How Casinos Became Engrained in North American Culture
Search through our entertainment pages and, every so often, you’ll see the word “casino” pop up. From innovative titles for AEW wrestling matches like Casino Battle Royale to the title of James Bond movies, it’s a word that’s become common parlance in recent years. Part of the reason for this is the growth of the industry. Although casinos have been a part of North American, moreover, global, culture for decades, they’re now more prominent than ever.
Casino Gaming is Booming
For example, in August 2021 we learned that the US casino industry was having its best-ever year. The American Gaming Association (AGA) published a Q2 report on https://www.americangaming.org/ that showed revenue across all live gaming venues totaled $13.6 billion. That took the gambling industry’s earnings for the first half of 2021 to almost $25 billion. At that rate, annual revenue was set to surpass the all-time record of $43.6 billion set in 2019. AGA CEO Bill Miller described the results as “truly remarkable” and a sign that American gaming is on the up. In fact, it’s a similar story across the border in Canada. Data from the Canadian Gaming Association shows that the casino sector employs over 135,000 people and is worth more than $15 billion.
With casinos in the US and Canada raking in billions of dollars, it’s little wonder allusions to the industry are all around us. Indeed, if we go beyond wrestling and movies, there are numerous songs with gambling in the title. From Lady Gaga’s Poker Face to Canadian artist, The Weekend, filming Blinding Lights on Fremont Street in Las Vegas (see video above), casino culture is firmly stitched into the fabric of North American culture. Where has this sudden surge of interest in gaming come from? Why are live casinos in the US and Canada attracting millions of customers every year? There are multiple reasons, as you’d expect. However, a major contributor to this rise in popularity is online gaming.
Online Accessibility Opens Up Gaming to New Demographics
Go to https://www.statista.com/ and you’ll see that the casino and gambling sector was worth $226 billion in 2020 and over $260 billion the previous year. That’s a lot of money and it’s due to the products and services modern gaming sites offer. For example, at https://www.mrgreen.com/ca/, Canadian players get access to hundreds of games via their desktop and mobile. From classic slots like Starburst to modern innovations such as Mr Green Roulette Live, people have easy access to a myriad of games. That’s attractive, but it’s not the end of the story. These casino sites also have sportsbooks and promotions that allow customers to get extra credits by completing certain tasks.
Source: Pixabay
In short, online casinos are entertainment hubs that offer something for everyone. It’s this ability to be all things to all people that’s made them attractive. In turn, that’s helped the gaming industry as a whole thrive. Online casinos are destinations in their own right but they’re also a gateway. People who had never previously thought about playing blackjack et al decided to give it a try without feeling intimidated. That’s how gaming sites have helped the US and Canadian casino industry grow and, in turn, how casinos have become a part of North American culture.
