The online gambling market is getting pretty busy of late. I must say that I do keep an eye on this particular sector, especially as it’s one of the growth directions that the Isle of Man is pursuing. It’s quite ironic really, because Malta (my home country) is making great inroads into the online gambling sector and whenever I attend an event here in the Isle of Man, Malta is mentioned as one of their main competitors. I almost feel like a spy!
The main thing I’ve learnt recently regarding the online gaming market is that most industry players feel that these small jurisdictions will be their home for only a short amount of time (two to three years maybe). They feel that in this time, larger countries will wise up, produce adequate regulation and allow them to operate within their boundaries. And at that point, they will probably move away from their current base. Larger countries have a bigger (and potentially) workforceand have more infrastructure resources to support them.
Still, in the meantime, more and more online gaming sites keep popping up all over the place. One need only pop over to a comparison site like The Online Casino Blue Book to see that the Top 10 online casinos go through swings and shifts as more gaming sites come on the market, and replace the ones that were heading for dominance. In the meantime, what does the future hold for these small jurisdictions where most of these websites live? Well, I feel that if infrastructure services keep improving, then they can be persuaded to stay and establish their roots. It’s a card that needs to be played well.