It may not be easy to believe, but there was a time that the idea of online casinos was unimaginable. To take you a few steps back in history, the internet was once a farfetched dream that could easily provoke ridicule from various quarters. Today, it is competing with other basic needs for human existence including proper diet, attire and housing.
- History of Online Gambling. In 1994, when the internet was completely commercialized, the Caribbean nation of Barbuda and Antigua was the first to regulate online gambling. They granted licenses to companies who wished to offer gambling services via internet casinos online, when it passed the Free Trade and Processing Act.
- Online gambling history is often littered with inaccuracies and, while some sources suggest InterCasino was the first virtual platform, others will state that Microgaming's offering came first. GamingClub, built by Microgaming), beat them to the punch by opening in late 1995. Following this initial birth, the online gambling industry saw huge.
Different Origins, Same Platform
Internet casinos really made their mark in the new millennium riding on the coattails of the online poker boom. It wasn’t until the US government enacted the UIGEA in 2006 that online casinos started to retreat. The repercussions were neither immediate nor far reaching with dozens of foreign casinos continuing to operate successfully.
Talking about online casinos without mentioning the internet is a tricky affair. Yet the two have different and distinct origins. Nevertheless, the internet has a greater hand in the game since it is responsible for the evolution of gambling to a friendlier, interactive, flexible and cheaper undertaking than it initially was.
At first, the internet was meant for use by the United States government which also allowed research and education sectors to benefit from it. Using it for commercial purposes was prohibited. Only in late 1992 was it released for commercial use but still under strict restrictions.
In mid-1995, the US government abandoned the project, leaving it in the hands of private providers. Therefore, the restrictions on its use for commercial gains were finally dropped. Among many other fields it opened up a way for gambling—which had been in existence for much longer—to get online.
The Early Casinos
Gambling games have been in existence for centuries. It is believed that China and Egypt were among the first countries which cultivated the culture of gambling. In China, it was evidenced by tiles dating back to 2300 BC. In Egypt, there were ivory dice thought to have been in used for gambling by 1500 BC.
In Rome, gambling activities cut across financial well-being. It was an activity cherished by both emperors and peasants. There are interesting recounts about big debts incurred as a result of gambling and the inevitable fighting over them.
In the United States, there had been an uncertainty about gambling’s claim to legal status. The public seemed unsure on whether to allow it or prohibit it. Before it was banned in the 1890’s, it was usually practiced in the form of lotteries.
Its comeback was noticed in the 1920’s before Nevada legalised in 1931. Until the 1970s, the most popular gambling location was Las Vegas. Its fame, however, began to dwindle when there was legalisation of various other forms of casinos including Indian reservation and riverboat casinos. Today, gambling is legal in almost every state while its revenue comes in billions of dollars, beating the income gained from a combination of movie tickets, music records, theme parks and video games.
The Advent of Online Casinos
Much of the growth in gambling industry is attributed to technological developments. While the exact year in which the first internet casinos went online is still debatable, there is almost an agreement that the golden year is either 1994 or 1995. At that time, some of the casinos offered a maximum of 18 games.
Ten years later, there were approximately 30 million annual visitors to gambling sites. In addition, the lowest estimation of earnings from the industry had rose from $1 billion in 1997 to almost $11 billion in 2006. One of the main reasons for the remarkable growth of the industry is the sheer comfort provided by online gambling. It allowed not only playing from home but also offered a much greater variety of games to choose from.
How Online Gambling Works
Most internet gambling companies have offshore physical locations. They offer many different types of games including the more traditional card games, sports wagering and lotteries. Some sites offer proposition bets which allow gamblers to wager on anything.
One of the most important requirements for online gambling is the setting up of an account with the chosen online casino. You will be needed to deposit a minimum amount of money into the account before betting. The main methods of payments include credit or debit cards, private debit cards, e-cash, wire transfers as well as through online payment providers such as Paypal. Nevertheless, there has been the emergence of challenges which has led to changes in which the payments are made.
Challenges to Online Betting Payment
A large number of credit companies do not allow payment to online gambling companies. The reasons given include great risks of fraud and possibility of bad debts. In the US, Eliot Spitzer, the New York Attorney General threatened to initiate criminal prosecution against Citibank for giving its assistance to online gambling when it was already banned by New York Law. Citibank had to give $400,000 to providers of counseling services for betting addicts in order to convince Spitzer to drop the charges.
