Sports Betting Curtailed Amid Pandemic Lockdown – Mobile Casinos Unaffected
When it comes to global sport, the current outbreak of disease might be the single most disruptive event since the Second World War. But there are alternatives for sports gamblers, including mobile online casinos.
Sports Betting Curtailed and Cancelled
Even the most disinterested person on the street can’t have failed to notice the dramatic and global impact of the coronavirus, which swept out of China and has since caused billions of people to live under a lockdown. One of the consequences of this widespread disruption has been to cause a huge number of sports seasons to either be suspended or cancelled altogether, reducing opportunities to both spectate and bet on countless markets.
Some sports, such as the National Basketball Association in the United States and the English Premier League, have been suspended mid-season. This has left gamblers who had title bets wondering if they’re going to be paid out. Relegation and promotion bets are another area in serious doubt, as it’s possible there won’t be any more matches played during the 2019-20 season.
Formula 1 fans went from eager anticipation of the season opening race to disappointment at the event’s cancellation within just a few days. And whilst the sport is trying new things with Virtual Grands Prix, it just isn’t the same, either in sporting or betting terms. A more successful approach to taking a real sport virtual, because it’s happened for a few years, is the Grand National. This sporting letter day for the UK runs a virtual version, and, unlike the Virtual Grand Prix of Bahrain, gamblers were able to bet on it.
Land-based casinos have also been hit hard by the coronavirus. For casual and occasional players this does not matter too much, but regulars and professionals aiming to strike it big have found themselves somewhat adrift.
Sporting Alternatives for Punters to Bet On
Beyond the ‘virtualisation’ of real sports, there are some alternatives for sports fans keen on betting. One can be taking a favoured sport and opting for markets unaffected, such as betting on Mexican soccer, or ice hockey in Russia.
Another approach can be looking at gambling on eSports, which are naturally robust when facing something like a pandemic because the games are designed to be playable remotely. Whilst not everyone’s cup of tea, the sudden absence of expected sport has seen betting interest surge in major eSports such as League of Legends and CS:GO.
Mobile Casinos for Year Round Entertainment
Most games nowadays are developed to be mobile compatible right from the start, so those with smartphones can play at mobile casinos in short bursts whilst relaxing on the couch, rather than being tied to a desktop. This means there’s a nice selection for mobile users when it comes to both slots and table games. Stakes can vary a lot, with spins as low as a few cents, allowing players to bet without getting in over their heads. At the extreme end, no deposit mobile casino apps enable betting for real money without having to deposit a single cent.
Another advantage that Android and iPhone casinos enjoy over land-based establishments is lower costs. What this means for players is that the house edge is actually smaller most of the time for online casino games, because the casino doesn’t have to worry about things like rent, building maintenance, and so on, so a mobile casino can finish in profit with a smaller edge. This increases the chances of those playing roulette, slots, and other games ending up in profit too.
The reduction in brick-and-mortar casinos coupled with the collapse in many major sporting leagues around the world has left those with a penchant for betting with a sudden and unexpected lack of markets. Even worse, many are under lockdown at home, and have fewer distractions than would normally be the case. And this is where online casinos come in.
The crucial advantage of mobile online casinos is that they can continue to operate seamlessly in a situation like the current pandemic gripping the world. They’re specifically designed to be accessible on a range of devices, including desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, from anywhere in the world. And, unlike real world casinos, betting at a mobile casino does not require any contact with either other people or with frequently swapped items (specifically, money or chips). There’s a variety of games available, from online slots to table game classics such as blackjack and roulette. These can be either regular or live dealer versions, and cater to a wide variety of tastes with simpler or more complex mechanics, and a variety of themes.
Of particular interest to sports fans might be sports themed slots and roulette, and the virtual sport games available. These can be soccer themed, with others based on horse racing, the NFL, and other sports.
The fact that online casinos are so often mobile compatible (many coming with dedicated casino apps for iOS, Android, and other operating systems) is another upside. Players can dip in and out of online slots and table games when reading in the sun, taking a break from gardening, or even during commercial breaks.
Because mobile casinos exist on the internet rather than in a physical sense they’re available any time of the day or night. So if you’re doing some work from home and only have a few hours free, it doesn’t matter if those coincide with opening times because the mobile casino is always accessible.