US$45bn worth of bets through online sports books and betting exchanges will be made using mobile devices by 2017, up from $13bn in 2011, a new report by Juniper Research has found.

Juniper Research says online sports books and betting exchanges have been among the main beneficiaries of the consumer smartphone and tablet boom.

Wagers via mobile devices across all forms of gambling are expected to reach $100bn by 2017.

The report, “Mobile Gambling: Casinos, Lotteries & Betting 2012-2017”, found that last year most leading sports books experienced a dramatic increase in the volume of bets from European (mainly UK) customers.

Windsor Holden, the report’s author, says companies such as Ladbrokes, William Hill and Paddy Power are seeing 40% or more of online sports-book customers placing bets via a mobile or a tablet, with the result that those devices already account for around 20% of all bets placed.

The report, citing feedback from bookmakers, finds that mobile devices will comprise more than 40% of bets within the next two years. There has also been a surge in mobile-only sports-book customers.

The Juniper report comes just days after Vodacom announced it was introducing a new service that allows SA consumers to play the Lotto via their mobile phones and desktop computers.

The service, which is operated by Vodacom in partnership with Gidani, the National Lottery’s operator, and Lidonga Technology and Telecoms, is also available to subscribers to other mobile networks. — (c) 2012 NewsCentral Media