The rise of online casinos

Gambling has been around in some form or other for thousands of years; a six-sided die provided evidence of gambling in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BCE.

Playing cards have been around since the 9th century, while lottery and domino games began to emerge in the 10th century. Poker, one of the most popular casino games worldwide, has its roots in the 17th Century Persian game called As-Nas (or, according to some gaming historians, even earlier in the French game of Poque or the Italian Primero). Meanwhile, the first known legal casino in the western world dates back to 1638 – the Il Ridotto in Venice.

Throughout the years, gambling has evolved and expanded to offer more game styles and venues. So, it makes sense that the turn of the 21st century brought a new way to gamble – online.

Casinos in the modern world

Land-based casinos offer a great opportunity to get together with friends.

Over the last couple of centuries, land-based casinos have proved hugely popular across the globe, with centers popping up in all corners of the world. The most notable of which are in Macau, Las Vegas, and Monte Carlo.

These have offered varying degrees of exclusivity and glamor, and at their peak attracted millions of players each year and raised millions in revenue. However, the demographic of a traditional land-based casino is fairly limited; it requires people to travel to a physical location and dedicate time solely to the pursuit. This hindered the potential growth of land-based casinos, the profits available to operators, revenue to local governments, and opportunities for players.

Online presence: new opportunities

Online technologies mean you can play your favorite casino games any time, any place.

Recent advances in technology, particularly over the last 20 years, have provided an outlet for land-based casinos to increase their reach even further. Studies show that the online gambling industry is set to grow by over 50% between 2019 and 2023. Currently valued at under $60 billion in 2019, this means the industry is predicted to reach more than $90 billion by 2023.

The key drivers for this growth are:

  • Arrival of the smartphone, allowing players to play on the go, from anywhere and at any time.
  • Increased internet connectivity and accessibility.
  • Lower costs of mobile devices for the consumer.
  • Better technology available to developers, including improvement in online security.
  • Rise of the casual and hyper-casual gamer, increasing the demographic of players, in particular women.
  • Rise of sports betting and esports.
  • Legislation changes in the USA to allow more forms of gambling.
  • The rise of China as a major world player in the industry.

Online presence: increased competition

This growth has provided major motivation for operators to enter the market. Low barriers have meant that the market is becoming over-saturated and there is almost too much choice for players, so operators must differentiate themselves from the competition to survive.

888 Casino is a major player in the industry and has taken many steps to ensure it not only survives but flourishes in this crowded market.

  • Building a brand

888 is an instantly recognizable brand. It’s one of the oldest online gambling sites and has a strong reputation even to non-gamblers. Lucrative sponsorship deals with teams in the English Premier League and the New York Jets, among others, have helped build the brand and reach new demographics.

  • Offering variety

Initially, a casino site, this operator has leveraged technology to grow their offerings to players. As well as the usual online casino games like roulette, blackjack, and slots, there are also live dealer games and specific hubs for poker, sports, and bingo, ensuring the brand is a one-stop-shop for all types of player, with no need to look elsewhere.

  • Welcome Bonuses

Attracting new players is key to a successful online presence. This operator offers a variety of different bonuses for new players, ranging from matching the initial deposit (up to a specified limit) to offering a fairly sizeable amount of free money for players to start with. Allowing someone who is unsure if the site is for them to play for free is definitely a major draw.

  • Player Rewards

Just as important, if not more, is retaining players, with the costs of acquiring a new customer estimated to be five times that of retaining an existing one. This dominant operator does this by offering a range of player rewards, such as daily spin bonuses, monthly bonus games, and reward points.

So, if you’re looking to make the move from land-based casinos to online gaming, we recommend you start with this online casino giant.

What does the future hold?

The growth of the online world shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, technological developments are increasing at an alarming rate, and the prevalence of smartphones and internet connectivity is set to rise, as is the increased use of VR/AR/MR.

The growth of the casual gamer has also opened up a whole new demographic to operators, and this new market has been a major contributing factor in the growth of online gambling. Additionally, as regulations around online gambling ease, in particular in the USA, there’s going to be a whole new market available, and the $90 billion market value anticipated by 2023 may well be just the beginning.

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