Source: greenenergydoorsopen.ca
The online gambling market is booming, with global revenue projected to reach over $97 billion by the end of 2024. In Canada, where online gambling is highly popular, provinces like Ontario have regulated online casinos, creating a growing player base. By 2029, the global number of casino players is expected to surpass 290 million. However, as most industries look for energy-efficient solutions, can the gambling industry — especially in Canada — become more environmentally responsible? Let’s discover the environmental impact and potential for sustainability in both land-based and online gambling.
The Environmental Impact of Casinos
Millions of Canadians can’t resist the temptation to play casino games, but do they consider the possible impact of gambling on the environment and natural resources? Land-based casinos operate 24/7, consuming vast amounts of energy for lighting, air conditioning, and other provisions. This negatively affects the environment since the planet faces a constant increase in temperatures.
While these issues are significant, there are additional factors related to casinos that also warrant attention:
- Waste Production
Casinos generate significant waste, including restaurant food waste, disposable gaming materials, and recyclable decorations. This has a devastating impact on the planet and requires minimization.
- Urban Expansion
Places where gambling destinations are built expand urban areas, leading to encroachment that results in habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and the greenhouse effect.
Additionally, the construction of new casinos requires various resources. The production and recycling of these materials require huge energy expenditures and contribute to deforestation, mining, and air pollution.
Online Gambling vs. Land-Based Gambling
When comparing environmental impacts, online gambling is more energy-efficient and less destructive. Traditional casinos require extensive land, numerous resources, and a continuous energy supply, whereas online gambling operates with minimal physical resources, making it more eco-friendly.
A similar situation is with energy. Huge terrestrial casinos consume a lot of energy and get huge bills for that. This results in a substantial carbon footprint that can’t be avoided. Online casinos use servers and devices that require much less energy and constantly improve their efficiency.
Other reasons why online casinos can be called more eco-friendly are reduced waste and pollution, the lack of need for transportation, which leads to great emissions, and the decrease in air and water pollution due to the absence of a physical venue.
Source: greenenergydoorsopen.ca
3 Ways to Make Online Gambling More Eco-Friendly
Though online casinos are much more energy-efficient than land-based casinos, they still have some negative environmental impacts. Therefore, operators and authorized bodies that regulate their activity should look for ways to improve energy efficiency and sustainability:
- Use of green data centers: These data centers are the backbone of the online gambling industry. Earlier, they consumed much energy, but now they utilize technologies that have greatly decreased this consumption. Moreover, they are powered by renewable energy sources and decrease their carbon footprint.
- Renewable energy sources: Solar and wind energy have become the most prevalent and have reduced the emissions of fossil fuels.
Moreover, software developers are now working on more energy-efficient code that reduces server energy consumption. By using this technology, online casinos can lower their energy bills and minimize their environmental impact.
How Players Can Promote Sustainable Gambling
Not only online casinos but also Canadian players can promote eco-conscious gambling. Here’s how:
- Choice of the environmentally friendly gambling site: Players can prefer playing in online casinos that show a commitment to sustainability and promote eco-friendly practices.
- Responsible gambling: Reducing excessive gambling means minimizing one’s digital footprint. The less time spent on energy-consuming platforms, the smaller the environmental impact.
Additionally, gamblers can take part in tournaments that advocate for sustainable gaming activities. Players have the potential to create a significant social impact and help transform the industry for the better!