Shutterstock
You must go back to 1994 to find the first time an online casino opened to the public. This came following the Free Trade and Processing Act passed in Antigua and Barbuda. The act provided gaming licences to remote casinos and allowed them to offer games to people via the internet. In terms of online sports betting, Intertops are believed to be the first company to provide an online bookmaker and they started taking bets in 1996.
Back then, you would have required a home computer to play an online casino game or bet on a sporting event. However, the development in technology has changed the face of online gambling over the years. Perhaps the biggest change in online gambling came about with the have increased popularity and quality of mobile phones. Now that sports betting is beginning to be legalized across the states, those looking to have a wager from their mobile have more choice that ever. Indiana is one state that has embraced mobile betting and now has a wide choice of Sportsbook apps for Indiana bettors, such as DraftKings and BetRivers providing the platforms.
Mobile phones have gone from being a device used to either talk to someone or send them a text to become a video game player, camera and online browser. You no longer have to be sat at home on a desktop computer to place a bet on the latest sporting event or to enjoy a few spins on the top slots games. mobile phones now have the capability to run high quality graphics and the processors can play games which even 10 years ago would have struggled to run on a laptop.
However, having a high quality mobile device is not all you require to play online casino games or place a bet on a sporting event. You also need to have a reliable Internet connection. Not only does the Internet connection needs to be reliable, it also needs to be capable of transferring data quickly in order to play the latest casino games or bet on a live sporting event.
4G internet was first released commercially in Oslo, Norway, and Stockholm, Sweden in 2009. It is the is the fourth generation of broadband cellular network technology and the one which is most commonly used for mobile data today. The speeds which can be achieved by using 4G internet make it possible for people to play at online casinos and place bets at online sportsbooks without having to worry about the connection failing or not being fast enough to process the action.
Having a fast and reliable internet connection plus a high quality mobile device has allowed online gambling companies to improve what they have to offer. A good example of this is live betting and live streaming. Having the ability to place a bet on a football match while it is taking place and doing so while you are out having a drink with friends is all thanks to the development of technology. We almost take it for granted these days that you can tap the screen of a mobile phone a few times and bet on which team is going to score next in a football match.
The same applies to live casino games. You could be sitting on a bus but thanks to improvements in technology, you are able to play poker with a real dealer and against other players from around the world. However, this is unlikely to be the end of technological developments in gambling but what could the future bring for the industry?
Virtual reality is not a new term but it is a new concept for online casinos. The idea is that you can sit down at a computer and be taken to the casino, as if you are in the building and playing a game of roulette for real. Many online casino companies have adopted virtual reality games and while they always look better when using a head set such as Oculus Rift or Samsung Gear, they are not compulsory to enjoy the experience.
Online roulette and blackjack are two examples of casino games which can be played in virtual reality. There are also some slots games which are available in virtual reality including one of the most popular slots games of all time, Starburst.
Taking things one step further and we could even see gesture recognition introduced to online gambling. It may be possible to participate in a game of online poker and for the players to place their chips and hold their cards virtually. It may even be possible to walk into an entire casino without leaving the comfort of your own home and that’s very exciting.
