As 2022 rolls to a close, the iGaming world can look back on another year of rapid development, with awareness of the industry at an all-time high. As new markets regulate and verticals emerge in importance, what can we expect to see grow through 2023?
With this article, we’ll look ahead at some emerging trends in the iGaming industry that we believe will continue to grow in the coming year. Whether you’re an operator, affiliate or anyone in-between, if you’re invested in the iGaming world, you’ll want to be aware of these exciting trends!
Live Dealers and VR Becoming a Reality
As the iGaming world continues to take shape with more and more users going online for their entertainment, the games themselves will continue to evolve as well. One of those exciting developments is happening now, as concepts like live dealers and virtual reality begin to take a foothold in the industry.
This is a natural next step, as players want to be emersed in their gaming experience and not just feel like they’re playing a generic game on their phone
This concept will continue to grow in the coming years, as more dynamic games become a way to entice users onto your platform.
Live Stream Betting
With iGaming sweeping through the North American market, there has been plenty of focus on the NFL and the attention it receives from punters. With that, there’s an exciting new aspect to the product as Caesars was allowed by the NFL for the first time to have a ‘Watch & Bet’ feature, allowing users to follow along with a feed of the game and make bets as they do. This took place during a November matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts and they expected to have more of them before the end of the season.
Genius Sports has partnered with the NFL as their exclusive distributor of official NFL data and live video streams to sportsbooks, allowing them to offer this unique product. Caesars isn’t alone here, as in Ontario, Bet365, Bet99 and Rivalry have also been given the rights to provide this service as well.
US Sportsbook Progression
Sticking with the United States, 2023 looks to be another massive year for their iGaming market, as recently regulated markets continue to mature and new states pass legislation for online gaming. With that in mind, here’s the states that are likely to emerge for sports betting over the course of 2023.
First up is Massachusetts, which will go live in early 2023. While users won’t be able to be on in-state collegiate sports, this important American market will have access to sportsbooks in the near future.
Minnesota is also around the corner as well, as they passed legislation for regulated gaming back in August of 2022. However, a launch date hasn’t been announced yet, making this another state to keep a close eye on.
The next market that will be going live is in Ohio though, as they signed legislation back in December of 2021 and expect to go live on January 1st, 2023, with familiar faces like BetMGM, FanDuel and other ready to launch in the area.
All in all, the US market remains an exciting one and there will likely be even more news this year on its progress.
Latin America as an Emerging Market
Another market that’s begun to emerge as a power in the iGaming world is the Latin American one, where iGaming is growing at a rapid pace. IA was lucky enough to attend a variety of iGaming conferences this year, where both operators and affiliates let us know how much they love the market and are looking to grow there.
Read More: Brazil’s iGaming Future: A Market Waiting to Take Off
One example is with Peru, who regulated their online gaming market in August of 2022 and where iGaming is quickly evolving. Additional markets may come online in the coming months and years, making this another market to keep a close eye on!
Key Takeaways
The iGaming world has been in a state of rapid evolution for the past few years and it shows no signs of slowing down in 2023. With so many new markets, trends and products on the way, it’s a terrific time in the industry and anyone in the industry can benefit from keeping on top of these vital happenings.
