How the Gambling Industry Has Evolved Over the Years

Gambling is a popular pastime whose existence dates back to 100 AD, with regard to dice rolling and card playing. Since then, the gambling industry has evolved tremendously to the modern-day casinos and online betting, thanks to the fast-paced technological advancements.

Harry Odgen, the first person believed to have earned a profit from wagering, operated at Newmarket Heath in the late 1700s. With his immense experience, he began laying odds for horse races. This led to the invention of other games. Still, a law was passed prohibiting money gambling in public places aside from the Newmarket racetrack.

The Legalization of Gambling

It was not actually until the year 1961 that gambling was legalized in the public space. And as soon as the game became legal, close to 10,000 shops were set up in only six months. This initiated the viewing of gambling as an everyday activity, and it began growing in popularity.

In the late 1980s, technology started taking center-stage, and shops were now able to show new gambling races in-store, introduce fruit machines, computer-developed races, and fixed-odds betting terminals. This continued until the mid-’90s when the availability of the internet grew moderately. The internet age saw a significant shift from physical casinos to online casinos.

Online Gambling

With the rise of internet availability, stakeholders saw an opportunity to invent the online gambling industry. Numerous companies took advantage and opened sites where gaming enthusiasts could create an account and bet on their favorite games. Despite physical shops offering the gaming atmosphere and social experience, online gambling has continued to grow every passing year.

In fact, casinos have also switched to the online spectrum, with most houses now offering web-based games. The new online casino gaming is equally attracting a massive number of gamers as it is accessible anytime, anywhere. What’s more, this has brought several banking methods to the picture, enabling gamers to deposit and withdraw their winnings.

Mobile Integration

As might be already guessed, playing the new casinos and other gambling games happen on electronic devices such as phones, tablets, and PCs. As such, companies have seen the need to develop apps and user-friendly websites that are compatible with digital devices, thus bringing the games closer to the people.

It is rare to see gamers preferring a physical casino bookmaker to a new casino site. The latter is easily accessible and more convenient. If anything, it will only continue growing in the coming years as it has come at a time when technological trends such as AI, cloud computing, and big data are on the rise.