Before the rise of the online gambling industry, punters enjoyed placing bets on horses, making their way physically to betting kiosks, with the service also available through telephone betting. Unlike today, the gambling scene is dominated by sports betting, with horse racing being the main attraction for punters.
In 1994, Microgaming created and launched the first online gaming software, with the first online casino site emerging online shortly afterwards. Today, online gambling has become one of the most celebrated and enjoyed hobbies amongst players worldwide, eliminating the need for punters to head over to land-based casinos to wager on their go-to casino games.
History Of Online Gambling And The First Online Casinos
Dates and history have paved the way for how we gamble online today. In 1994, the MG-powered online casino was launched. The Gambling industry welcomed The Gaming Club with open arms, the first online casino to make it to the internet. The casino did not offer real money games, however, did offer players a chance to taste gaming online, with many casino games available to play for free. With the launch of a new online casino, internet gambling became the focus, with the first real money wagering casino opening its online doors to playing games online for real money stakes.
With so many countries following in the footsteps of the first online casino, more online gambling sites emerged, with over 1,200 new internet casinos emerging by 2000. The only gambling industry started flourishing, with revenues of over $2 billion recorded as profits.
Post-1999 Gambling Industry Trends And Milestones
In the late 1990s, poker had also recorded a rise in players, with many punters choosing the card game as a favorite casino game. This ignited the need for online poker to be available, with Planet Poker launching as the first online poker room accepting wagers from poker players. This was a significant milestone for the gambling industry, with online poker available to play for real money and also for fun. With card game gambling being on the rise and in the spotlight, land-based casinos started to offer live betting, the same live betting concept we enjoy today via live dealer online gambling.
Whilst sports betting was in full swing, and produced the most wagers within the online gambling industry, the most primitive internet casinos offered solely Blackjack games and Poker, a far cry from today’s casino games variety available at online casinos.
Post-2000s Online Gambling
In the early days of the online gambling scene, the World Wide Web hosted the first World Series of Poker, with a revenue of $356 generated. Fast forward a few years, with the Poker World celebrated event generating a staggering $2.6 Billion, catapulting the online gambling industry into a flourishing arena, one where newly launched online casinos could launch successfully. The demand for online gambling games increased, and so did the presence of online gambling sites. Whilst multiplayer online gambling is a massive part of the history of online gambling, so was the need to introduce female-targeted online gambling platforms. The player demographics depicted a male-dominated online sports betting and online gambling scene, with limited games targeted to female punters.
In 2005, the online gambling industry saw the launch of online bingo, taking the game from traditional bingo halls to online casinos and online bingo rooms. This is how Internet gambling developed, with player segmentation becoming the focus and also offering gamble online games to every player visiting Internet gambling websites.
Internet Gambling Licensing Bodies
With online sports betting and online casinos being in demand and on the rise, many countries scrambled and put the gears in motion to create a legal basis and framework for gamblers to enjoy. Whilst many countries ban online gambling to this very date, others know very well the need for legislation. It is better to have no legal issues and offer punters a safe space to enjoy internet gambling. Online gaming regulators started setting up homes, targeting the following important aspects of gambling companies: Money Laundering and the prevention of online casino fraud, offering safe and legal gambling services, providing a gambling processing act for online casinos to follow, problem gambling, regulating gambling companies activities via mobile devices and the Enforcement act that casinos would need to follow.
Online Gambling Industry Regulators
Antigua and Barbuda
The Antigua and Barbuda gambling license has been one of the most primitive licensing bodies to start operating and regulating gambling activities online. From the early days of launching in 1994, the regulator started offering industry gambling licenses, regulating both online casinos and online gambling sites within the region.
Malta Gaming Authority
Established in 2001, the MGA was formerly known as the Lotteries and Gaming Authority. The regulator licensed and oversees both online gaming and online betting while also offering guidance to land-based establishments within its remit.
With the history of online gambling being boosted, the online gambling industry has generated a total of 12% of Malta’s annual revenues since the MGA’s launch.
USA Federal Wire Act
The United States of America has always held a turbulent relationship with online gambling and online casino sites. US gambling history depicts Nevada as the hub of gambling. Yet today, and thanks to the Wire Act, many US players can enjoy both sports betting and online casinos gambling online. Whilst not all US States offer live betting or online casino betting, laws leave it up to the respective States to regulate free trade and offer online casino games gambling online.
United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC)
The UKGC is a UK-based internet gambling regulator that regulates online gambling, mobile gambling, and sports betting across the UK gambling industry. The regulator is known to be strict, with a history of imposing problem gambling rules and regulations, and licensed entities are expected to follow the book. The rapid growth in gamblers in the UK saw the UKGC work hand in hand with the government to start offering internet gambling whilst also keeping the player safe at all times.
History Of Online Gambling: Where Are We Today
If there is something that world history has taught us, it is the need for evolution, change, and more enhancements to technology. The previous year’s trends for internet casinos have perished, with new goals and trends rocking the online casinos we all visit. Here are some of the current trends and perks you will be able to enjoy when visiting today’s online casinos.
Casino Games
Gone are the days of solely betting on sports or placing wagers on poker or roulette games. Today’s online gambling industry offers players a chance to enjoy online slots, Wild West-inspired games, table games, live casino games, and even live game show games. Slots are also offered in classic mode, with no bonus features or full-on gamified slot games.
Mobile Gaming
We do live our lives in the fast lane, with most of our lives dedicated to mobile devices. Both today’s casino sites and sports betting online outlets are also available to enjoy via your mobile device, meaning you can place bets and wagers 24/7 with only an internet connection needed for you to binge on mobile gaming.
Bonuses and Promotions
Gambling History tells us that bonuses and promotions have only reached the online gambling industry in recent years. Whilst landed-based gaming sites lack in offering bonus offers, the online world is all up for it. Today’s casinos shower you with welcome bonuses, reload casino promos, deposit bonuses, favorite casino games tournaments, and even live casino cashback offers.
FAQs and Guidance
Approximately half of the gamblers visiting gaming sites fail to read the bonus terms or the casino terms and conditions. Today’s gambling sites offer plain language via the T&C and FAQs, guiding the player all throughout their gambling history and journey. Telecommunications lines with online gambling sites include telephone, email, live chat services, and sometimes even WhatsApp assistance is offered.
Not Only Online Casino
Today’s gamble online websites are a powerhouse and offer one-stop-shop services to visiting punters. The best gambling websites offer both casino and sports betting under one roof, offering players the chance to enjoy top casino gambling and also sports wagers.
Live Casino Enhancements
Today’s live casino is all about the player experience, gamification, and the player enjoying a fun-filled, safe gambling platform. Whilst live-based casinos are still popular with live gaming, today, you can enjoy various game variants, with games offering various languages and features. Game show live dealer games have also taken gambling to new levels, with animated dealers rocking and rolling throughout your online casino gameplay.
Payment Method Options
Funding your play at today’s online casino sites is not a hard task, with players offered a variety of legal payment options to top up their casino player account. When depositing or withdrawing winning funds from casino accounts, players can choose from debit and credit card options, e-wallets, bank transfers, and even cryptocurrencies.
The Future Of Online Casinos
The future of online gambling and online casinos is not a myth. Tech and operational advancements are in full force, with both Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality being on everyone’s radar. Online casino face recognition and an animated gambling experience are what is on the cards, with casinos working hard to offer better UX and a casino that works hand in hand with the player.
We have already tasted the perks of Virtual Reality with both Oculus and PlayStation VR games, so, naturally, VR gambling would be in the works. The future of online gambling and online casinos is a colorful one, a winning one, with players being the focus of all that matters: top-notch casino internet gambling.
