Traffic Data on Online Casinos Before and After the Pandemic
Data shows casino sites received 3 times more Australian visitors in April 2020 than March 2020, when brick and mortar casinos first closed. The website Ignition lead the pack with a total of 1.1 million Australian visitors in April 2020.
Even after local pokies opened their doors in June, the effects on the industry can still be seen as the 5 best online pokies saw their March 2021 traffic 37% higher than March 2020. The data below shows how online pokie popularity may have increased for long term due to the pandemic.
Online Pokies by the Numbers
Using similarweb, buzzsumo, and semrush, the following data was collected and organized for 10 pokies websites.
- 312,000 visitors March 2021
- 238,000 visitors March 2020
- 24% increase
- 37,000 searches per month according to semrush
- 240 social shares in March according to buzzsumo
- 198 mentions on reddit in March
- Opened 2017
Joe Fortune had the highest number of visitors and brand searches of any online casino available in Australia. They saw a 24% increase in visits over 1 year and the number of social shares doubled as well. The site peaked in April 2020 with 853,000 unique visitors.
- 178,000 visitors March 2021
- 113,000 visitors March 2020
- 37% increase
- 15,000 brand searches according to semrush
- 135 social shares according to buzzsumo
- 325 mentions on reddit
- Opened 2018
WooCasino might have had a challenging year in Australia, had it not been bolstered by pandemic traffic – bringing the site to a steady 37 percent increase. While its peak of 258,000 users in October was noteworthy, its social media presence excelled within one year. Its peak month was May 2020 at 250,000 visitors.
- 253,000 visitors March 2021
- 137,000 visitors March 2020
- 46% increase
- 35,000 brand searches according to semrush
- 411 social shares according to buzzsumo
- 611 mentions on reddit
- Opened 2019
Aussie Play casino came in second, with 253,000 visitors, a dramatic increase from 137,000 visitors in 2020. Their 125 percent increase was due to the company’s relatively new launch, but it’s already garnered a reputation in Australia for its slot machines and bonuses.
- 483,000 visitors March 2021
- 422,000 visitors March 2020
- 13% increase
- 23,000 brand searches according to semrush
- 210 social shares according to buzzsumo
- 611 mentions on reddit
- Opened 2011
Ignition has had one of the most impressive growth streaks, especially considering their start in 2016. Since the pandemic, they have increased at over 13 percent, while skyrocketing in social media shares. Their peak month was in May 2020, with over 1.1 million Australian users.
- 93,000 visitors March 2021
- 56,000 visitors March 2020
- 40% increase
- 19,000 brand searches according to semrush
- 150 social shares according to buzzsumo
- 492 mentions on reddit
- Opened 2018
NicPokies is a smaller australian casino site compared to its competition, but still reported excellent growth between March 2020 and 2021. At an 40 percent increase, the three-year-old site almost doubled its users during the pandemic. The online casino peaked in April 2020 at 420,000 users.
Why Australian Online Casino Visitors Increased
The entire online gambling industry in Australia has accelerated during a one year time period that actually saw the global industry of casinos decline. According to some sources, the biggest decline came from 2016 to 2019.
However, in 2020 not only did online pandemic traffic increase sharply, but in-person casino gambling continued a steady decline, creating an almost new market during this pivotal year.
The Australian Institute of Family Studies shared these facts about the monumental rise of online gambling in the country since 2020:
- Almost 1 in 20 Australians created a new account and started gambling
- Sports betting, horse racing, and lottery were the highest draws during COVID
- The spike demographic was young men, ages 18-34
The future of online gambling is also forecast to continue rising, especially because of social distancing, and the continued decline of in-person gambling. Some sources suggest that the billion dollar gambling industry will reach one trillion dollars, even within 2021.
Virtual reality gaming and mobile casino gambling are also steadily increasing, and mobile usage is believed to account for 59 percent of all online pokies.
Economic forecaster, Arthur Wood, states that he expects the Australia online casino industry to grow all the way until 2027, at a rate of at least 15 percent.
“Internet devices, particularly mobile phones, will drive the Australian casino market. With the option to gamble in public while commuting to work, or at home telecommuting, the clear winner is the versatile online pokies company that provides the fast and easy experience.”
However, full legalization issues in some regions, as well as the cultural stigma of gambling, remain major challenges to overcome for Australia’s online pokies. No wonder many casinos are now adding travel perks, vacation options, and celebrity endorsements to legitimize and attract new players.
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