It’s hard to think, today, about how different life was just a few decades ago. The internet was a novel concept back in 1994; most people still didn’t own a computer (even fewer had an internet connection); and the concept of a smartphone would have seemed like it was lifted from a sci-fi movies.
Yet, in just 30 years, our world has been completely transformed. The ways we shop, communicate, entertain ourselves, and learn have been altered beyond recognition. It’s hard to imagine not being able to browse different holiday destinations and hotels online, and instead having to make an appointment with a travel agent to browse through magazines in a physical store.
In the same way, it’s also difficult to picture a world where it wasn’t possible to play casino games from just about anywhere. Yet, until exactly 30 years ago, that was the case. The iGaming industry that we know today, with its digital forms of sports betting, casino games and poker, has ballooned into a huge market generating billions every year.
But it wasn’t always like this. Here is the history of the iGaming industry and how we got here today.
Inception
The birth of the iGaming industry occurred 30 years ago, in late 1994. It had been a concept for many years before that, but those ideas were turned into reality when the small island nation of Antigua and Barbuda passed a law called the Free Trade and Processing Zone Act. This legislation made it possible for companies to set up iGaming operations in the country and offer their services to players from all over the world.
Just a few months later, Bill Gates unveiled Microsoft’s Windows 95 operating system to the world. This made personal computing much less daunting and millions of people bought their first PCs around this time.
This created the perfect storm, with both supply and demand increasing at the same time.
Going Mobile
For the first decade of its life, the iGaming industry focused exclusively on computers. Players could load up a website or application, deposit, and start playing within a matter of minutes, provided they were at home and had an internet connection.
However, while infinitely more convenient than having to drive across town, province, or country to place a bet, it was still a sub-optimal solution since many people kept their computers in places like under the stairs.
But thanks to the release of the iPhone, smartphone adoption exploded in the late 2000s and early 2010s, doing for handheld computers what Windows did for desktops in the 1990s.
This allowed iGaming companies to welcome in an entirely new generation of players, including those who didn’t want to be chained to a computer while they played slots and roulette but who wanted to enjoy these games from anywhere.
Diversifying and Building Wider Appeal
Realising that there were huge numbers of people who wanted to play casino games but who had previously felt excluded, iGaming companies began diversifying their gaming offerings to reach even more players.
Leading brands have done this by creating catalogues of games that run into the thousands and offer every imaginable theme and genre, as well as a wide selection of bonus features. For example, PokerStars Casino has exclusive titles like PokerStars Penalty Champion and Wolf It Up!, as well as popular options like Starburst and Sweet Bonanza.
Each of these games appeals to different audiences, so, by offering this huge range of options, casinos can reach even more people, making the space even more diverse and inclusive.
Innovating
The iGaming industry is one that’s built on embracing innovation early, as proven by the original online casinos of the 1990s and the pioneering mobile casinos in the 2000s and 2010s.
Since then, casinos have continued to push the envelope with live casinos. These games combine the convenience of playing online with the immersive and social experience of playing in a land-based casino.
Today, these games have become some of the most popular options in online casinos.
Other innovations, such as virtual reality gaming, haven’t been quite as successful, but they are evidence that the iGaming industry will continue to innovate and push technical boundaries as it’s part of its DNA.
