Exploring the past and future of online casinos

In the space of just a couple of decades, online casinos have gone from a new development to a well-established part of the wider casino landscape. Evolving technology has helped to push online casinos forward since the 90s, and it’s likely to drive further developments in the future, too.>

Read on to explore the journey and evolution of the online casino format and its potential path into the future.>

The start of the online casino

Casinos as an institution have been around for centuries, but it wasn’t until the early 1990s that the concept of a virtual casino appeared. The rapid expansion of the internet and its increasing adoption across a variety of sectors was the spark that led to the first attempts to create an online casino platform.>

In 1994, the first true online casino was launched by a developer known as Microgaming. As many firsts are, it was a rather limited platform at first with only a small selection of games available. Still, it was a proof of concept that helped to usher in a wave of online casinos over the rest of the decade.>

One of the most important aspects of the online casino was not actually its games, but rather its security. Microgaming proved that it was possible to use secure, encrypted connections in order to protect players’ financial data, which was a major factor in proving the viability of these online platforms.>

The graphics of early online casinos left a lot to be desired, with only basic user interfaces and a smaller pool of games to choose from. But even by the end of the 90s there were clear strides being made in both presentation and usability.>

The online casino evolves

Technology advanced quickly, with stronger internet connections and higher speeds helping to improve the player experience. As software improved this also increased the potential for better graphics, sound design and new gameplay mechanics.>

The number of games on offer online expanded over the course of the 2000s, with developers also creating fresh twists on classic game formats. As online casino games were not fighting for physical space in a land-based casino this allowed for the rapid expansion of the online catalogue, giving players the chance to try new varieties of classics like Blackjack or Roulette.>

Once smartphones and tablets took off, this led to a pivot for online casinos, which needed to optimise their platforms for mobile devices. This also prompted the creation of dedicated apps, allowing players to access casino games from their devices as long as they had a stable internet connection.>

The future of online casinos

In the last couple of decades online casinos have proven their ability to adapt to fresh technology, expanding their offerings further. Of course, we can’t predict what new technologies might be just over the horizon but it’s safe to say that online casinos are likely to adapt to whatever the next tech development may be.>

Augmented and virtual reality both have the potential to further revolutionise the way players play casino games.>

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Now that you know more about the past of online casinos, where do you think their future lies?>