Life in isolation: How millions turned to online gaming to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic

When the coronavirus pandemic started in early 2020, telecom giant Verizon reported that gaming usage went up 75% (between March 12-19) and 102% (April 2) as people spend more time at home amid coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to vaccines, life is slowly beginning to return back to normal.

Unfortunately, we’re not out of the woods yet as countries like Australia are still under lockdown as the new Delta variant starts to spread around the globe. As coronavirus starts to rear its ugly head again, millions of people found themselves once again confined to their homes with very little to do.

Since February 2020, several reports confirmed that while other sectors were decimated by the pandemic, the gaming industry, especially the iGaming and online gambling sector experienced a major boost. In addition, online movies and streaming websites like Netflix have become the go-to entertainment sources for millions to manage the global pandemic.

With the shutdown of gambling facilities in many parts of the world, gamers and casino players turned to online platforms where they had access to popular casino games like mega reel slots and blackjack, but many also registered to popular online poker sites for real money.

Hopefully, the worst of it is behind us, and for many people, it’s business as usual. And with that comes the chance to step foot in our local casinos once again. About time, right? Well, maybe not. The thing is, in some areas, the way of life that we’ve adapted to will have likely imprinted on us permanently or at least be difficult to undo.

The way we socialize, how we work, and, no doubt for many of us, the way we get our casino fix will be done preferably from the comfort of home. It comes as no surprise that online casino memberships have grown substantially during the pandemic, with virtually all major outlets reporting an increase in subscriptions with many hoping to hit jackpot slots. But is this growth really such a bad thing?

When you think about it, online casinos can deliver the thrill you expect from brick-and-mortar locations. People can now play live games with actual croupiers, have a punt with a loved one without leaving home, and it’s no doubt easier for many to call it quits by closing a tab on a browser than it is to walk out of a casino where time seemingly stands still. And, many don’t have to wait for tables as there are now many online slots to choose from.

There’s no denying that the internet is saturated with online casinos, many of which are a bit shady and don’t comply with the strict regulations put in place to keep the environment safe. The good news there is, though, that they don’t last long. Either way, you’re better off picking a name you know and can trust.

Anyone that’s new to online casinos and misses the thrill of splitting cards at the Blackjack table or putting it all on red with Roulette needn’t wait for their local’s doors to reopen, or even feel the need to count down the days until they do. The surge in popularity of online casinos is no doubt here to stay – at least until the world returns entirely back to normal, which might take a bit more time yet. Let’s see what happens in 2022.