By all accounts, online gambling is way up in revenue for the play-for-pay sites, and in total visitors and plays on the free casino gambling sites, as well.  Additionally, the online sportsbook results for the Super Bowl showed a jump in total monies bet, surpassing the land casinos for the first time in Super Bowl wagering. 

In February, total online sportsbook revenue was up 25 % on the Super Bowl from the year before.  Participants in online casinos have steadily increased over the past four months.  Online gambling continues to rise, while the economy continues to tank on a global sphere.

This is not very good new for the land-based casinos.  On an international scale, gambling in land casinos is down substantially, and there is no indication that the once-loyal casino patrons have any intention of returning soon.  On the contrary, online casinos are experiencing a tremendous growth in their patronage, both in free casino and play for money casino venues. 

It is difficult for the once-proud land casino industry to survive.  Unfortunate layoffs and casino closings are an all-too-familiar story today, and the outlook continues to remain bleak.  I travelled to a popular land casino in Atlantic City last week.  The players were shocked at how few jackpot winnings were recorded over a week’s period of time.  If you are not taking in revenue, then you can hardly give money out to the players.  A number of players made note of the changing times in land casinos, and many of them remarked that they were going to try the online casino gaming instead.

If things have not bottomed out for the land casinos, it will certainly hit rock bottom now.  The World Health Organization has released a warning that it will declare that the present swine flu epidemic will be declared a pandemic.  Great!  That’s all land casinos needed to hear.  With The Vice-President of the , Joe Biden, warning Americans not to travel by plane or subway for fear of catching this most contagious disease, people are cancelling their casino vacations in droves.

Almost 200 people have died globally from the results of the swine flu, and the worst has yet to come.  Many people are fearful of infection, and the land casinos figure to suffer immeasurably due to the imminent pandemic.  Instead of travelling, many players have decided to stay home and play their favourite casino games through the services of the Internet.  As far as playing for pay from the , all I can say is that where there’s a will, there’s a way.

How much more damage can be inflicted on the teetering land casino industry is unknown, but we do know that the online casino industry rejoices as more and more players come through its virtual doors.