Die Geschichte des Online-Glücksspiels

23 August 2019

Within just 25 years, the first, small beginnings of online
gambling developed into a $ 50 billion industry – a business that has long since become
outdated by Hollywood and even more profitable than the video game industry.
Not only has the oldest recreational activity in the world kept its high entertainment value, it has
even further expanded its fun factor with the possibilities of the internet. This is rewarded
by an annual industry growth and meanwhile the number of casinos and
offered game possibilities is simply breathtaking.
But how did it all start? In this post we will look at the birth of the
Look at online gambling and how this recreational activity has evolved to its present form
.

The early days

The beginnings of this online revolution are somewhat in the dark. In 1994, the
first companies acquired licenses to offer online gambling. These include, above all,
two companies.
As a very well-known game developer, Microgaming was one of the first companies to start its
famous gaming club site with a license from Gibraltar. It
quickly became one of the largest online gambling developers in the industry. As one of the
first major opponents InterCasino entered the stage of the competition in 1996. From these
simple beginnings, the seed was laid for one of the greatest entertainment forms of the present.

Fast expansion

In 1995, thanks to a technological advance – the development of Cryptologic software –
the speed of online transactions has been significantly improved. Microgaming used this to expand their
offerings to table games such as craps, poker, blackjack and roulette.
In 1996, the number of websites offering online games was approximately 15. In 1998, this
number increased to over 200. The technical progress played the biggest role in this growth,
accelerated by broadband Internet access speeds. Now enthusiastic players
no longer had to wait minutes (or even longer) for individual opponent’s moves or downloads
, and the added speed that kept improving increased them
Popularity of online casinos even further.
In addition, two further developments were added as true game changers.
Microgaming was again responsible for the development when they launched Cash Splash, the first Progressive
Online Slot.
On the other hand, Planet Poker launched the first Internet Poker Room, which quickly gained
in popularity. Especially Texas Hold’em became so available and became one of
the popular poker forms of the Internet. Although it is hard to believe from today’s perspective,
in the early days this popularity was even surpassed by Seven-Card Stud, which was
the most-played online poker form at that time .

The first multiplayer rooms were created in 1999 and added a social
aspect to online gambling . Nowadays, players can interact and chat with each other,
increasing the Internet community’s exchange .
Online gambling becomes mobile
The next major step in the development was the development of the smartphone. Online casinos
quickly recognized the possibilities of mobile access and quickly accelerated the development in
this sector. As a first, “The Betting Site” was a mobile pioneer, a platform for various
British bookmakers. Everything changed with the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Apps became popular
and one of the most widely used apps in 2008 (the year the App Store was opened) was
Texas Hold’em.
From there, mobile usage increased in ever-faster pacing: 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi became
ubiquitous. Passionate gamers could play mobile casinos, bookmakers, any form of
online gaming anytime, anywhere.
Today we take it as a given, but only from 2010 it was possible with any Android, IOS or
web-based operating system platform-independent access to the same online gambling
.

Technical developments

Technological progress within the gambling industry has been one of the keys
to success right from the start. Of course, this is due to the competitive pressure of the companies,
so that every opportunity
to improve functionality and user-friendliness through technical innovations is used to provide the player even more entertainment. New games and
game forms are still being developed and the trend is towards better graphics
and sounds.
Video slots are a good example of this. The developers took advantage of the improved software to incorporate
extensive bonus features, better visualization and audio effects to keep
passionate games with new effects in the mood.
To create the right casino atmosphere on the computer or mobile phone, the next logical
step will be towards live gaming. Several companies are already working hard to
build Live Hosted Online Casino Games, where anyone can participate as long as they have an
internet connection.
And the possibilities of Virtual Reality (VR) are not listed here yet. As one of the
first online casinos SlotsMillion offers its players via Oculus Rift Headset VR games. Here
, the player sits in the middle of the casino with a 360-degree angle. We still can not
estimate where this development will lead in the future, but we will soon find out.
Mobile dominance
The mobile platforms have already replaced the typical desktop computer and laptop access
. The UK Gambling Commission lists that in 2017, 51% of all bets were on
mobile. There is no doubt that this number has even increased by now.
The trend is moving away from the home PC to the mobile variants, supported by live
gaming and payment via crypto currencies. Meanwhile, it is hard to find a provider
who has not turned to mobile platforms in the meantime and is at least website-based.

Summary

The biggest development spurt for the online gambling industry was the increase in
gaming possibilities. From a few options at the beginning, we now have thousands of
options that offer better play opportunities and thus more fun. Both online
bookmakers, online casinos, online games and slots.
As a result, the quality of the games improved dramatically. The themes became
more interesting, more specific, the gameplay friendlier and the profit opportunities bigger. The
online games have reached the highest technical level and the possibilities of the VR
will improve them even further.