Mobile gambling bucks the economic trend

In stark contrast to much of the entertainment and leisure sector, gambling via mobile phones will perform strongly in 2009, led by the UK market, according to a new study from Juniper Research just released.

The study found that total wagers on mobile phones are expected to more than double in 2009 to more than $3.6 billion, whereas user spending on mobile TV and mobile games will be adversely impacted by the global economic downturn.

According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, “Gambling is essentially a recession-proof industry, as while there may be marginal reductions in the level of stakes amongst casual users, the overall appetite for gambling per se will be unaffected. Furthermore, with the growing availability of betting services on-portal, the mobile is an increasingly convenient and user-friendly means of placing a bet.”

The Juniper report also noted that the overwhelming majority of leading European bookmakers now offered some form of betting service on the mobile, with several having partnered with leading network operators.

However, the report notes that regulatory restrictions remain a key impediment to mass adoption, even in countries where mobile betting services are permitted, and argues that national and state governments need to implement a clear and transparent framework governing all forms of mobile gambling services for the benefit of both consumers and service providers.

Other findings from the Juniper Research report include

* Mobile betting will account for 75 percent of all gambling on mobile handsets in 2008, with casino-type gambling the second-largest sector

* The UK alone will account for more than 30 percent of bets placed in 2008, although this proportion will decline to just 8 percent by 2013 due to increased deployment of services elsewhere

* Global gross win from mobile betting services is expected to exceed $1 billion annually by 2012

White papers and further details of the study ‘Mobile Gambling: Casinos, Lotteries and Betting (5th edition)’ can be freely downloaded from http://www.juniperresearch.com