With the prohibition of online gambling credit by credit card companies, most gamblers flocked to Paypal. However, Spitzer was not done and the company soon found itself in a tight fix. It had to pay $200,000 despite claiming that it had a policy against enabling payments to online gambling establishments.
Even with the many payment challenges, gamblers have always found a way of going on with the game. Most online gambling companies assist their customers in funding their wagers by hiding the code attached to credit card payments and, therefore, make the payment seem as if it was meant for something else. Moreover, there are many other legal payment services which allow payment to online gambling sites in addition to ability of the gamblers to open accounts with foreign banks that would be happy to allow the payments.
Conclusion
Few industries have utilised the full benefits of the internet as online betting. In 1996, there were only 15 websites in operation. Yet one year later, the number had risen to 200 as gamers from different countries around the world readily embraced it.
Today, internet casinos are generating annual revenue to the tune of billions of dollars. However, many countries are still undecided on its regulation. Most of them are not sure under which laws they should put the industry. However, one thing is for sure: internet gambling is here to stay and can only get better.
The Birth Of Modern Casinos
Donald Trump Casino History
Contemporary casinos can trace their roots across the Atlantic all the way to 17th century Italy. In 1638 a venue in Venice called the Riotto opened its doors. Situated inside the San Moisè Palace and open to the public during carnival season, players enjoyed a lottery game called birbi and basetta, which fused elements of gin rummy, poker, and blackjack. Although the Riotto was technically open to everyone, giant stakes and a strictly enforced dress code meant the games were reserved for the aristocracy, at least in practice. The casino ultimately closed its doors in 1774 as views on virtue and morality shifted.
Gambling On The Frontier
In the 19th century, gambling thrived across the USA. From the port of New Orleans to the coast of California, wagering had become America's unofficial national pastime. By midcentury, long before Las Vegas was on anyone's radar, San Francisco was the US gambling capital. With the gold rush in full swing, saloons had plenty of organized action and little trouble attracting prospectors.
Gambling continued to thrive following the civil war, with many large frontier cities having fancy casinos. Yet society's views towards vices and risk-taking were changing. In California, for example, professional gamblers were lynched and it became illegal to play games against the house. Ultimately all games became illegal but casinos continued to thrive underground.
The Birth Of Las Vegas
Laws mean nothing if they aren’t enforced, which is why illegal gaming houses thrived in the early 20th century through the great depression. From New York to California, many of these dens of iniquity were mob-operated. As state governments started cracking down on gambling, these mobsters fled to Nevada where gambling was fully legalized in 1931. In 1946 Las Vegas was officially on the map when The Pink Flamingo, a now historic luxury casino, opened its door. Big names like the Sahara, Riviera, and Tropicana not only followed but also attracted the world. By the 1950s Las Vegas had become the undisputed casino capital of Earth, which it still is.
Despite these changes, criminal gangs retained their stranglehold on Sin City through the 1950s. Yet throughout the 1960s new laws made it possible for corporations to get into the business, which not only loosened the mob's grip but helped give birth to today's entertainment resorts.
Beyond Nevada
In the seventies, Americans expanded their casino horizons with the rebirth of Atlantic City. The New Jersey town was reborn as the east coast's gambling capital. In the 1980s congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory act, which paved the way for hundreds of Native American casinos across the USA. The days of heading across the country for a little fun were officially over, yet the world had no idea what technology would have in store.
Logging On For Excitement
By the mid-1990s, the internet was no longer just a curiosity. It was a valuable tool that aimed to improve every aspect of American life. It shouldn’t be much of a shock that the first online casino games appeared when people still used terms like information superhighway. Although these sites were largely based offshore, they provided service to Americans and were not even noticed by the powers in Washington. Trailblazing players in all fifty states logged on to sample slots, roulette, baccarat, craps, blackjack, keno, sports wagering, and other casino classics.
Internet casinos really made their mark in the new millennium riding on the coattails of the online poker boom. It wasn’t until the US government enacted the UIGEA in 2006 that online casinos started to retreat. The repercussions were neither immediate nor far reaching with dozens of foreign casinos continuing to operate successfully.
List Of All Harrah's Casinos
- History of Online Gambling. In 1994, when the internet was completely commercialized, the Caribbean nation of Barbuda and Antigua was the first to regulate online gambling. They granted licenses to companies who wished to offer gambling services via internet casinos online, when it passed the Free Trade and Processing Act.
