Covid-19 pandemic has hit us as if it was Muhamad Ali against a random street thug. We are still recovering from it. Still, despite all the tragic and negative things that happened in the past few years, it would be unfair to neglect some benefits it brought to us all. It’s not only we wash hands more than ever, and stay at home instead of going to work sick, but the coronavirus has improved digital industries on all levels.
According to Anna Rosak, an online gambling specialist from Poland, digital industries helped us all survive the turbulent first years of the pandemy and everything that came afterward. She is not talking only about “kasyno PayPal”, or casinos that support payment methods such as PayPal, but also governments, stores, and all sorts of services.
“A friend of mine told me how her tax administration was always asking her to show up in person. Yet, with COVID-19, all of a sudden, everything could be done with a single email. It’s like magic”, Rosak is theatrical. Still, that doesn’t mean she’s wrong.
Digitalization at Warp Speed
According to research done by one of the most prestigious consulting companies in the world, McKinsey and company, COVID-19 helped companies speed up their digitalization process for 3 to 4 years. Impressive, right? It gets better! Digital companies, the ones that have embraced the online business environment prior to the pandemic, have pushed their processes and technologies the astonishing 7 years ahead! To put it simply, some companies are already operating as if it is 2027. Digital companies in Asia go even one step further, or 3 years to be more exact, and have sped up the entire thing for an entire decade. As an average consumer, you might be wondering what does that has to do with you.
“I’ll try to put it as simply as possible – you get a better service. Everyone is finally aware of how important digital industries are, and that there is no alternative. I mean, there probably is, but it won’t bring you any money”, explains Rosak.
McKinsey researches go even as far as to say how the increased digitalization represents a “tipping point of historic proportions”, suggesting the further evolution will take place, and the “new normal” is essentially “normal”.
Short Case Study: Increase in Online Gaming
One of the industries that noted the most prominent increase in the number of customers is online gaming. Despite being around for over a decade, the pandemic pushed it into the spotlight, and numerous authorities hurried up to regulate it as much as possible. The main reason for it – skyrocketing numbers of new customers during lockdowns.
“There are only so many Netflix shows one can watch while being locked inside their home”, claims Rosak and continues, “When your day-to-day life consists of Zoom calls, email correspondence, and not seeing a human face that isn’t covered in mask, the online casino looks more inviting than ever!”
However, it is important to say it is not only new gamers who joined the party. The regulars showed up as well. A study conducted by scientists at the University of Bristol shows how British gamblers play six times more often than before the pandemic. What makes things more interesting is the fact that male gamblers were more prone to play frequently, than female customers.
“I’m not surprised. There have been so many studies showing how women take more burden during the pandemic. They coordinate online school classes, juggle household and work, and the limited number of laptops at home, while men, obviously, again have more fun”, vitriolic is our expert.
Despite the growing number of online gamers, the revenue numbers in 2021 still weren’t that impressive. If you ask Rosak, the main reason is the fact that many major online casinos also hold retail hops that were pretty much closed year-long. The second important factor is that online gamers, just like most others, experience job uncertainty. “Many people had to live off state supports, and we all know those amounts don’t leave any coins behind for leisure activities”, sighs Anna.
Yet, not everything is lost, as 2021 shown strong signs of market recovery. Anna says this proves online gamers keep gaming, and have even joined ranks with traditional customers who play only at retail shops. It is expected that numbers in 2022 will surpass those in pre-COVID times.
“Sometimes, companies will have to wait to see what benefits they gained during the pandemic. The reward is almost never instant, but there is no denial many customers recognized the convenience of digital services. Online casinos should build upon this new wind of change, and find a way to keep customers they gained throughout one of the darkest years in history”, concludes the specialist.
