As a lot of companies move towards a mobile-first approach, iGaming is one of the industries that is thriving on the fact that more and more people in the UK are using their phones and tablets for everything. Why walk all the way to the high street or your nearest casino to place a bet when you can do just that on your phone without moving from your sofa?
A report from the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) at the end of 2019 revealed an 11% growth in online gambling, with the United Kingdom accounting for 32.4% of the market. Not only that but 43% of all online bets were placed using a mobile phone or a tablet. That was up from 39% the previous year. And it’s expected to rise significantly again in next year’s report.
This report details 2018 findings, and the market expansion actually saw gross gaming revenue rise to a whopping 22.2 million Euros from a 2017 high of 20 million Euros across Europe.
Secretary-general of the EGBA, Maarten Haijer, commented on the recent statistics:
“Europe’s online gambling market continues to show strong demand-driven growth and a switch to mobile devices.
“But its increased popularity reinforces the need for more consistent and robust consumer protections and industry standards across all EU countries.
“The current situation of diverging and sometimes conflicting regulations in EU countries is detrimental to consumers, authorities and operators alike.”
How does this benefit the UK recruitment industry?
Job, jobs, and more jobs. If we check some of the new online casinos listings, we’ll realize that the industry is getting bigger by the year, and with that, the overwhelming success of iGaming companies is set to continue. And as long as it keeps growing, the UK recruitment industry will thrive as there will be many roles to fill.
Ok, so you might be thinking that bettors will just log on to an app on their phone and play a game or have a bet on roulette or blackjack. How does that affect jobs? Simple. Someone needs to maintain the seamless apps and the well-designed mobile betting site. Someone has to be at the other end of a phone or live chat if a bettor has a query. Someone has to check all of the ID when a new customer registers at a new online betting site. Someone needs to manage accounts to ensure responsible gambling standards are being adhered to.
Working in the iGaming industry can be very rewarding. The job areas created with the continued success of online casinos and betting sites include:
- Regulatory Compliance
- Account Manager
- Software Developers
- Content Specialists
- HR
- Graphic Designers
- Product Managers
- Social Media Executives
- Customer Support Representatives
You can even add casino dealers and croupiers to the list – which contains some of the highest-paying job positions in 2020. This is because more and more online casinos are offering a live casino experience for players. A lot of the live casinos are beamed live from areas of Eastern Europe such as Latvia and Estonia simply because it’s cheaper. But players also want a local touch, which is why you’re seeing some online casinos create a UK style of online casino, thus creating plenty of high-paying jobs for any trainee or experienced croupiers.
Onwards and upwards for online casino recruitment
As more and more online casinos increase their capacity in terms of game variety and the sheer volume of those games, there’s always going to be a need for the jobs listed above. No secret was made of the fact that around 12,000 jobs were at risk with regards to high street betting shops, but many of those skills are transferable to an online setting in a lot of cases.
So, while it might be doom and gloom on the high street at the moment, online casinos are thriving, which is fantastic news for anyone looking for a new career.