- Online gambling history is often littered with inaccuracies and, while some sources suggest InterCasino was the first virtual platform, others will state that Microgaming's offering came first. GamingClub, built by Microgaming), beat them to the punch by opening in late 1995. Following this initial birth, the online gambling industry saw huge.
Different Origins, Same Platform
Internet casinos really made their mark in the new millennium riding on the coattails of the online poker boom. It wasn’t until the US government enacted the UIGEA in 2006 that online casinos started to retreat. The repercussions were neither immediate nor far reaching with dozens of foreign casinos continuing to operate successfully.
Talking about online casinos without mentioning the internet is a tricky affair. Yet the two have different and distinct origins. Nevertheless, the internet has a greater hand in the game since it is responsible for the evolution of gambling to a friendlier, interactive, flexible and cheaper undertaking than it initially was.
At first, the internet was meant for use by the United States government which also allowed research and education sectors to benefit from it. Using it for commercial purposes was prohibited. Only in late 1992 was it released for commercial use but still under strict restrictions.
In mid-1995, the US government abandoned the project, leaving it in the hands of private providers. Therefore, the restrictions on its use for commercial gains were finally dropped. Among many other fields it opened up a way for gambling—which had been in existence for much longer—to get online.
The Early Casinos
Gambling games have been in existence for centuries. It is believed that China and Egypt were among the first countries which cultivated the culture of gambling. In China, it was evidenced by tiles dating back to 2300 BC. In Egypt, there were ivory dice thought to have been in used for gambling by 1500 BC.
In Rome, gambling activities cut across financial well-being. It was an activity cherished by both emperors and peasants. There are interesting recounts about big debts incurred as a result of gambling and the inevitable fighting over them.
In the United States, there had been an uncertainty about gambling’s claim to legal status. The public seemed unsure on whether to allow it or prohibit it. Before it was banned in the 1890’s, it was usually practiced in the form of lotteries.
Its comeback was noticed in the 1920’s before Nevada legalised in 1931. Until the 1970s, the most popular gambling location was Las Vegas. Its fame, however, began to dwindle when there was legalisation of various other forms of casinos including Indian reservation and riverboat casinos. Today, gambling is legal in almost every state while its revenue comes in billions of dollars, beating the income gained from a combination of movie tickets, music records, theme parks and video games.
The Advent of Online Casinos
Much of the growth in gambling industry is attributed to technological developments. While the exact year in which the first internet casinos went online is still debatable, there is almost an agreement that the golden year is either 1994 or 1995. At that time, some of the casinos offered a maximum of 18 games.
Ten years later, there were approximately 30 million annual visitors to gambling sites. In addition, the lowest estimation of earnings from the industry had rose from $1 billion in 1997 to almost $11 billion in 2006. One of the main reasons for the remarkable growth of the industry is the sheer comfort provided by online gambling. It allowed not only playing from home but also offered a much greater variety of games to choose from.
How Online Gambling Works
Most internet gambling companies have offshore physical locations. They offer many different types of games including the more traditional card games, sports wagering and lotteries. Some sites offer proposition bets which allow gamblers to wager on anything.
One of the most important requirements for online gambling is the setting up of an account with the chosen online casino. You will be needed to deposit a minimum amount of money into the account before betting. The main methods of payments include credit or debit cards, private debit cards, e-cash, wire transfers as well as through online payment providers such as Paypal. Nevertheless, there has been the emergence of challenges which has led to changes in which the payments are made.
Challenges to Online Betting Payment
A large number of credit companies do not allow payment to online gambling companies. The reasons given include great risks of fraud and possibility of bad debts. In the US, Eliot Spitzer, the New York Attorney General threatened to initiate criminal prosecution against Citibank for giving its assistance to online gambling when it was already banned by New York Law. Citibank had to give $400,000 to providers of counseling services for betting addicts in order to convince Spitzer to drop the charges.
With the prohibition of online gambling credit by credit card companies, most gamblers flocked to Paypal. However, Spitzer was not done and the company soon found itself in a tight fix. It had to pay $200,000 despite claiming that it had a policy against enabling payments to online gambling establishments.
