The internet is a powerful tool. Even in its earliest days, the internet seemed sure to revolutionize the way to conduct business and the way we pursue pleasure. So it’s no surprise that the internet has given birth to a whole new type of gambling.
Gambling is a very old thing, but it has found a very modern home on the internet. Thanks to the convenience and fun of online gambling, the trend has taken off. The number of ways to gamble online has exploded, even as laws have shifted to allow gambling to enter new states and reach more customers. Here’s what you need to know about the rise of online gambling.
A brief history of online gambling
It seems likely that we’ve been placing wagers for almost as long as we had the brain power to process games of chance and the goods to gamble with. The Ancient Greeks gambled, as did the Ancient Romans. At least one Chinese gambling game is more than 2,000 years old. In short, we human beings were gambling for a long, long time before the internet came along.
But the internet sure did change things. By the early 2000s, websites allowed individuals to play casino games or bet on sports online. Even back when folks were still using dial-up modems, they were gambling online.
The legality of early online gaming efforts was sometimes questionable. Some states did not allow people to gamble online, but sites made it easy for individuals to set up foreign bank accounts and keep right on wagering. Some states still have laws related to online gambling. Before you game, you should check out your state’s rules. But online gambling is legal, or de facto legal, in many areas.
The rise of mobile devices has only accelerated the growth of online gambling. Today, it’s easy to grab an app and start placing wagers on your smartphone or tablet. Online and in-app gambling games may choose to emulate the traditional casino games found in brick-and-mortar gambling establishments, or they may take on a totally new look. Some, like Double Bubble Slots, combine familiar games with fun graphical twists that would be impossible to achieve in a real-life setting.
Over the course of its long history, gambling has always been popular. Over the course of its comparatively very short history, online gambling has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds. The online gaming industry has grown in value each year for the entire history of its existence, and it keeps reaching new fans as technology improves and laws change in states like New Jersey.
Online gambling and you
Try online gambling for yourself and you’ll quickly see why it has achieved such popularity. Gambling online makes the process convenient and simple. While it will always be fun to dress up and head out to the casino, it’s also fun to be able to kick back and relax at home while you game. And lest you think that convenience will breed reckless habits, rest assured you will generally find lower minimum bets in online casinos than you would see in their brick-and-mortar counterparts. Online gambling is fun and easy to do on your computer, tablet, or even smartphone.
What does the future hold for online gambling? It’s impossible to say for sure, but the upward trajectory of the industry, the changing laws, and the obvious appeal of gaming online all suggest a bright future for online gambling. Continued growth for online gambling is a very good bet indeed, but be sure to practice safety. If you or someone you love has a gambling problem, please seek help.
