Mobile gambling: Betting on $16bn

Despite a war on web gambling raging in some parts of the world, mobile gambling is set to enjoy growth for some years to come.

A report from analyst house Juniper Research has found that stakes gambled on mobiles will reach $16.6bn globally by 2011 - up from $1.35bn last year - despite cutbacks in the forecast for the North American region.

Juniper believes for the next two years Europeans will be the biggest gamblers, in terms of spend, but the region will be overtaken in 2008 by Asia Pacific - set to spend $6.7bn by 2011.

With the recent crackdown on gambling which saw some companies suspend US operations, it's now forecast that 80 per cent of gambling spend will come from Asia Pacific and Europe.

UK workers have already taken to gambling online, according to separate research from TNS, commissioned by consultancy Morse - with 30 per cent of workers betting in the office or claiming they knew someone who had.

Most workplace punters favoured the national lottery, with sports betting in second place.