shiny cash-bandit.

The popularity of the devices did not escape the Australian Football League. In Victoria, 90% of all league teams own and operate pokies, providing the teams with additional revenue, should attendance figures fall.

New South Wales residents are particularly enthusiastic about gaming machines with half of the nation’s pokies located in this state. These machines generated $6.5 billion profit in 2019, a figure comparable to the GDP of Montenegro or Somalia.

Looking for answers

Some anti-gambling advocates and politicians have tabled numerous potential solutions to the rampant spread of problem gambling. These include reducing casino operating hours, barring credit card use for online gambling, restricting the number of cheque cashing services near gambling venues, placing a cap on the number of poker machines, introducing a limit on betting, and swapping out traditional pokies for cashless devices.

Whether any of these measures will ease the problem is uncertain. But with the cost of problem gambling estimated at nearly A$5 billion per year, urgent action needs to be taken to address the issue which is the cause of undesirable consequences like theft, family violence, depression, and bankruptcy.​