Online casino games have become increasingly popular in recent years, with an estimated 100 million players around the world. The thrill of enjoying a live gambling experience from home without going to expensive cities like Las Vegas offers quite an advantage. As expected, every region has its own preferences, which is why some games are more popular in certain countries than others. Read on to find out which casino games are the favorites for each country, and what makes them so special.
United States – blackjack
Since the time when casinos were restricted to a building housing a table game with a deck of cards, blackjack has been a favorite among American players. Pro gamblers who deal with high stakes hardly ever play anything else besides this casino game.
The reason for this preference is simple. Many gamblers find it more relatable than newer casino games, but there’s the matter of mastery.
Some players have mastered the game so much that they’ve developed a strategy that can often guarantee a win. The house edge is also relatively low, at around 0.5 to 2%. The house edge exists because the player needs to play first, which means there’s a slight chance of going over 21 before the house can play.
All these factors make blackjack a safe bet for experienced players compared to newer 21st century gambling games, so it’s no surprise that blackjack accounts for a major part of table games in the US.
UK – slots and roulette
The UK has always been the home of casinos. With online casinos, they are still taking the lead. The fun nature of these games coupled with the potential for cashouts is what makes gambling so irresistible, especially in the UK.
Statista reports that most males between the ages of 20 and 40 frequently dabble in the casino market and their favorite game to gamble on is slots.
Thanks to modern technology, people no longer need to line up at slot machines. Plus, there’s now a wide variety of online slot games to pick from. Add that to the fact that gambling is considered legal in the UK, and it’s easy to see why the gambling industry makes a ton of money.
According to the UK Gambling Commission, online casino games generated over £4bn in 2024, with slots alone contributing £3.2bn of the total amount.
Another popular casino game besides slots is roulette. Gamblers particularly like this game due to how simple it is to play, though winning is more about chance than strategy.
Australia – poker
Another region with an ever-loyal fan base of slot lovers is Australia, where they are referred to as pokies. However, it’s poker as well as the pokies that really get Australians going. This doesn’t just apply to online casinos but to offline ones as well.
It turns out that 20% of the world’s physical slot machines are found in Australia, where you can find these machines in eateries, local pubs and sports centers.
In fact, the gambling culture is so strong that even young people aged 18 to 24 tend to gamble more than older adults. However, there’s something else that Australians also love to gamble on: sports betting.
Australia is what some would call a sports-obsessed country, so it’s no surprise that sports betting would be the next big thing after slots and poker. The favorite sports for gamblers include horse racing, cricket and tennis.
China
Though limited by federal laws, China is one country that has always loved gambling. It’s not uncommon to find locals flocking to street corners to gamble with cards or mahjong. Cities like Macau are known to be exceptionally addicted to gambling as so many wish to try their luck at fortune.
With the advent of online casino technology, gambling has been made easy for educated and privileged locals. However, unlike in America or Europe, traditional table games like poker and roulette don’t make first place. Instead, it’s a local casino game called Sic Bo that takes first in popularity.
Sic bo isn’t just popular in China, as it is popular in all of Asia as well. However, in recent years, there’s been an increasing number of Chinese people playing games like slots, blackjack and poker in online casinos.
Canada – poker
In 2022, about 3.1 million Canadians had developed a passion for casinos. The numbers have been rising since with the introduction of 5G. Just like their American counterparts, Canadians love poker.
Video poker and Texas Hold ‘em have been the most popular with online casino players. Other variations of slots and poker are also rampant in the online casino community.
Many gamblers in Canada can only play at online casinos licensed by their province. However, there are several internationally accessible casino sites that can also be used to play.
Aside from poker, Canadians are also fond of sports betting. They enjoy betting on the NBA, UFC, boxing and the NHL.
India
Indians have a long history of betting, which has led to casino games being interwoven into the culture. This is why you find so many homemade favorites like Teen Patti, Munda and Jhandi all over India. Statistics have shown that about 80% of Indians gamble at least once a year.
For online casinos, it’s back to the usual like poker and slots. However, most locals don’t resonate well with these.
Indians also indulge in sports betting, especially cricket. Although football is slowly coming into the mix.
Top 10 countries that provide online casinos
Here are the top 10 Countries that provide online casinos:
- The United Kingdom
- Australia
- The United States
- Malta
- Singapore
- Macau
- Canada
- Philippines
- Netherlands
- Russia
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Are online casinos free?
Some platforms allow you to play demo games without registering or downloading the app, while others demand registration. Many online casino apps demand real money payment to allow you access to their games, but at a few others, there’s a no-deposit bonus to allow you to play for free.
