Since the very first online casino to offer automatic payouts opened in 1996, technology has continued to develop, paving the way for a multitude of new games, exciting ways to enjoy the classics, and a variety of different ways to play. The casino lifestyle has never been more accessible, with hundreds of casino games available at anytime, anywhere, right at your fingertips – as long as you have internet access!
For a beginner, the sheer number of games available at your favourite casino site, such as Sky Vegas online casino, for example – along with the action-packed nature of the games – can be overwhelming, so we’ve put together a short beginner’s guide to online casino.
Read on to find out more.
The past
According to their company history, Microgaming were first to develop online casino software in 1994, known as The Gaming Club. At the same time, Cryptologic launched InterCasino, and there’s still debate to this day about who came first. Despite this, casino management tools and player tracking systems weren’t launched until 1995, so really, a fully functioning online casino could not have been truly up and running in 1994. Because of this, many believe that the first online casino was developed in 1996, by Interactive Gaming Council. Some of the games that were available to download was the slot game Fantastic Sevens; table games such as Blackjack, Cyber Stud Poker, Roulette, and Craps, as well as video Poker – Jacks or Better, and Keno.
The following year, there were over 200 online casinos on the world wide web. That same year, the world’s annual revenue from online gambling soared to $1billion. Since then, the industry has continued to expand, and modern technology has enabled online casinos to become more accessible than ever before.
The present
In the modern day, there are a huge variety of games you can play at an online casino, most of which have state-of-the-art graphics, and animations that are sure to whisk you away right into the heart of the casino atmosphere. Online casinos host thousands of different games, with all the variations of Roulette, Poker and Blackjack, just to name a few, right at the tip of your fingers. There are even variations of your favourite games that you didn’t even think you needed, such as Lightning Roulette.
What’s more, there are now roughly 7,500 different slot games in the world, with new creations constantly being added onto online casino sites. You can even waltz into a virtual Bingo Hall and play classic Bingo, themed Bingo, and more! The opportunities really are endless.
The future
Speaking of endless opportunities, let’s take a look into the future of online casino, and marvel at the creation that is the live casino. Live casino is just what it says in the name – you can play your favourite casino games, in real time, with a real-life dealer being streamed from a specialist designed studio, hosting the game that’s being streamed to your device – live! Random Number Generators (RNGs) and a variety of special software keeps gameplay fun and fair, and as the dealer hosts the game, you’ll get a live chat feature to communicate with them through, as well as the chance to fully immerse yourself into the room with them.
On top of this, online casinos are now compatible with any device, so you can carry the casino around with you, and play anywhere you have internet access!
Who knows what the future holds with this kind of technology already at our fingertips? Virtual Reality (VR) is rising in popularity, and with games like Poker already available to play inside the headset, only time will tell when we’ll be able to walk around the casino in VR…
