The way we gamble online is changing rapidly. In 2025, mobile casino gambling through smartphones and tablets is vastly outpacing desktop gambling via computers and laptops. Players are finding mobile casino apps and mobile-optimized sites quicker, more convenient and better suited to modern lifestyles.
This article compares desktop and mobile gambling by examining key metrics that showcase the scale and speed of the switch to mobile. Discover statistics and trends demonstrating how mobile is revolutionizing casino gaming in the late 2020s.
Key Statistics Demonstrating the Rise of Mobile Casino Gaming
To understand just how popular mobile casino gaming has become, let’s start by looking at some key statistics:
- The mobile casino gaming market was valued at $53.7 billion in 2019. By 2027 it’s projected to grow to $113.2 billion. That represents a massive 110% growth in
less than a decade. - 63% of casino gamers on such platforms as Stay Casino used a mobile device to
play casino games in 2021. This percentage has nearly doubled since 2016. - As of Q3 2022, 55% of all online gambling takes place via mobile devices.
- The average user spends 3 hours and 25 minutes per week playing mobile casino games.
- In terms of revenue, Asia-Pacific is the largest regional market for mobile casino gaming, followed by Europe and North America.
The numbers speak for themselves. Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have clearly become the preferred platforms for gambling and casino gaming all over the world.
Convenience and Accessibility Driving Mobile Adoption
The rise of mobile casino gambling is primarily fueled by convenience and on-the-go accessibility. Modern life keeps us busier than ever before. Mobile devices enable gambling enthusiasts to play their favorite games whenever they want, wherever they happen to be.
Whether playing slots during a lunch break, betting on sports on the morning commute or spinning the roulette wheel while waiting in line, mobile casinos fit gambling seamlessly into our daily routines. The ability to play one-handed games instantly on our smartphones explains much of the accelerating shift.
Dramatic Year-Over-Year Mobile Gambling Increases
Statistics tracking year-over-year (YoY) increases illustrate the rapidly rising popularity of mobile gambling apps and sites compared to desktops. One key metric is the number of real-money gambling transactions processed:
Year |
Desktop Gambling Transactions |
Change YoY |
Mobile Gambling Transactions |
Change YoY |
2023 |
35 million |
– 3% |
95 million |
+ 29% |
2024 |
28 million |
– 20% |
150 million |
+ 58% |
2025 |
22 million |
– 21% |
250 million |
+ 67% |
As seen in the table, from 2023 to 2025 desktop gambling transactions declined by 37% while mobile gambling transactions grew by 163%. This diverging trend starkly demonstrates the rapid user migration. By 2025, mobile gambling will make up for over 90% of all online gambling transactions.
Industry analysts predict that by 2027 only 15% of gambling transactions will occur via desktop. Some experts even forecast that desktop gambling will represent less than 5% of the total market by 2030 – an incredible reversal from the 95% market share in 2020.
Social Gambling and eSports Betting Driving Adoption
Two emerging mobile gambling verticals playing a significant role in accelerating adoption are social casinos and eSports betting.
Social casinos enable players to enjoy slots, table games and more for free while competing against other users. By incorporating social networking features, they target younger demographics and capture players that later transition to real-money gambling.
The eSports betting market is also booming. Fans can conveniently bet on competitive video gaming matches anytime, anywhere through their mobile sportsbooks. With eSports events held around the clock, this makes for an extremely accessible mobile gambling option.
These new verticals will likely push mobile gambling’s already blistering growth into overdrive. Expect less than half of all gambling by the end of the decade to involve desktop computers. Mobile is the new norm.
Desktop Gambling Left Behind
The data and trends presented depict an online gambling market drastically shifting from desktop to mobile before our eyes. The convenience, versatility and widespread penetration of smartphones and tablets almost ensure that mobile will continue to widen its dominance through 2025 and beyond.
Unless desktop gambling operators can completely revolutionize the user experience, which appears unlikely, they will likely fade into obscurity over the next several years. Mobile gambling now clearly represents the present and future of the industry.