The abolishment of the federal law regarding sports betting in the USA in 2018 was a poignant moment in the country’s history and one that has clearly taken off in a positive fashion.
American culture is known to feature sports with the pastime highly popular for many around the country, with many watching and playing their favorite sports and teams competing for honors. The NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL, have each been incredibly popular with fans all over, as have combat sports such as MMA, UFC, and professional wrestling.
The ability to place bets on these events and enhance the viewing experiences have only helped to grow the popularity, and other sports have arguably benefited because of their ability to do so. Soccer is perhaps a prime example, as there has been a growing interest in the MLS and events globally like the Premier League, FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
But, while there is so much interest in sports betting, could the same love and passion be given to online casinos by the American public?
Will iGaming ever be as popular in the US?
iGaming has experienced a very slow growth across the US in comparison to sports betting, which perhaps suggests that there may be some difficulty in embracing it as much as wagering on sports has been.
Locations such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan have fully embraced the industry, and residents in locations have also looked for the best casinos online USA has available to utilize and play iGaming titles, while Las Vegas has always been the premier destination for many who want to enjoy a land-based experience.
However, there appears to be a more negative connotation to iGaming and casinos than there is to sports wagering, which is perhaps why the decision to accelerate its growth throughout the country has been extremely slow. Therein tribal casinos that do not want online options being made available as they fear a loss of business, while there are certain states which have traditionalist views and do not want to introduce gambling as they fear the cultural impact it can have on the region.
Could Americans embrace iGaming?
Although it does not appear to be likely now, there is no suggestion that the US and Americans could not find themselves embracing iGaming in the future, especially if it were to become more widespread.
While many are already passionate about sports, the ability to wager on the events and their favorite teams perhaps seemed a logical step and a way to enhance their viewing experiences. Gambling on games is something that is a bit of an unknown entity, because it is a new concept not many would be used to or have been exposed to unless they visited a casino.
Further exposure could help them to embrace the activity, especially if it is regulated as well as states have shown it can be and if it is offered in the same way as sports betting is.
Time will tell
Of course, a lot of whether Americans will love online casinos will depend on what jurisdictions decide to do in the future. With gaming being a popular pastime for many in the country, there is every chance that it could be embraced, but time will only tell.
As for now, it is difficult to mention both iGaming and sports betting in the same breath in terms of how passionate Americans are for each of them.