Online casino gambling is not something that started in recent years. It’s been around for decades, starting off in the mid-1990s. A company called Microgaming is widely credited for creating the first fully-functional website for online casino games in 1994, in a time where even the World Wide Web was still new to most people.
However, gambling on those sites was still not possible, as online cash transactions was not yet a thing. It was only in the subsequent year, 1995, that company CryptoLogic came forward with a way to facilitate money transactions over the Internet. With that, InterCasino was launched in 1996, becoming what was the first online casino with real money transactions.
The history of gambling
But if you’re interested in how casino gambling even became a thing, maybe it will be worthwhile to explore the history of gambling itself.
It might surprise you that gambling has been a part of parcel of human life ever since we had civilisation! It seems that humans have an innate drive for excitement and risk, and gambling is one of those ways humans can satisfy that thirst without actually physically putting their lives in peril.
Some say that the earliest pieces of evidence of gambling date back to millions of years ago during the Palaeolithic period. Six-sided dices have been found in Mesopotamia dating back to 3,000 B.C. Meanwhile, the earliest casinos, then still known as gambling houses, became popular in China as early as 1,000 B.C and was frequented by people to bet on anything, including on animals fighting against each other.
It wasn’t until the 17th century, however, that one of the biggest gambling sports, Poker, came to be. Now the world’s most popular gambling card game, Poker played a key role in the popularisation of gambling throughout the world.
Today, casinos can be found all over the world, including physical and online ones. While casinos of the past were casual gathering places, casinos today are often lavish-looking spaces, marketed as tourist attractions. But of course, for those who prefer seeking a thrill from the comfort of their own homes, online live casinos are the choice to go with.
What’s next for online casinos?
Online casinos are still seeing great demand and developments up till today. According to numbers by Statista, the global online gambling industry is expected to be worth almost USD 100 billion by 2024, which is double its USD 46 billion worth in 2019.
Then again, is this a surprise? Online gambling has evolved significantly in the past two decades, especially in recent years. The gameplay and user experience of many online casino sites have improved tremendously, with many even offering live games with live dealers. Players can now enjoy quality graphics and sound effects with their games, which they can access from almost anywhere in the world.
Furthermore, online casino providers have been continually working on making transactions more secure, giving players nothing to worry about when taking their money for a spin. If anyone is looking for an online casino site to try their hands at it, it won’t be too hard to find a trusted online casino on the Internet.