Seed
NewsvineThe U.S. online gambling industry has always appeared to stay strong since the passing of the UIGEA - despite the occasional setback of an online casino or software developer dropping out of the U.S. market. And although appearances aren't always what they seem, in this case, "mirror, mirror on the wall" isn't lying.
According to the latest numbers gathered by Media Metrix, even under adverse conditions (which these days could stand for a number of things), American citizens love to gamble online. Despite the hindrances of the UIGEA, which actually is doing a mediocre job "banning" online gambling, and the strains now facing the economy, MediaMetrix comScore stats show that hits from U.S. citizens at online casinos and betting sites are up 11% in November, 08.
Markedly contrasting the numbers generated by the land-based casino gaming industry, which has seen a steady decline in revenue for the last several months, the U.S. facing online gambling industry appears to be more immune to economic conditions. One theory is that much like in the Depression of the 1920's, in which Americans sought cheap entertainment as a means of escaping the gloomy realities of a depression, people are enjoying first class entertainment from the comfort of their own homes, not to mention the prospects of winning a life changing jackpot.
To put this into context, MediaMetrix stats show that little over 16 million hits were made by Americans at online betting destinations during November. This was 1.5 million more than the previous month - almost a 10% increase. In terms of online gaming searches, as usual, Google brought in the bulk of traffic, supplying an estimated 147 million visitors.