Leisure & gaming in the post US era

Just to add to the article above.


The online gambling industry is the fastest growing industry on the Internet. Global revenues from online gambling will reach USD$16 billion in 2006, up from USD$ 12 billion in 2005 and USD$ 7.0 billion in 2004.
By our estimates, iGaming will be worth $25 Billion in 2010.
If legislation in the USA regulates iGaming and State Lotteries enter the business by 2009, then iGaming will be worth closer to $150 Billion by 2010.
And much to the contrary, since the legislation passed, volume across the board has not dropped as private companies take up the slack.
According to UK government figures, Europe's regular online gamblers stake nearly 3.5 billion pounds a year, an average of 1,000 pounds each.
The global online gaming market has experienced rapid growth since its establishment in the 1990s but remains relatively immature. Although estimates as to the current size and growth rates of the global online gaming market vary considerably, the market generated revenue of approximately $10 to $12 billion in 2005, representing just over three per cent of the total global gaming market. In 2005, casino and bingo games represented approximately 29 per cent of the online gaming market, and poker represented approximately 13 per cent.
For the five-year period from 2005 to 2009, it is estimated that revenues generated by the global online gaming market will increase to approximately $22.7 billion, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 22 per cent.
On this basis, the global online gaming market would still only represent approximately eight per cent of the total global gaming market in 2009.
By 2010, the online gaming industry will surpass USD$25 billion.