Can Traditional Casinos Survive the Online Gambling Boom? Industry Expert Reveals What Comes Next

Online gambling has transformed tremendously over the years, giving players better convenience and more ways to place bets than ever before. 

As digital platforms continue to expand, traditional casinos are facing increasing pressure to stay competitive in a rapidly changing market.

In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom, JJ Woods, Director of Atlantic Casino Consultants, shared his perspective on whether land-based casinos can continue competing in the digital gambling era.

Social Interaction Still Gives Traditional Casinos an Advantage

One of the biggest challenges facing traditional casinos today is giving players a reason to visit when thousands of games are already available online. 

For Woods, the answer lies in something digital platforms have yet to recreate, which is the social experience.

"The one main advantage land-based has over online is social engagement. This also sometimes explains why land-based gambling is less dangerous, as people will interact with someone and pass comments if they are winning or give them advice if they are losing too much. You will not find this playing online, as in most cases the person is playing on their own with no interaction with others. Finally, land-based casinos still offer that experience factor. This could be a show at the venue or just fun stuff making the night memorable," Woods told SportsBoom.co.za. 

Recent industry statistics support that view. 

The American Gaming Association's 2025 American Attitudes Toward Gaming survey found that 134 million American adults visited a casino for gambling or other entertainment in the previous 12 months. That was the highest casino visitation on record.

The survey also found that 89% of visitors viewed casinos as an innovative entertainment experience. 

Another 90% said casinos offered good value compared with other entertainment options.

Customer Loyalty Has Become The New Battleground

Online gambling continues to expand across major markets. 

Europe's gambling market generated €123.4 billion in gross gaming revenue in 2024, with online gambling accounting for 39% of total revenue. 

The market is projected to reach €132.7 billion in 2026, with online gambling expected to contribute €54.8 billion.

Woods believes traditional casinos must focus on understanding their customers just as much as their online counterparts.

"Just like online casinos, land-based casinos are more dependent than ever on building and having a large customer database. This means everything today whilst competing against online gaming."

"I guess to retain customers and have a healthy customer database, then you need a good membership loyalty system in place, and I would see this as the most important. But we also need to look at regulations, laws in different jurisdictions and money laundering, which all require records to be kept. So a good membership system can also make the rules of these regulations run smoother," Woods added. 

The growing importance of digital engagement is also reflected in recent player trends. 

A 2026 Casino Player Trends Report surveyed 767 casino guests and 50 casino operators and executives. 

It found that 74% of players say digital convenience matters more today than it did a few years ago. 

Another 54% of frequent casino visitors consider digital engagement critical to their loyalty.

Player Expectations Keep Evolving

Traditional casino games have changed over the years to meet changing player demands. 

"I am not sure if this is the casinos' fault or just natural progression, but if we look at the traditional games of Blackjack and Roulette, which have been around for nearly a century now in casinos, these games went through several changes from the late 90s onwards with add-ons, bonuses and other features. Now almost all table games have these features attached, so if a casino is offering these, as most do, the customer's expectations rise to this. But in a lot of cases these extras slow the normal rhythm of the game, which the older players do not like."

Woods believes traditional casinos can remain competitive, but only by offering experiences players cannot find online.

"We must keep trying to offer the 'experience' through entertainment, good food, etc, but there is no doubt casinos are not the draw they were during the 70s, 80s and 90s. Online certainly has had an effect on the market."

What's Next For Traditional Casinos?

Looking ahead, Woods believes smaller, boutique-style casinos could make a comeback. 

In his view, the boutique model, which he credits himself with pioneering more than 25 years ago, is a better fit than today's large resort-style casinos. 

Traditional casinos should focus on creating something smaller and more special, with great customer service above all else.