Gambling has always been a popular pastime, but it started out as an upper-class activity. With the development of the internet, it made sense that gambling would develop an online platform.
Nowadays, online gambling accounts for more than a quarter of the world’s gambling. Let’s take a look at the history of gambling and how the world of online casinos developed into the giant it is today.
How Online Gambling Started
So when did gambling start appearing online? It is the popular software provider Microgaming who has the longest gambling background. It developed the world’s first online casino in 1994. It was called The Gaming Club and allowed people to play casino games on their computers.
Soon after, CryptoLogic, the leader in online transactions, launched InterCasino. They made the payment process safe and fast for customers. This allowed them to develop the first real money online casino.
The success of InterCasino inspired many others to start developing their own online casinos. The industry quickly became competitive. Operators tried to offer the best titles and a wide variety of game types for customers. This is where welcome bonuses came into play.
The online gambling definition is not specific to casinos. Online gambling encompasses all types of betting conducted online.
What Made Online Gambling so Popular
Online casinos were an instant hit as more and more people bought their own computers. It was a new exciting way to enjoy gambling. It also made it more accessible for those who hadn’t experienced it before.
The competitive market encouraged the production of better software and games. Developers introduced an increasing number of features. The online casino industry skyrocketed as it had something to offer for all types of players.
Aspects such as multiplayer games, themed slots, and progressive jackpots started to appear. These encouraged even more players to join online casinos. The growth of these sites was exponential.
Most importantly, online casinos made gambling something that everyone could enjoy. Players didn’t need to travel to expensive casinos to enjoy the games. They could stay at home and play the games for free or at minimal stakes.
Online casinos made gambling an activity for everyone, and this is what made them so popular. No matter where you lived, what games you liked, or how much money you had, you could find something at the online casinos.
Online Gambling in 2020
As the technology developed, so could the software for the online casinos. The graphics, sounds, and quality of gameplay improved with every release. Providers could include more and more unique features in their games to keep them exciting.
A significant breakthrough was the development of live dealers. Most of the people who hadn’t progressed to the online casinos were still wanting to play live games at the land-based casinos. The development of live-streaming allowed them to experience a real-time casino atmosphere while playing online.
Nowadays, people will search for casinos that also offer live dealer games. This is also true for sportsbooks, with the top-rated ones offering you live streams of the matches and in-play betting. This is the primary reason that online gambling has seen an even more considerable rise in popularity in recent years.
Another development for online gambling sites was the introduction of mobile casinos. Nowadays, people want to be able to do everything from their smartphone. The best casinos have invested time and money into offering mobile-friendly versions of their sites.
There is an increasing amount of casinos developed specifically for mobile. These often provide the latest mobile payment methods to make it even easier for players to make deposits. Technology has made room for improvements in all aspects of online gambling.
Much of the information in this article was developed using the advice of Eliasz Nowak. Mr. Nowak is an expert on casinos and online gambling.
Top Online Gambling Sites
There are a massive number of online gambling sites to choose from. You can select one that’s best for you based on the features and payment methods it offers to customers. Below is a list of some of the top-rated online gambling sites to look at.
- Energy Casino
- Genesis Casino
- Joy Casino
- play
- SpinIt
Conclusion
It was the development of technology that really allowed the world online gambling to begin. It’s also the technology that has meant it continues to progress with each passing year.
Online casinos and sportsbooks were an instant hit, as they allowed people to play the much-loved games from the comfort of their own home. Not only this, but gambling was no longer only for the rich. Anyone can enjoy games for free now or play at micro-stakes at these online establishments.
