Wagers made through mobile phones will top USD 12 billion by 2010, according to a new study recently released by Juniper Research. The growth will be mainly pushed by the burgeoning availability of mobile payment processors and liberalization of gambling laws in key markets, such as the UK.

The largest growth is expected in the area of mobile lotteries, with more than 380 million people worldwide expected to be playing lotteries through their mobile phone by 2010.

“Mobile lotteries have already experienced significant levels of adoption in the Far East, while we envisage that European state lotteries will increasingly embrace the mobile environment in the medium term,” said Windsor Holden, author of the report.

The report also suggests that should the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) be abolished or reformed, which it suggests is increasingly likely, then mobile lotteries, betting and casino services will be available in that market by 2010.

The US will then be expected to overtake the UK as the current single largest market for mobile gambling by 2012. Furthermore, global gross win from mobile gambling services will rise from us$ 106 million this year to USD 3.2 billion by 2012.