Gambling has come so far over the last century; from football pools in the 1920s, to the rise of Bingo halls in the 1960s, and the Poker boom of the 1980s. There have been many different gambling trends capturing the imagination of the population over the years. But perhaps the most dramatic changes have come in the last decade, with the rise of online casinos.
Online casinos take gambling to the next level, with added rewards such as, daily free spins with bonus rounds on games like Paddy Power’s Wonder Wheel, for example! These additions make a huge difference in gameplay, as before the creation of online casinos, promotions like this were never a thing, broadening the horizons of gambling.
As there has been such a large change in the gambling scene, we want to look into the future and investigate some of the advancements that gamers will be able to take part in, as technology continues to advance.
Keep on reading to find out more!
History of online gambling
In 1996, the first online casino launched. At the time, they only offered Poker games and the graphics were not as well developed as they are now.
The more advancements there have been in technology, the more games there are – and online casinos now offer hundreds of game variations. These can range from live casinos, game show-inspired games, Slots, and so much more; each with their own theme and characters!
The progression
The UK gambling industry is worth £14.4 billion per year. In order to protect all players and make sure they are having the best online experience the Gambling Commission has recently introduced a series of new rules and regulations:
- To receive and retain a license, betting companies need to follow the commission’s high standards and requirements.
- Online casinos are now required to verify their players before they are allowed to deposit and play, even in free mode.
- A credit card ban has been introduced to help protect players manage their bankroll.
Now, more players find themselves with an increased disposable income, meaning they tend to spend more on gaming at online casino sites.
Even more so with the games being so accessible on your smartphone, as you can just download an application and get playing! It’s clear that smartphones have influenced some of the biggest changes for the gambling market.
The future
The future of online gambling has a lot to offer, an example of this being the notable rise in the number of crypto casinos launched over the last few years. Although most of the major online operators don’t yet offer cryptocurrencies as a valid payment method, there are many good quality crypto casinos which do.
In addition, some live casino games are becoming more readily available in Virtual Reality (VR), games like Gonzo’s Treasure Hunt Live is the first to be available like this. This is a significant development in the gaming world, with more to come in the future!
We hope this article has given you an insight into the future of online gambling, alongside understanding the progression it has made over the years.