History of Online Casino Websites

What is an Online Casino?

Casinos are widely popular businesses that house legal gambling for players in countries across the world. Relatively recently the concept of a virtual casino was created, and ever since its creation the online gambling realm has exploded with players from all different backgrounds. Unlike traditional land casinos, online casinos provide players with the ability to gamble from the comfort of their own home. They don’t have to travel, worry about a hotel to stay in, or deal with crowded rooms and tables. Online casinos have evolved so much since they were created that players now can gamble from desktops, laptops, and even mobile phones quickly and easily. These virtual gambling realms work by players simply connecting to the internet and logging into the casino’s website. Once funds are placed in a players account, they can gamble freely. CasinoWebScripts has managed to create a complete casino solution, including casino web software, casino games and payment plans integration.

Where Did it All Begin?

The history of online casinos is relatively short, which is surprising when considering how much they have evolved over the past couple of decades. In 1994 the Free Trade and Processing Zone Act was passed in the Caribbean islands (1). This act allowed software engineers to create virtual casino networks and to send downloadable software to millions of people across the globe. It was in this year that the very first online casino provider was started, Microgaming has revolutionized online gambling and sparked an interest in the minds of players across the world. Internet Casinos, Inc. was the first actual online casino created, in 1995 it launched its website which begin with 18 gambling games.
A year later, in 1996, Intercasino launched a revolutionary website with better odds and less glitches, it also created the world’s first online sports book gambling site. Also occurring in 1996, Microgaming sold all of their online casinos and begin to solely develop the technology and software for the virtual gambling realm. In the following decade progressive jackpots were introduced, online casino licenses were sold, and government around the world begin to get involved. Many governments started to create restrictions for the online gaming industry, some of them even banning it altogether.
In 2006 the U.S. banned most forms of virtual casinos, due to the fear that terrorists were laundering money through them. In the next few following years many online casino companies went bankrupt because they had to pull out of the extremely profitable gambling market in the United States. Although restrictions continue to be passed across the world against virtual gambling, the online realm continues to find ways around the laws and still thrive.

Popularity and Growth

There are two main types of online casinos, they can be categorized as download only and web-based casinos. Download only gambling realms were the first technology to be developed. They revolve around the idea that players will be sent physical software that must be downloaded on their computer in order to play on the casino’s website. This technology is still relatively popular, although it is much slower and less modernized than web-based gambling. Web-based casinos do not require software to be downloaded on player’s computers. Instead, browser plug-ins can be enabled so that all the player has to do to participate is log into the casino’s website with a reliable internet connection and play.
The games that are offered in the world of virtual gambling vary from site to site. The original virtual casinos started with a limited number of games, with relatively low quality graphics and sound. With modern day technology, virtual gambling providers have been able to come up with ways to offer countless games to their players, with amazing audio and graphics to go along with them. Today a player can find almost any game online that they can play in a land casino. As of the summer of 2012, the number one online casino in the world is Betway Casino, powered by Microgaming technology. Second place goes to Begado Casino, powered by NuWorks technology. Third place has been handed to Crazy Luck casino, powered by Rival Gaming technology; fourth place to Casino Grand Bay, powered by BetOnSoft Technology; and fifth place has been handed to 7 Sultans Casino, powered by Microgaming technology.
Ever since they started the evolution of online gambling and later moved on to creating the technology for the virtual realm, Microgaming has been on the top of the list. They have created the most revolutionary and popularized graphics and audio to go hand-in-hand with the quick loading and payout ability offered to the players.

Overview

The relatively recent birth of online casinos has created a virtual gambling craze across the world. The technology that powers these virtual gambling sites have revolutionized over the past couple of decades, allowing players to gamble from the comfort of their own homes with personal computers and mobile phones. The number and types of games available to players online continues to grow as technology continues to advance. Governments from across the world continue to pass restrictions against virtual gambling, limiting the ability of online casinos to spread their clientele base. However, there are still ways to operate somewhat around these laws, and as of today, the world of online gambling continues to thrive.