The online casino gaming revolution began in the mid-nineties. The Caribbean nation of Barbuda and Antigua was the first to regulate online gambling and granted licenses to companies who wanted to provide gambling services online. The first-ever online casino was established in 1996. This online casino was called InterCasino and it’s still really popular today. To date, they have paid out multiple billions to many players worldwide, but nowadays you have newer online casinos like kingcasino.com or 888casino.com.
Around this time, the now leading online casino operator Microgaming was established. NetEnt also launched and developed some of the most unique and exciting casino games at the time which offered online gamblers a great combination of slots, live dealer games, table games, card games, and progressive slots. With more companies moving their casinos online, the rise of online casino gaming was phenomenal.
Factors that Contributed to the rise of Online Casino Gaming
New technology, new opportunities
With new technology, things continue to get bigger and better all the time. The internet became publicly available in 1991 and this opened up a whole world of opportunities for many companies. How could the gambling world flourish with the internet? By creating online casinos where millions of people can gamble at the same time wherever you are in the world.
The best thing about online casino gaming is that gamers can play their favourite casino games anywhere at any time. While the internet was new, of course, playing slots and casino games took a while but it was certainly a lot quicker than driving to the nearest casino. With faster internet nowadays, people can play games quickly and smoothly providing a great gaming experience.
Easy and safe payments
Another factor that has led to the rise of online casino gaming is the online gaming is made easy by the online casino industry. A variety of reliable payment options are available. Online casino operators offer a range of banking options to make withdrawals and deposits on their sites.
As well as paying with a bank account, there are so many more ways to make deposits. Some online casinos now allow players to pay with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. One of the most popular ways to make deposits among gamers though is via an e-wallet. These include PayPal, Skrill, and Paysafecard.
Speed and efficiency
When online casinos first opened, they required an extensive download in order to use them. Internet speeds were very slow but it wasn’t long until internet speeds increased. With greater internet speeds, the popularity of online casino gaming grew. The quality and variety of games available increased too.
Online casino gaming has increased over recent years because it’s so convenient. You can play your favourite slots on your commute to work and enjoy a game of poker against players from different countries. Wherever you are, you can enjoy online casino gaming quickly and easily providing you have an internet connection.
Gone are the days where you have to wait for the casino to open or end your fun when the casino is about to close, you can enjoy playing casino games online at any time of the day. There are no days when the online casino is closed so you could even enjoy a quick spin on the reels when you’re waiting for your Christmas dinner to cook if you wanted to.
Mobile casinos
As technology advanced, the online casino industry advanced with too. Smartphones began to appear around 2007. Soon after the iPhone was developed, Google launched Android. Android and Apple users could download apps from the Apple Store or Play Store and this included apps to play the latest mobile casino games.
Gamers can also login to their favourite online casino on their mobile phone and will be taken directly to the user-friendly mobile version and have hundreds of slots and casinos ready to play right at their fingertips. Online casino and sports betting apps have opened up a whole new audience for the online casino industry. Mobile gambling is easier and more interactive.
It’s not just PCs and laptops you can enjoy gambling on. The internet offers other device options such as smartphones and tablets. You can instantly play your favourite casino games anywhere, anytime. It’s as simple as logging on to an online casino on your chosen device and start playing.
It keeps getting better
Another reason why the popularity of online casino gaming is rising is that things keep on getting better and better. With technological advances being made all of the time, the online casino world is an exciting place to be. Games improve for players and online casinos essentially benefit from earning more money.
The majority of online casino sites offer a wide range of high-quality slots and casino games from top software developers like Microgaming, NetEnt, and Playson. All games are filled with advanced features, excellent HD animations, and graphics, amazing new features for unique gameplay and big rewards. Casino games are optimised on all devices to allow for a seamless gaming experience. Online casino operators are continually working on making new and better slots which is very exciting.
A safe place to be
In the UK, there are many regulations to protect players. In 2007, the UK Gambling Commission changed the gambling industry and ensured that the online sector stayed under UK control. The UK Gambling Commission grants licenses and supervises the whole industry meaning that the UK has a great selection of well-regulated sites to choose from.
The UK Gambling Commission does everything they can to protect players. On every online casino site in the UK, you’ll see a section on responsible gambling. Here you’ll find advice on what to do if you think you have a gambling problem. The UK Gambling Commission also recently announced a ban on players using credit cards for online casino gaming starting April 2020 which will protect problem gamblers.
As you can see, there are so many factors that have led to the rise of online casino gaming. The convenience of playing anywhere at any time is very appealing. It’s also very exciting as technology continues to advance. Mobile casino gaming seems to be very popular at the moment. What direction will online casino gaming take next?