Even with the many payment challenges, gamblers have always found a way of going on with the game. Most online gambling companies assist their customers in funding their wagers by hiding the code attached to credit card payments and, therefore, make the payment seem as if it was meant for something else. Moreover, there are many other legal payment services which allow payment to online gambling sites in addition to ability of the gamblers to open accounts with foreign banks that would be happy to allow the payments.
Conclusion
Few industries have utilised the full benefits of the internet as online betting. In 1996, there were only 15 websites in operation. Yet one year later, the number had risen to 200 as gamers from different countries around the world readily embraced it.
Today, internet casinos are generating annual revenue to the tune of billions of dollars. However, many countries are still undecided on its regulation. Most of them are not sure under which laws they should put the industry. However, one thing is for sure: internet gambling is here to stay and can only get better.
The Birth Of Modern Casinos
Donald Trump Casino History
Contemporary casinos can trace their roots across the Atlantic all the way to 17th century Italy. In 1638 a venue in Venice called the Riotto opened its doors. Situated inside the San Moisè Palace and open to the public during carnival season, players enjoyed a lottery game called birbi and basetta, which fused elements of gin rummy, poker, and blackjack. Although the Riotto was technically open to everyone, giant stakes and a strictly enforced dress code meant the games were reserved for the aristocracy, at least in practice. The casino ultimately closed its doors in 1774 as views on virtue and morality shifted.
Gambling On The Frontier
In the 19th century, gambling thrived across the USA. From the port of New Orleans to the coast of California, wagering had become America's unofficial national pastime. By midcentury, long before Las Vegas was on anyone's radar, San Francisco was the US gambling capital. With the gold rush in full swing, saloons had plenty of organized action and little trouble attracting prospectors.
Gambling continued to thrive following the civil war, with many large frontier cities having fancy casinos. Yet society's views towards vices and risk-taking were changing. In California, for example, professional gamblers were lynched and it became illegal to play games against the house. Ultimately all games became illegal but casinos continued to thrive underground.
The Birth Of Las Vegas
Laws mean nothing if they aren’t enforced, which is why illegal gaming houses thrived in the early 20th century through the great depression. From New York to California, many of these dens of iniquity were mob-operated. As state governments started cracking down on gambling, these mobsters fled to Nevada where gambling was fully legalized in 1931. In 1946 Las Vegas was officially on the map when The Pink Flamingo, a now historic luxury casino, opened its door. Big names like the Sahara, Riviera, and Tropicana not only followed but also attracted the world. By the 1950s Las Vegas had become the undisputed casino capital of Earth, which it still is.
Despite these changes, criminal gangs retained their stranglehold on Sin City through the 1950s. Yet throughout the 1960s new laws made it possible for corporations to get into the business, which not only loosened the mob's grip but helped give birth to today's entertainment resorts.
Beyond Nevada
In the seventies, Americans expanded their casino horizons with the rebirth of Atlantic City. The New Jersey town was reborn as the east coast's gambling capital. In the 1980s congress passed the Indian Gaming Regulatory act, which paved the way for hundreds of Native American casinos across the USA. The days of heading across the country for a little fun were officially over, yet the world had no idea what technology would have in store.
Logging On For Excitement
By the mid-1990s, the internet was no longer just a curiosity. It was a valuable tool that aimed to improve every aspect of American life. It shouldn’t be much of a shock that the first online casino games appeared when people still used terms like information superhighway. Although these sites were largely based offshore, they provided service to Americans and were not even noticed by the powers in Washington. Trailblazing players in all fifty states logged on to sample slots, roulette, baccarat, craps, blackjack, keno, sports wagering, and other casino classics.
Internet casinos really made their mark in the new millennium riding on the coattails of the online poker boom. It wasn’t until the US government enacted the UIGEA in 2006 that online casinos started to retreat. The repercussions were neither immediate nor far reaching with dozens of foreign casinos continuing to operate successfully.
List Of All Harrah's Casinos
Digital Gaming Ahead
History Of Online Education
While Las Vegas continues to thrive, it's obvious that the future is online. With Americans continuing to play on international sites, U.S. states are refusing to miss out on the action. New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware either license or operate their own online casinos for players in their states. One by one other states are preparing their own legislation and ballot measures as they prepare to roll the proverbial dice.
Additional Reading
Learn more about the history of Las Vegas: http://www.history.com/topics/las-vegas
Atlantic City Casino History
Discover everything you need to know about Indian Casinos in your area: https://www.nigc.gov/
