Online gambling can trace its roots back to 1994 and the establishment of the Free Trade and Processing Act. Essentially, this was a law that enabled organisations to begin establishing online casinos. The first gaming rooms used software that was developed by a company known as Microgaming and while the portals themselves were obviously not nearly as advanced as today’s casinos, their popularity grew quickly. In fact, the numbers speak for themselves. While in 1996 there were only fifteen websites, no less than two hundred existed only one year later.
Technological Advancements
It should only stand to reason that the types of games progressed as computing power steadily increased. In 1999, multi-player casinos first entered into existence. As dial-up Internet evolved to broadband speeds, flash games became increasingly popular in comparison to those which required a lengthy download to enjoy. At the present, gambling portals offer a second-to-none level of graphics and even real-time interaction with live dealers from thousands of kilometers away.
Prohibition and Changes
The online gambling industry has faced a number of challenges over the years; particularly involving countries which prohibit its presence such as the United States. With the advent of online poker, countries attempted to pass laws such as the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act in 1999. Other laws tried to prevent any online gambling room that was not in existence before 2000 to operate. While this was specific to a country (Australia in this case), it was difficult to prevent players using a masked IP address from participating. In terms of this legislation, it has been challenging for lawmakers to keep up with the sheer volume of players now enjoying online casinos. So, countries such as the United States are becoming more flexible in terms of who can play.
The online gaming sector generates billions of dollars each year and as it continues to grow, it is likely that the governing laws will likewise need to adapt.