The year 2025 finds the online gambling world at an inflection point. Desktop computers and mobile devices are engaged in a pitched battle for supremacy when it comes to delivering the best experiences for players of online casinos and sportsbooks. Years into this fight, neither side shows signs of backing down.
To understand where this battle currently stands in 2025, we need to dive into the data and compare desktop and mobile across a range of key metrics. These include platform market share, revenue generated, product offering differences, site functionality, ease of deposits and withdrawals, security issues, responsible gambling features, and more.
Market Share and Revenue Show Mobile Gaining Ground
Market share and revenue paint a clear picture of the trajectory of this fight. Mobile continues to gain ground steadily:
| Year | Desktop Market Share | Mobile Market Share | Desktop Revenue | Mobile Revenue |
| 2020 | 67% | 33% | $57.2B | $27.1B |
| 2023 | 61% | 39% | $73.1B | $47.9B |
| 2025 | 58% | 42% | $92.7B | $68.3B |
The data shows that while desktop still commands a majority market share, mobile has been chipping away at that lead year after year. In 2020 desktop had twice the market share of mobile – but by 2025 mobile has closed that gap significantly, trailing by just 16 percentage points.
Revenue tells a similar story. The total revenue generated by both desktop and mobile platforms like RocketPlay Casino has grown substantially from 2020 to 2025. But while desktop revenue has grown by $35.5 billion in that timeframe, mobile has seen more explosive growth of $41.2 billion – turning it into a formidable revenue generator that now trails desktop by just $24.4 billion in total revenue.
Industry analysts predict that at this rate, mobile will likely overtake desktop in both market share and revenue generated within the next 5 years. This fight is far from over.
Product Offerings and Site Functionality
One area where mobile has traditionally lagged behind desktop is in product offering and site functionality. The limited screen real estate on mobiles has made it challenging for operators to offer the full suite of casino games and sports betting options. Smaller screens also constrained advanced site functionality.
However, recent years have seen mobile devices and gambling sites make tremendous progress closing these gaps. Improvements in mobile processors, display resolutions, and networking technology have given mobiles the horsepower they need to provide desktop-like experiences. Operators have also optimized their mobile offerings, with many now providing near parity with desktop in terms of games/sports available and site features.
There are still some limitations though. Very graphics-intensive games like high-definition slots run better on desktops. And while mobile sportsbooks allow extensive in-play betting, some do cap the number of concurrent bets versus desktop. But make no mistake – mobile is now extremely competitive with desktop in terms of product breadth and site functionality.
Deposits, Withdrawals and Security
Processing financial transactions securely has always been a critical feature for gambling operators. Desktops have traditionally provided lower fraud rates and better encryption capabilities. But 2025 sees mobile nearly equaling desktops here as well.
Advances in biometrics, machine learning and cryptography have enabled mobile platforms to securely store payment information and safely process deposits/withdrawals. Identity verification steps are now mandatory, eliminating most fraud. End-to-end encryption ensures payment info and transactions are protected.
Both desktop and mobile experience extremely low fraud rates today. And while desktops still have a slight edge in security, mobile has closed the gap considerably over the past few years through technology advancements. Players today can confidently deposit and withdraw funds through both platforms.
Responsible Gambling Features
Responsible gambling features help players control spending and prevent problematic patterns of play. Desktops have offered robust responsible gambling capabilities for years before mobiles caught up.
But most mobile gambling apps today match desktops in this regard. Features like spending limits, cool-off periods, self-exclusion and activity statements are standard on both platforms. Mobiles also leverage their always-available nature by providing real-time notifications to encourage responsible play.
One area where mobiles have an edge is leveraging smartphone capabilities like tracking time and location data. This allows mobile apps to introduce innovative features like restricting play to certain hours or locations. Desktops cannot match this natively.
Who Holds the Advantage Going Forward?
Analyzing the data and trends in 2025 makes it clear that mobile devices have made tremendous progress closing gaps with desktop experiences across all key areas. At this point, both platforms can provide users an equally satisfying and secure gambling experience.
Mobile does hold some inherent advantages that will be tough for desktops to replicate – namely the always-available access for players, and unique features from integrated device capabilities. Desktops however retain their superior ability to manage graphically intensive games.
This battle is far from over. But the tide is certainly turning in favor of mobile devices. If current trends continue, mobiles will likely surpass desktops in market share and revenue in the near future. But desktops will continue to co-exist and have their niche. Ultimately players have two equally compelling platforms to enjoy online gambling on.
