Online gaming is a truly global industry with, perhaps surprisingly, the European market taking the lion’s share. Career opportunities in gaming, from creative directors, graphic designers and promotions executives to coders and developers, have never been more exciting. If you’re considering a career move and think the fast growing and fast paced world of online gaming might be for you, now is the perfect time to take the plunge.  

Take a look at some of the facts and figures put together by gaming recruitment specialists SRGEurope to help reveal where your next move might take you. 

Online gaming accounts for 33 per cent of all gambling in Britain, according to the Gambling Commission’s industry statistics. Between April 2015 and March 2016, online gambling operators generated a Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) of £4.5 billion. This figure is set to increase as the industry is showing no signs of a slowdown.

Why this rapid growth?

So what are the reasons behind this growth spurt?  According to SuperData Research,[1] the global eSports market will grow from around $750m today to $1.9bn by the end of 2018 and this unprecedented level of growth can be attributed to several factors. 

• There are more people playing games than ever before (worldwide games sales reached $114bn in 2015)
• Gamers can compete against each other online
• Advertisers, eager to target the 18-to-35-year old demographic, have started sponsoring competitions, all of which makes this sector more attractive as a long term career choice than ever before.

Where do I start?

It is operators based in Great Britain who hold by far the largest share of remote gambling licences, at 44 per cent, followed by Malta at 15 per cent and Gibraltar at 10 per cent.

GCR - Stakes minus winnings

Source: H2 Gambling Capital, May 2016

Exciting locations

The total number of people working in the gambling sector in the UK has now reached more than 100,000 (104,896)[2] but locations like Malta and tax haven Gibraltar are also demonstrating rapid growth, making them exciting career options and an attractive relocation choice. Six per cent of the workforce are remote employees, showing the flexibility this type of job role can offer.

Source: Gambling Commission

Online casinos show strong market share

As online gamers continue to embrace the trend, it is online casinos that are capturing by far the largest share of this lucrative market, with nearly 60 per cent of gamers choosing this option. In second place comes online betting, with just over a third of the market:

Of the £4.5 billion generated online, £2.6 billion comes from casino games, £1.6 billion from betting, £153 million from bingo, £152 million from betting exchanges and £26 million from pool betting. Online slot machine style games alone generate £1.8 billion.

The numbers paint a compelling picture and the reality is exciting – the online gaming industry represents an attractive option for a broad range of professionals. The industry is growing fast, offers the options of remote working or relocating to some of Europe’s most attractive destinations, and features a wide range of job types.

At SRGEurope, we have an in depth knowledge of the gaming industry and we’re here to help you make your next career move. Get in touch with our expert team today.

[1] Source: superdataresearch.com

[2] Source: live-gamble.com