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Online Gambling Platforms Gained Larger User Base With Pandemic As A Driver Of The Global Online Gaming Market 2020

Published

5 years ago

October 22, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Due to the social distancing restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus outbreak, brick and mortar gambling places remained closed, due to which online gambling platforms gained a larger user base. People were forced to sit at home during the lockdown and this increased internet traffic on all fronts. More people frequently visited gambling websites and thousands of new users registered every day. According to research firm Global Poker, the US has witnessed an increase of first-time online poker players by 255% since the coronavirus lockdowns began. Overall, the poker industry has experienced a 43% growth since April 2020. Some countries saw such increases as an opportunity and modified their online-gambling laws. For example, Belarus legalized online casinos and Armenia made some changes to its existing laws. The increasing popularity of gambling apps and social gambling will propel the growth of the mobile gambling market in the forecast period, and several online-gambling platforms increased their marketing and promotional activities in the form of extra tournaments and bonuses to attract more players as well.

With these drivers and the current situation of the world, the online gambling market size is expected to grow from $58.96 billion in 2019 to $92.86 billion in 2023 at a rate of 12.0%. The market is expected to then grow to $113.12 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 10.4%.

The Business Research Company’s report titled Online Gambling Market Global Report 2020-30: COVID-19 Growth and Change covers major online gambling companies, online gambling market share by company, online gambling manufacturers, online gambling infrastructure market size, and online gambling market forecasts. The report also covers the global online gambling market and its segments. The online gambling market is segmented by game type into betting, casino, lottery, poker, online bingo, others and by device into desktop, mobile, others.

With increasing apps and social gambling, online gambling companies are investing in building mobile platforms for their games to increase accessibility and convenience for users. The availability of smartphones with high-end features such as extended storage, high-end graphics and faster processing speeds at reasonable prices incentivize online gambling companies to make mobile-based applications. Also, mobile gambling offers significant benefits, including more deposit options, loyalty programs, and the option to play with anyone anywhere across the globe. According to App Annie, in 2020, 70% of total gambling revenue is expected to come from mobile gambling.

Along with the ease of mobile apps, companies in the online gambling market are increasingly investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for improving the overall experience for customers. With the help of AI, personalization for each user is possible as the technology can analyze the preference of the user in terms of game selection and offer a customized welcome page accordingly, helping the user to save time spent on looking for the right game. AI also helps in providing customer support in the form of chat-bots for resolving queries. Behavior patterns and gaming frauds can also be checked, which helps in preventing frauds and locks out scammers. Technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality are being implemented as well, giving a more immersive and realistic experience to their users.

Beyond such high-tech updates, online gambling companies are using several tactics to gain more users. Some provide F2P (free to play) types of game products, commonly referred to as freemium. These games do not make any money for the company directly, but revenues are made through upgrades and additions of certain features and improvements by the user. The user pays a minimal amount for different kinds of virtual offerings and other game products to improve the gaming experience. This model allows online gambling companies to increase their user base and have more active players on their platforms who would eventually make a purchase. Currently, many online casinos are offering a free play version of some of their games. Companies innovating their platforms according to the increasing number of customers and their preferences will allow the online gambling market to continue to grow.

brand-partnership

G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team

Published

14 minutes ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

g2-names-skin.club-official-skin-partner-for-its-cs2-team

Skin.Club branding will appear on G2 jerseys, social channels and content series, with in-person activations planned.

G2 has partnered with Skin.Club as the official skin partner for its Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) team, with the deal spanning team jerseys, content and live experiences.

Under the agreement, Skin.Club will feature on G2’s CS2 team jersey as an official partner. The partnership also includes logo placement across G2’s social channels and integration within content series throughout the year, plus a “series of in-person activations,” according to the companies.

“Partnering with Skin.Club marks an exciting step forward for our G2 CS team,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2. “We’re always looking to work with brands that genuinely understand the Counter-Strike community, and Skin.Club brings both passion and innovation to the space. Together, we aim to create engaging experiences for fans while continuing to push the competitive ambitions of our roster.”

