Evolution Gaming CEO Martin Carlesund believes the majority of casino revenue will be digital in the future, though he warned the “online evolution has just started.”

Discussing the lack of land-based casino activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Carlesund says outlooks may have shifted in the retail and casino sectors towards a more favourable view of the digital space.

While as much as 90% of pre-pandemic casino revenue remained offline, according to the executive, he projects the landscape will be significantly different in the long term.

The Evolution Gaming CEO tells Gambling Insider: “The biggest changes will be in markets that are heavily dependent on land-based. Now they’ll see that, if they would have had online, they would actually have some revenue.

“New Jersey, for example, is doing a lot better than Nevada. That is the big change. The landscape will be a little bit different going forward.

“In total, 90% of revenue in casino is still land-based and 10% is online; 2-3% is live. So really the online evolution has just started. In the future to come, I think 50-70% of casino will be online.

“Maybe this [pandemic] has increased the speed a bit but the potential has always been there for online casino in general.”

Carlesund was speaking exclusively to Gambling Insider for the cover feature of its July/August magazine, where you can read more from the Evolution Gaming CEO.