The world of online gambling is relatively new, compared to the gambling itself. To be perfectly honest, most of the things that are done on the internet are relatively new. It all started just over 25 years ago when the first online casino website was launched. As you can probably imagine, it was a rather simple website, with only a few games available. A few years later, the first poker website was introduced and that’s where things started to get interesting. How interesting? Well, join us, and let’s find out together.
Technology And Gambling
First things first, without technological advancements, we wouldn’t be talking about any of this, at least not in this form. With time, technology progressed and improved and the gambling industry followed. More and more websites were being launched, more games available and so on. As you can probably imagine, in the beginning, this was a slow process, but it all took a turn for the better as we were slowly pacing through the 21st century.
Introduction Of Mobile Apps
Mobile gaming is arguably the turning point of it all. This was the thing that took this whole industry to the next level. The first ones to do it were the British. Back in 2003, once 3G networking became a thing, you could place a bet on ‘The Betting Site’ straight from your mobile phone.
As great and breath-taking as that was, the actual moment that set this whole thing off happened in 2007, with the introduction of the iPhone. The new smartphone that had the ability to run apps changed the game. In 2008, both the App Store and Android (Google Play) Store came to existence. One of the most downloaded apps that year? Texas Hold’Em.
All of the others followed. In just a few years, the application stores were flooded with poker games, slot games, blackjack, etc. Virtually, the entire casino was right in the palm of your hand. All you needed was a mobile device and access to the internet.
Fast forward to a few years ago, 2017 to be exact – mobile apps take over as the most popular method of betting and gambling online.
New Products
With the online gambling industry now already established as the real deal, it was time for new improvements. New games and apps were being put out almost daily. Naturally, with competition being severe and everyone wanting to be the top dog – developers and designers were working extra hard to bring new things to the table.
3D Slots And Going Live
It wasn’t long before 3D and video slots replaced the classic slots. With the addition of video and audio, interactive gameplay, and bonus rounds – the number of players just kept rising.
After a while, live dealer games were introduced to us and that brought a whole new dimension to the whole experience. To this day, live dealer games remain one of the most popular destinations of players all around the world. Naturally, this has come a long way and nowadays the whole experience looks rather remarkable, which you can see for yourself if you visit here. On top of live dealer games, players now have the access to live betting, which is also one of the most sought after features in the modern online gambling world.
Virtual Reality
One of the more recent improvements and additions to the industry is the introduction of virtual reality (VR). It took us less than 15 years to transition from phones to a 3D immersive experience with the help of a VR headset. With the right equipment, you can have a full 360-degree casino experience from the comfort of your own home. For now, it’s as close as it gets to the real thing.
Great things are expected from VR, not just in this industry, but in general. It’s probably still a couple of years away, but hopefully, it’ll be worth the wait.
Now, these were some of the ground-breaking, major changes and improvements. Let us now rewind a little bit and take a look at some of the ‘minor’ changes that happened over the years.
Choice Galore
If innovation is the way to stay relevant, then, online gambling is never going to end. If you compare the options you had, just 15 years ago, to the plethora of options you have today, you’d see how far everything has come. Back in the days, you didn’t really have a choice. There were only a couple of websites and a few apps with a limited number of games. Nowadays, there are websites with hundreds, even thousands of different games – especially slots.
Sports Betting
Another thing that has come a long way in sports betting. The days of picking between a win, loss, or a draw are long gone. So are the days of only betting on major sports and major leagues. Nowadays, you can bet on anything or anyone – and all of that just through a mobile app. You can sit at home, watch the game and bet on the next goal, corner kick, basket, or touchdown from the comfort of your favourite chair.
Payment Improvements
One of the things that kept many players away from the online world for a long time was payment processing. A few years ago, only a few credit card companies worked with gambling companies. You had to use third-party apps to deposit or withdraw the money from your account and it was honestly too much of a hassle. Nowadays, you can have the money in your account in a matter of seconds.
Introduction Of Cryptocurrency
If only we knew how valuable Bitcoin would become, huh? Since none of us can no longer ignore the strength and value of cryptocurrencies – they have become a legitimate currency you can use to bet and gamble to your heart’s content. It’s safe to say that the financial side of this has improved drastically as well.
If you take a look at the inception of the online gambling industry in 1994, it’s clear how much everything has progressed over the course of these 25 (and change) years. What’s even more remarkable is the fact that it isn’t slowing down – not even in the slightest. We don’t know what the future holds, no one does – but it sure seems bright.
