It’s almost hard to fathom what the world would be like if the Internet wasn’t available, owing to the amount of reliance the modern era pins on being connected to one another. There’s literally nothing you can’t do online, whether that be ordering the weekly shop or booking that dream holiday, the possibilities are endless.
Certain businesses have seen a boom in profits thanks to the power of the World Wide Web, with none more so than the gambling industry. The ability to punt online is now easier than ever, with hundreds of different sites offering a variety of different games – including
Betfair Casino. But where did it all begin for online gambling? Let’s take a look back to the origins.
The big players
Naturally, the major gambling companies were the first to branch out into the realms of online betting. Household names such as William Hill, 888.com, Bet365 and Full Tilt Poker all opted to try and target the online market with much success. You can argue it started a trend as such and others soon followed, with some companies set up with just online gambling in mind.
The vast majority of online sites will not only offer all casino-related games, but fixed-odds sportsbooks and betting exchanges as well, owing to their rise in popularity. Perhaps one of the main hooks for online customers is the continued development and overall stability of gambling websites, as they are constantly managed and maintained for maximum customer experience.
Development of online casinos
When online gambling started to make strides on the Internet, it was online casinos that really catapulted the industry into how we view it today. Back in 1994, a company called Microgaming took the honour of being the first to allow online users to bet via online casinos. InterCasino were another early contender but it’s fair to say the 1990’s was a major turning point.
Due to the success of Microgaming and InterCasino, the advancements in technology to improve user experiences has reached unprecedented levels. If you go on any casino site or app, the features, benefits and general ease of navigating have been designed with the customer in mind.
What does the future entail?
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what the future holds for the online gambling industry, but you’d be brave to suggest it’s going to nosedive. The demand to play casino games online is larger than ever, and as long as apps and websites keep improving to suit players’ needs, the industry will continue to flourish.
Take the live casino experience for example, it allows customers to be fully emerged in what feels like a real-life casino scenario. This extends to poker and blackjack as well as other common table games, and as long as games developers and software designers keep up with customers’ needs, the future will be very bright and prosperous for years to come.
According to a report from the “Global Online Gambling Market”, it’s predicted that the online casino industry will be worth an eye-watering $66.59 billion by 2020. That should give you an indication of just how booming online gambling can be.