Social games have been around for a long time, but they’ve grown significantly more important in the online gaming industry in recent years. According to studies, the sweepstakes and social casino market generated over $6 billion in revenue by 2021. Experts predict this number will rise by almost 50% before 2027.
Keep reading if you’re interested in what makes these gaming platforms so popular. The following article will touch on the rise of social casino sites and their future within iGaming.
Reasons Behind the Success of Social Casinos
Factors that contributed to the social casinos’ rise in popularity are many. To keep things simple, we’ve spotlighted the three key elements. Detailed information on each is available in the following sections.
Social Circumstances
Social and sweepstakes casinos boast a long track record in the global gaming market. However, they’ve experienced the most significant popularity boost in the past few years. The pandemic limited social interaction to a minimum, leaving many casino players at the mercy of the internet. Many of them found a way to pass the time in social casinos.
Sweepstakes and social casinos stood out in the overcrowded iGaming market for their accessibility. Most boast a robust online presence, partnering with popular social media platforms like Facebook. These integrations allow social gaming brands to offer quicker and less intrusive registration and regular exclusive contests and prizes.
Free-to-Play Gaming
We can’t discuss social casino sites without mentioning their best feature — free-to-play games. These gaming sites operate on a no-purchase-necessary business model, which means they don’t use real funds. Instead, their games are played with casino credits called gold and sweep coins.
Players can claim coins as part of promotions, win them in contests, or request them by mail at no cost. Through this system, casino games — including slots, tables, and specialty releases — are free to play and, therefore, accessible to a broad audience. Free games online in Zula casino are an excellent example. All you need to do to play them is register with the casino, redeem the welcome bonus, and find the game you’d like to play.
Market Regulations
Another reason behind the popularity of social casinos is their legal status. Numerous countries worldwide, including most states in the US, don’t take iGaming lightly. Their law books contain various statutes prohibiting specific casino games or practices on the basis of their structure and profit potential. However, these regulations generally do not apply to social and sweepstakes sites.
As mentioned, sweepstakes and social gaming platforms’ free-to-play business model charges users no rake. This distinction places them outside the realm of conventional gaming as defined by most laws, so they’re much more accessible than their traditional counterparts. Even players from anti-gaming jurisdictions like Texas or New York are free to join and enjoy these casinos’ offerings at no risk.
The Future of Social Casinos
Now that we’ve covered the current trends, let’s discuss what the future holds for social casinos. If you’re keeping up with the news, you know the market is rapidly changing. The revenue generated by iGaming has caused many countries to reconsider their attitudes toward this industry. Some have already amended their legislation to embrace the field, and many others have taken steps to do the same.
These changes may discourage some from social gaming. Benefits like easy registration, free-to-play games, and social media contests that characterize this sector remain unmatched by conventional online casinos. This list can only grow longer as technology advances.
The shift toward mobile gaming embraced recently by many social gaming providers is one good example. Areas like blockchain integration, VR/AR implementation, and machine learning might be another. By all accounts, social casinos are poised to maintain their winning ways.
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