With major macroeconomies still somewhat in shambles, a PricewaterhouseCoopers study reckons that worldwide gambling - and particularly online gaming - will continue to see enviable growth through 2012.

PwC's Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2006-2010 figures that "the entertainment and media industry is well into a recovery pattern and should post stronger growth in the second half of the decade. Key conclusions from PwC indicate, too, that the gains will all be made online, begging the question "Could internet gambling become the hip trends of the '10s?"

Emphasizes study abstract author Kevin Zimmerman: "digital and mobile distribution will become a significant component of the entertainment and media market, fueled by rising broadband and wireless subscribership" and "growth [in brick-and-mortar casinos] will be slow as consumers migrate to digital and mobile distribution.

How about some facts and/or figures, then? PwC's casino-specific companion piece entitled "The Outlook for Regulated Gaming: It's a Good Bet" tells us that:

• Global revenue for casino and regulated gaming will increase by 8.8% annually, bringing worldwide income in the sector from the $82.2 billion mark posted in 2005 to $125-plus billion in 2010;

• online and non-virtual poker is to be credited for the greater part of the expected surge;

• the Asia Pacific region can expect to see 14% annual growth, and Macau was noted as the driving force here thanks to its status as "an international gaming center with the establishment of lavish casinos catering to big spenders";

• indeed, with its presence in brick-and-mortar and online, Macau figures to account for a whopping 62% of Asia Pacific gaming revenue in 2010;

• the EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa) "region" is looking at 10.7% annual growth to rise to $22.4 billion by decade's end;

• the United Kingdom could overtake France as European leader in the field with expected 17.3% annual growth;

• the popularity of online gaming is going through the roof in the Great White North, as "online gaming is the fastest-growing portion of Canadian revenue, rising at 14.8% compound annual growth rate"; and

• online gaming in Argentina and Chile are "growth spots" in the Latin/South America region.

Well, then, what are you waiting for? You don't want to be left out of the next hot trend to come down the pike, do ya? So ante up, already!