Do you enjoy playing poker online,
or maybe trying your hand at your favorite slots, what about trying
out the latest Live Casino,
or Are you more of a Blackjack
person and go online to play every chance you get? No matter what type
of games you enjoy, there are literally thousands of opportunities and
gaming sites online for your entertainment.
It seems that no matter what
you like to play, there is a site for it. But have you ever wondered
how these sites began and where they came from? Here is a short history
of the online casino.
People have been gambling almost since time began,
and have found ways to indulge their interests whether it was legal
or not. Whenever a state or territory outlawed the practice of gambling,
someone would always find a way to continue the practice. Because of
this, gambling houses have sprung up all over the world.
Whether it was to place gambling establishments on
riverboats in order to avoid state laws, or allowing gambling on Indian
Reservations, people have always sought out ways to continue what they
enjoy doing. So it was only a matter of time that gaming would find
its way online.
The road to online gambling was opened in 1994 when
the Antigua-Barbado government passed the Free Trade and Processing
Zone Act. In August of 1995, Internet Casinos,Inc. (ICI) launched their
first online casino with 18 games as well as providing access for the
National Indian Lottery. However, to avoid prosecution by the United
States, ICI ran their online casino from the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It was not without controversy however, as two other
companies, Gaming Club and Intertops, also claimed to have been the
first to create gambling online. Intertops was however the first to
introduce the online sports book. From that point on, the flood gates
opened and many more companies got into the online gambling scene.
Because of the restrictions by American laws toward
online gaming, the industry has grown primarily in the Caribbean Islands
as well as European and Asian countries. The demand for games online
has continued to grow and the popularity has created even more opportunities
despite any laws made to control or regulate the practice.
The online gaming industry has exploded in the 21st
Century, with as many as 500 gaming sites currently online and thousands
of affiliates and subsidiaries. One industry magazine, Rolling Good
Times online has reported that online gaming revenues are as much as
$49 billion and growing dramatically.
Despite the attempts by the United States to outlaw
the practice of online gaming, it has continued to grow in popularity
and shows no sign of slowing down. In todays volatile economy, more
people are logging into online gaming sites to try their luck. The history
of online casinos may have been shaky at first, but it looks like they
are here to stay!
