Key casino game statistics
Top Casino Game Apps
Casino Game App Revenue
Casino Game Revenue by App
Casino Game App Usage
Casino Game App Downloads
Casino Game Downloads by App
Casino games, where players gamble cash or chips on random outcomes, were adapted for desktop use from the early days of computer programming. Atari published the first card game, Casino, in 1978. With simple, repetitive gameplay, many casino games began to be developed on iOS and Android using the same basic principles.
Many casino game apps have taken the form of traditional slot machines. The outcome of gameplay is apparently random and if players are successful, they win tokens and coins with which to play again.
Instead of offering real-money gaming where players can win cash and transfer it into their external bank accounts, these games tend to work on a freemium model, with users able to purchase additional spins or in-game items. In addition to traditional slot games, casino apps often offer social elements where players can compete against friends or send boosts.
The sub-sector has had relatively steady revenue and download figures for several years and weathered the coronavirus pandemic with minimal disruption. The casino genre was the only one of the top five genres to increase revenue from 2021 to 2022, according to Sensor Tower.
Coin Master has been particularly popular with the sixth-highest revenue of any mobile app game in 2022.
The approach to advertising casino apps has at times been controversial. After rolling out increased advertising on App Store listings in 2022, Apple restricted gambling promotions as some were being promoted inappropriately. The slots app Jackpot World was reportedly being advertised on a gambling addiction support app.
As casino apps are labelled as video games, in some countries there is little scrutiny of whether their business practices are fair or predatory and some complaints have extended to the app platforms. Apple, Meta and Google have challenged a 2022 US court ruling which suggested online publishers' immunity from liability for third-party content does not protect them from claims they have acted as bookmakers by allowing the purchase of virtual chips in casino apps. The appeals process is expected to conclude in December 2023.
We have collected data and statistics on the casino game sub-sector. Read on below to find out more.
Key casino game statistics
- Casino games apps earned $8 billion in revenue in 2022, down slightly from $8.1 billion the year before
- There were 1.2 billion downloads of casino games last year
- Coin Master was the most lucrative casino game, earning $769 million in 2022
