Gambling News - August 2005 Edition

"Traditional Gambling Making Way for Online Boom"

Texas Hold'em and UK deregulation fueling online gambling popularity rise.

Two things are currently fuelling the spiraling interest in online gambling: the tremendous popularity of Texas Hold’em poker and the recent deregulation of gambling laws in the United Kingdom. While the online gambling industry is still relatively small compared to traditional gambling in bricks and mortar casinos and to the National Lottery, the industry is growing rapidly and holds great potential for even more growth.

An annual study carried out by research consultancy ORC International, ORC GamblerTrack, shows that online gambling rose by 46 percent last year whereas all forms of traditional gambling, such as telephone, shops, casinos and on-course betting saw a significant decline for the same period. ORC suggests that the decline is due to the overall improved Internet access and dramatic rise in online gambling.

Even though there has been a steady decline in the number of people gambling over the years, sixty percent of United Kingdom residents participate in some form of gambling. This participation totals an annual sales figure of 42 billion pounds. In an effort to capture an even greater customer base, and, in particular, the higher income groups, the online gambling businesses are increasing their marketing investments in advertising, brand building, and customer loyalty strategies.

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