The Environmental Impact of iGaming – 4 Things the iGaming Industry is Doing to Reduce its Carbon Footprint

Just because the iGaming industry focuses on web-based products and services, this doesn’t mean it’s completely eco-friendly. It’s of utmost importance for businesses, including those involved in this sector, to monitor and reduce their CO2 emissions as much as possible.

The good news is that online casinos, casino software providers, bookies, and other participants in this industry have already found ways to tackle their carbon footprints, contributing to a safer and more sustainable environment. 

In addition to helping tackle climate change, the iGaming industry also reduces the expanses and outgoings while staying successful. In other words, this is a win-win situation for everyone. This sector has become an example for many others trying to preserve our planet in the past decade.

Using Green Energy to Meet Their Electricity Needs

Sometimes, going green doesn’t take much more than researching, and many iGaming companies have taken this step. For instance, they have started using green energy to meet their needs, and they did this by purchasing electricity generated from renewable sources such as hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal power.

On the other hand, the big players in this sector have invested in on-site renewable energy generation. For example, Zitro, a popular online casino software provider, invested in 264 solar panels, providing its offices with 100% renewable energy. They say that this reduces around 83 tons of CO2 annually.

Solar panels are probably the most common choice in this industry. Still, geothermal systems and wind turbines are also good options. The success of these alternatives depends on the location and available resources.

There are also cases when companies invest in renewable energy projects like wind and solar farms. This makes sense because they allow multiple organizations and/or individuals to make more significant investments and benefit from green energy in the long run.

By implementing these approaches in their work, iGaming companies reduce their reliance on conventional energy sources that have proven inadequate for our planet. Numerous brands have shown that transitioning to cleaner and more sustainable options is not that challenging. Even significant investments pay off in the long run, so every organization should consider it.

Increasing Server Efficiency

The work of online casinos and software developers relies heavily on servers. Some use robust server solutions and data centers to ensure their work goes smoothly and without interruptions. That’s logical because experienced players know that the outcome is often determined within seconds. No one wants delays and buffering problems when playing online casino games, be it baccarat bitcoin, online slots, or other type of casino games or wagering money on sports events.

Still, robust server solutions lead to a carbon footprint that adversely affects our health. One of the things that the iGaming industry is doing to cut its carbon footprint is increasing server efficiency. Some brands use virtualization and consolidation to tackle this problem.

Thanks to this, two or more virtual servers can run on a single physical server, and by doing this, they optimize the use of resources. On the other hand, server consolidation improves efficiency by combining workloads onto fewer servers.

Furthermore, investing in the latest hardware and upgrading existing systems is another way iGaming brands promote eco-friendly solutions in their operations. Today, there are servers with sophisticated power management features (idle power management, dynamic voltage scaling, etc.) that can optimize energy usage. Cloud computing and efficient cooling are other areas where online gambling and betting companies invest.

Supporting Remote Work

Even though remote work was an option used by many companies and employees for over a decade, the global pandemic helped them understand how efficient this model can be. On top of that, it has proven to be an option that can reduce carbon footprint.

First of all, this is an energy-efficient solution because it cuts pollution linked to commuting. When flexible and telecommuting work policies are in place, every employee can work from home or choose a hybrid work model. Greenhouse emissions from transportation are a serious problem worldwide.

Virtual meetings and collaboration tools are used by dozens of companies in the iGaming sector. They rely on Slack, Bitrix24, Zoom, Skype, and other solutions to collaborate, communicate, and hold meetings regardless of their employees’ location.

We should also note that many use cloud-based infrastructure to reduce the environmental impact. There’s no need for on-premises hardware when you choose a secure cloud computing service provider. This is something that was interrupting the work-from-home model in the past.

Ultimately, it’s not unusual for online gambling companies to support their employees in purchasing energy-efficient home office equipment.

Investing in Environmental Awareness Campaigns

This is another thing that the iGaming industry is doing to cut its carbon footprint with success. You’re looking at a multi-level approach affecting different participants in the work process and others.

Socially responsible Internet-based gambling companies invest in training and educational programs to increase awareness about environmental issues among their employees. Seminars, workshops, webinars, and online courses are some of the things they use to achieve this goal. These topics cover essential topics like waste reduction, energy preservation, and sustainability.

Additionally, there are cases when big brands launch public awareness campaigns to educate players and the general public about carbon footprint, climate change, etc. They use social media campaigns, search engine ads, or work with environmental organizations. The latter usually means supporting and partnering with well-known NGOs and non-profit organizations focused on green energy and a clean environment. For instance, PlayCroco, a popular Australian online casino, launched a campaign for the International Day of Forests.

Last but not least, many actors on the iGaming scene invest in measuring and reporting their environmental impact to showcase transparency and progress towards their eco-friendly agenda. They track their carbon footprint, waste generation, water usage, energy consumption, and more.

Reducing the carbon footprint is one way for the iGaming industry to show its willingness to give back to the community and set itself as a responsible sector interested in people’s wellbeing.