“At Skin.Club, we’re focused on creating experiences that bring the Counter-Strike community closer together,” said Dan Tar, CMO of Skin.Club. “Collaborating with G2 allows us to work alongside one of the most iconic teams in esports and deliver new ways for fans to engage. Drive, Love, Counter-Strike!”

Financial terms and the partnership duration were not disclosed.

The post G2 names Skin.Club official skin partner for its CS2 team appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

GGPoker

Marius Kudzmanas wins WSOP Europe Main Event for €2m

Published

14 minutes ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

marius-kudzmanas-wins-wsop-europe-main-event-for-e2m

WSOP says the €5,300 Main Event drew 2,617 entries and created a €13.085m prize pool, the largest open event in European history.

Marius Kudzmanas has won the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Europe Main Event, taking home the €2,000,000 top prize and the WSOP Europe Main Event Champion’s gold bracelet, WSOP announced on April 11, 2026.

WSOP said the €5,300 Main Event attracted 2,617 entries and generated a €13,085,000 prize pool, calling it the largest open event in European poker history.

Across the wider WSOP Europe festival, WSOP reported more than 80 countries represented, 15 WSOP gold bracelets awarded, over €39,500,000 in prizes, and 15,779 total entries across all bracelet events.

WSOP also highlighted Switzerland’s Anna Eggenberger winning the inaugural WSOP Europe €1,000 Ladies Championship for her first bracelet, topping a 197-player field that WSOP said was the biggest ladies championship event ever held outside of Las Vegas.

WSOP executives framed the turnout as a signal of momentum heading into the summer WSOP in Las Vegas, scheduled to run May 26 through July 15. “We are absolutely thrilled with the phenomenal success of this year’s WSOP Europe, which has set new parameters for poker on the continent,” said Ty Stewart, Chief Executive Officer of WSOP. Gregory Chochon, Chief Operating Officer of WSOP, added: “This edition of WSOP Europe was the best yet, and we’d like to sincerely thank all of the players, dealers, staff, partners, and media that came together to make the festival so special. A core WSOP goal is to continually refine and improve our events – with that in mind, we can’t wait for the action to kick off next month in Las Vegas!”

The post Marius Kudzmanas wins WSOP Europe Main Event for €2m appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Casino Operators

LuckyStreak adds Popiplay slots to LuckyConnect aggregation API

Published

1 hour ago

April 13, 2026

Wladimir P.

luckystreak-adds-popiplay-slots-to-luckyconnect-aggregation-api

Deal makes Popiplay’s 75+ game portfolio available to LuckyConnect customers, with new releases auto-synced via the platform.

LuckyStreak has added Popiplay to its iGaming content aggregation API solution LuckyConnect, expanding the aggregator’s third-party slots catalogue. The partnership was announced on 13th April 2026.

Under the deal, Popiplay’s full games library becomes available to LuckyConnect customers “instantly, with no additional technical work required,” according to LuckyStreak. The company said new Popiplay titles will be auto-synced with customers’ game management systems as they are released.

Popiplay, founded in 2022, is a Scandinavian slots studio with a portfolio of more than 75 games. LuckyStreak highlighted mechanics across the catalogue including Bonus Buy and Chance x2 & x3.

Rory Kimber, Commercial Director at LuckyStreak, said: “Popiplay is a great example of the new wave of studios building content for how players actually engage today. Their focus on performance, streamer appeal, and player-first design makes them a strong addition to LuckyConnect and highly relevant for operators targeting modern audiences. We continue to build a portfolio that balances proven performers with ambitious, high-growth providers, and Popiplay fits that strategy perfectly.”

Almir Kudic, CCO at Popiplay, said: “Partnering with LuckyStreak is an important step for us as we continue to grow our distribution. It gives us the opportunity to bring our games to a wider audience while working with a partner that shares our focus on quality and player engagement. We’re excited about what we can achieve together.”

The post LuckyStreak adds Popiplay slots to LuckyConnect aggregation API appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.