HISTORY OF ONLINE CASINOS
As the curiosity for Internet developed, so did people.s desire to play games on it. The development of computer software in the 1970s established a prompt interest for taking gambling to new formats. The technology in computer hardware, in combination with the improved graphic possibilities of new gaming software, gives a very realistic real-world environment to the player.
The first online gaming casinos were established around 1996, taking advantage of the Internet as a form of communication, and combining it with the individual's passion for gambling. The development of software, such as Cryptologic in 1995, increased the security of online gaming, and thus propelled casino websites such as Intercasino as a popular interactive business. Here, real money was exchanged over the Internet in the form of a business transaction.
Countries such as Antigua and Barbuda and Costa Rica were some of the first to provide and license online gaming overseas. Despite challenges from Senator Jon Kyl, of Arizona, who was instrumental in the introduction of the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act in 1997, online gambling remains a thriving industry.
Over time, the popularity and demand for online gambling has increased, most likely because of its convenience, or accessibility. One has more access to a website, than a physical casino in . let.s say - Atlantic City. Sites are also always competing for popularity in their attempts to draw in the consumer. By 2010, it is expected that the online gambling industry will reach over an estimated $24 billion in revenues.