Source: Pixabay
With research showing that the instant win gaming market will reach $7.5 billion by 2032, let's take a look at what these games are, how they work, and how their growth is impacting the iGaming industry.
What are instant win games?
Although many online casino games such as slot machines, table games and live games require the player to complete the full game in order to receive the prizes won. online casino games with instant win provide players with immediate results. In other words, instant win games can have a faster pace than other online casino games, which can make the gameplay exciting and fun, as well as provide immediate answers about whether players have won or not.
Instant win games rely entirely on luck. Of course, all online casino games are like this, but unlike some table games like poker, blackjack or baccarat where strategies can be implemented, instant win games are completely more random. Indeed, winnings are generated instantly using a random number generator (RNG). In addition to this, instant win games usually have simple mechanics, although they can be combined with classic popular themes such as Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and fishing.
Popular Instant Win Game Types
Perhaps the most recognizable instant win game is scratch cards. These are digital versions of scratches. Instead of physically scratching the card, players swipe or click on the card to see what's underneath that segment. Another popular type of game is crash games. Basically, these games have an icon that gradually gets larger or taller. It can fail at any time, so the player chooses when to claim their prize. Time determines the size of the winnings.
Elsewhere you can also find a wide selection of lotteries, keno, bingo and slingo games. All of these games involve matching your numbers (chosen by you or the system) with random numbers generated on the screen. Prizes are determined by the number of matching numbers and may include tiered payouts.
Source: Pixabay
Impact on the iGaming industry
In 2025 global instant games market valued at approximately $3.10 billion. It is projected to reach $7.5 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.6%. Looking at the dynamics of their popularity, the majority of instant win games are played on mobile devices, with 71% of instant win players in 2025 doing so through their smartphone or tablet. Additionally, 44.2% of the global instant gaming market is in North America, making it the dominant region in the world for such games.
In many ways, this is symbolic of broader changes in iGaming driven by technological and cultural changes. For example, in e-commerce, 41% of shoppers are willing to pay extra for same-day delivery, and 40% of shoppers users will leave the web page it takes over 3 seconds to load, indicating a greater emphasis on instant gratification. Additionally, there are currently about 5.28 billion smartphone users in the world, accounting for about 60% of the global population. As more people have devices, more people are turning to these fast-paced games.
As instant win games grow in popularity, iGaming has seen a renewed interest in creating simpler, more minimalistic game designs with high-quality UX. Indeed, pure, immersive gameplay is valued over complexity because it can perform equally in all markets.
