eCogra — an online gambling industry self-regulatory body — has commissioned an unprecedented research of a typical online gambler picture. The research performed by the Betting and International Gaming Research Units at Nottingham Trent University is considered to be one of the largest and most comprehensive studies into the behavior of an average online gambler. A research was based on a survey conducted among 10,865 people from 96 counties and 37 different sectors of employment.
Why Play Online?
According to the research, playing for real money is more attractive and entertaining for the overwhelming majority of online gamblers. This fact makes the online gambling business even more attractive for investors and online gambling websites operators. A great number of gambling-lovers prefer playing casino games and poker games online, as they can make it from the comfort of their own home. Online gambling offers them relaxation and excitement. Not many of them are seeking for epic wins on the long run.
The Average Gambler
As the survey has revealed an average casino gambler acts different from online poker gambler.
The average online poker player is likely to:
- Be male (73.8%);
- Be aged 26-35 (26.9%);
- Play 2-3 times per week (26.8%);
- Have played for 2-3 years (23.6%);
- Play for between 1-2 hours per session (33.3%);
- Play one (24.1%) or two (24%) tables at a time;
- Play both cash games and tournaments (34%);
- Play at big-blind (minimum stake) levels of $0,25 to $1.00 (61.2%);
- Play with 6-10% of their bankroll at a table at any one time (23%).
The average casino gambler is likely to:
- Be female (54.8%);
- Aged 46-55 (29.5%);
- Play 2-3 times per week (37%);
- Have visited more than 6 casinos in the preceding three months (25%);
- Have played for 2-3 years (22.4%);
- Play for between 1-2 hours.
Reasons to Choose a Specific Casino
What can be of the most interest for an online gambling website operator is why people choose specific online casinos and poker rooms. The most important factor for a casino choice is its bonuses policy. According to the survey, over 75% of respondents name this fact the most important. The second significant factor is game variety (62%) followed by payment options and casino reputation (56% each) followed by payouts speed (54%).
Wagering Behavior
As the eCogra research states, an average casino wager is $15-30 a session, while poker gamblers use to play with 6-10% of their bankroll at any time. One third of poker players say that poker requires more skill than luck, but most of them consider their poker skills to be very average.
Both casino and poker players were more likely to win if they do not chase for returning back their losses. Moreover, it is important to highlight that they tend not to be influenced by their preious hands outcomes.
Professor Leighton Vaughan Williams, Director of the Betting Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, comments the research results, “The importance of this research for our understanding of the online gambling phenomenon cannot be overstated. The findings of this groundbreaking collaboration between academics and practitioners will have a significant, positive role in influencing the thinking of policy-makers, regulators and operators alike”.