Published in cooperation between Derrick Baylor and the Morgan Hill Times
In general, gambling is a highly popular pastime in the United States. In fact, a recent study revealed that an impressive 55 percent of American adults engaged in a gambling activity at least once in 2024.
Although America does have the highest number of brick-and-mortar casinos in the world, and nothing can beat the glitz and glam of a traditional casino experience, it is actually iGaming that has proven the most popular way to gamble in the States.
Unfortunately, online gambling remains illegal in California, but Morgan Hill residents can still enjoy all that these platforms have to offer whenever they travel out of state, or across the country, to locations where the pastime is legalized.
So, what is it about iGaming that makes it so popular across the whole United States, despite the different laws and regulations?
First, when compared to traditional forms of casino gaming, iGaming is infinitely more accessible. Through iGaming platforms, whether online or within mobile apps, gamblers can play roulette, slots, blackjack and countless other traditional and unique casino games from the comfort of their own home.
On top of this, all the best iGaming platforms tend to also offer both new and seasoned players a plethora of enticing rewards and bonuses, ranging from free spins on slots to match bonuses and VIP programs.
Although the digital world has become quite a dangerous place in 2025, with hacks, scams and data leaks constantly on the rise, trusted online casino platforms have gone above and beyond when it comes to ensuring their customers’ safety.
Multiple platforms offer all kinds of security benefits for their players, including no need for Know-Your-Customer checks, encryption technology, multi-factor authentication and increased compatibility with known secure payment methods.
One of these payment methods in particular has been a big hit within the gambling community and is one of the reasons iGaming is so popular in the United States. We’re talking, of course, about cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is gaining popularity in the United States at an exponential rate, and already it is estimated that a total of 28 percent of American adults own at least one form of the digital assets.Â
When crypto is placed in the online gambling world, countless more benefits emerge. The security of crypto makes for a safer gambling experience, and the fast transaction speeds the currency is known for allow gamblers to wager and withdraw funds seamlessly. But more than that, it is the volatility of crypto that makes it such a perfect partner for online gambling.
In the context of cryptocurrency, volatility refers to the tendency that these assets have to either fall or rise in value over time. The reasoning for this comes from a variety of different places, but in simple terms, the more people who invest in a particular asset, the more its value will increase.
This means that when crypto is used in the online casino setting, gamblers are able to make an additional wager on the future value of their crypto winnings, which can see them gaining substantial returns in the future.
Another reason iGaming is so popular comes from how it is being influenced by modern tech. Both artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) technologies have already started to revolutionize the online casino world.
AI can not only vastly increase the security of online gambling platforms by detecting and reacting to digital threats, but it can also personalize the gaming experience for the player, only showing them content that it knows the player will like.
On the other hand, VR technology has been used in some online casino settings, enabling players to immerse themself fully in the world of a casino without needing to leave their house. Not only can this technology place the player in a traditional casino setting, but worn haptic sensors can also make them feel like they are actually interacting with real cards and poker chips.
