Gaming portals attract players looking to dodge the recession
Casino gamers looking to beat the credit crunch are turning to online casinos, according to a new report.
Online casinos, including Kerching, offer free access to all of their games, allowing online gamers to practise before they play for cash prizes.
Online slots such as Kerching's Lil' Lady, plus classic table games like poker and blackjack, are all contributing to the current surge in the popularity of online casinos in the face of the recession, according to research released by analysis company ComScore.
86 million visits to online gaming sites were recorded throughout December 2008, with the number of hits to online casinos growing 27 per cent since the year before.
It was stated that gamers are also spending more time at online casinos, with periods of play increasing at up to 42 per cent per visitor.
The report also found that display advertising views on online gaming portals reached 29 per cent in November, with more people coming to online casinos to play.
ComScore analyst Edward Hunter said:
"It appears that online, ad-supported gaming is one of the activities that has benefited during this economic downturn. Not only have consumers turned to outlets such as gaming to take their minds off the economy, but as they curtail their discretionary gaming-related purchases they are turning to free alternatives."
Kerching's online casino games don't require players to register an account, and they can be played without entering any personal information, allowing online gamers to enjoy slots games such as Cleopatra and the aforementioned Lil' Lady alongside roulette and other casino games.