The gaming industry across the globe has seen a large amount of growth over the past decade. Many factors make it easier every day for you to enjoy playing a game on your mobile phone, PC, or game console.
Increased connectivity from the internet has created a whole new way to interact with our favourite pastime and has led to an explosion in online casino development and the gambling industry.
It’s not just video games that are seeing massive growth, either. Traditional games like card games, board games, and gambling have seen a large rise in popularity and a growing acceptance among many cultures.
The global market size for online gambling is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.5% from 2020 to 2027. Our expert in online gaming, Szilvia Sultés, agrees. You can find her profile here.
Online Gambling
There’s a tonne of options for you to pick from when it comes to gambling online. There are many free options out there, but none come with the thrill of betting your hard-earned cash. While sports and horse race betting options are limited in Hungary, sites like Magyar Online Casino offer a wide variety of table and slot machine games for your enjoyment.
Hungarians enjoy a vibrant online casino community. Casinos that are already licensed to operate in the real world may offer their own online experiences. The tax code is also quite generous in Hungary, as it’s the responsibility of the house to pay for the taxes on winnings. Lucky you!
Sports betting, including fantasy sports league type betting, is run exclusively by Szerencsejáték Zrt. Betting on horse races and other races is handled by Nemzeti Lóversenyfogadást-szervezőKft. Gambling trends of all forms are closely regulated by the state authorities.
Video Games
The emerging popularity of video games has introduced a new gambling industry. Games such as CounterStrike, Overwatch, Hearthstone, and more, have created a very competitive community. These games also have sponsored competitions, with many players from across the world joining teams to compete for prize money.
Betting on esports is not regulated in Hungary, as in most of the world. This market is still finding its place among the established sports gambling community.
There have also been some esports champions representing Hungary on the world stage. Bence “DeadFox” Böröcz made $113,074.72 in prize money playing CounterStrike: Global Offensive for team HellRaisers. He retired from the CS: GO community in 2020, and has moved on to tackle the new online game Valorant.
Hungary is also home to some well-known video game developers. NeocoreGames, best known for The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, is based in Budapest. Its recent success with the famous Games Workshop property, Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Martyr, shows that Hungary can provide top-level gaming content.
Virtual reality and augmented reality games are also seeing promising growth. Games like VRChat allow players to create custom avatars and interact with others in real-time and can provide a wonderful social alternative during the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Augmented reality games like the popular Pokemon GO mix the real world with the virtual world. Players travel to real locations in the world to catch virtual creatures and battle with their friends.
Board Games
Despite the rising popularity of online gaming, more traditional forms of gaming have also seen growth. Crowdfunding websites like Kickstarter have helped a large number of companies find interest in their ideas, and startup funding to get their ideas on to the market.
Hungary’s Mind Clash Games is one of the greatest examples. In 2015, using Kickstarter, they achieved almost 10 times their funding goal of only $30,000 for Trickerion: Legends of Illusion.
The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed our daily lives, and many board game fans (myself included!) have struggled to find ways to play with friends safely. Online communication tools such as Zoom and Skype can help close the distance between you and your favourite gaming pals.
Many popular board games like Monopoly and Catan have digital versions you can play with your friends as well.
Summary
Whether you prefer board games, card games, video games, or gambling, your options for gaming entertainment are expanding every day. What new games might you find next? You may find your biggest payout where you least expect it.
