The act of putting money on the outcome of a game of chance has been a popular pastime for centuries now. Gambling originated in its many different forms from different places around the world, and over the years, the various games got more organized and regulated into an industry. Players could then easily visit a casino to play their favorite games to get the chance to walk away with winnings.
Anyone that has been around the casino industry for a long time would have observed that it has undergone many changes over the years. From rolling dice; centuries ago to being played in land-based casino structures, and presently, online casinos. The universe of casinos has changed radically; it has gone from being just a pastime to becoming a multi-billion dollar industry.
Brief History on the Gambling Industry
Even though gambling had been around for many centuries, if not thousands of years, the first casinos and betting houses appeared in the 17th century in Italy. Down the line, more casinos also started coming up throughout various places in Europe. Early settlers from Europe also brought games like roulette to the US, and little by little, the industry became as we know it now.
Sports betting has also changed since Harry Ogden operated the first racecourse business in the 1790s, to sports and esports betting sites being available for enthusiasts to place bets on their favorite sport. Looking through the GGBet review will show you what types of betting at GGBet casino are now available to players.
Legalization
One of the most positive changes that the casino industry has undergone over the years is the legalization of gambling in many places. It used to be that gambling in any form whatsoever is banned in many countries, and anyone caught gambling is usually prosecuted by the authorities. Shady mob figures and backroom dealers solely controlled the industry back then.
Many countries made changes in their gambling legislation, which made gambling legal in such countries. After these changes, players could engage in their favorite pastime without any fear of prosecution, and gambling turned into a big business globally. However, gambling remains a grey area in many other countries, and the industry expects that the status quo will change soon, both for land-based casinos and online gambling.
Video Slots
Another change that deserves mention when we talk of how the universe of casinos has changed is the advent of video slots. When the first slot machine, the liberty bell, was invented by Charles Fey back in 1898, players would have thought that it couldn’t get better than it already was.
However, as slot developers designed more and more slot machines, the first video slot was also created, paving the way for more innovative features to follow. With video slots, they no longer feature boring gameplay, and players get a more exciting game with better graphics, themes, and features. Furthermore, you don’t need to visit a casino to see what we are talking about. When you play free slot machines online, you will often marvel at the ingenuity of the video slot machines.
Casino Cities
Due to legalization issues in the US, with some states banning casinos while others allow it, gambling activities used to be solely restricted to certain cities. Back then, cities like Las Vegas and Reno used to have a monopoly on casinos, and if you wanted to play a casino game, it would require a visit to any one of these cities. It made Las Vegas become known as the ‘go-to’ city for serious gambling.
However, changes in legislation have allowed many cities both in the US and around the world to develop the casino industry, thereby becoming viable locations for high-rolling gamblers. Although Las Vegas will remain a prominent city for high-rollers, many alternative cities, especially in East Asia, are now excellent options for gamblers worldwide. The table below shows various cities, the total number of casinos, and the biggest casino by square footage.
| City | Number of Casinos | Largest Casino and Casino Floor |
| Las Vegas, USA | 168 | Wynn/ Encore (256,000 sq ft) |
| Macau, China | 50 | The Venetian Macao (546,000 sq ft) |
| Atlantic City, USA | 10 | Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa (160,000 sq ft) |
| London | 27 | Aspers Casino Westfield Stratford City (65,000 sq ft) |
Online Casinos
It is a known fact that one of the best things to ever happen to the casino industry is the advent of the internet. The internet allowed the introduction of online casinos, which made games accessible to players in the comfort of their homes, without needing to travel to the nearest land-based casino to play. This shift is arguably the most significant change that the casino industry has ever undergone, and it has had positive effects on both the industry and the players.
On the side of the players, with web browsers and mobile apps, they can now quickly access and play their favorite games either on desktop or mobile devices, anytime and anywhere. Plus, they get all sorts of bonuses, such as deposit bonuses, welcome bonuses, and promotional bonuses from online casinos. The benefit that this shift brought to the online casino industry is that the increased accessibility leads to a significant increase in participation in casino gaming.
Changes in the Online Casino Scene
The online casino industry has also changed since the first online casino came up in 1996. Some of how the online casino industry has changed and help improve the casino industry over the years include:
- More security – One of the major concerns of online casinos is security. Since data misuse and data theft are rampant online, online casinos too are targets of data breaches. Better and more robust encryption algorithms are being developed every time.
- Mobile gaming – The advent of the internet brought casino games to the comfort of your homes. Still, it was mobile gaming that made casinos more accessible to a broader audience. Even now, not everybody has access to a desktop PC, especially in developing countries. With mobile gaming, anybody with a mobile device can access and play free casino slot games for fun or real money online.
- Improved games – The shift online allowed for the creation of even more incredible games than you would find in land-based casinos possible. Games are being created with more innovative features in gameplay, themes, designs and graphics, and in-game features. Furthermore, the shift to the internet has brought about the availability of a vast selection of games than you would find at land-based casinos.
- Improved payment method – The payment methods for making a deposit and withdrawal at online casinos used to be limited to a few options. However, there is a massive selection of payment methods currently available online. Players are free to pick and use anyone they feel is more secure and safe to use. Furthermore, due to cryptocurrencies being on the rise, some casinos are making it a payment option at their casinos.
- Live games – Although online casinos made it possible for anybody to play games whenever they wanted, they still lacked that rush of excitement you usually get when you play at a land-based casino. This was a significant disadvantage for the online platform, as players don’t get a dealer or the excitement of playing against other players. Software providers created the live games feature to mitigate this effect. With live games, players get to play with a real live dealer and will at least feel like they are at a real casino.
- Esports emergence – Esports betting recently appeared in the betting world and has garnered a lot of attention from audiences worldwide. Esports enthusiasts can now participate in world esports tournaments like Counter-Strike: GO, Call of Duty, League of Legends, and DOTA 2.
Without a doubt, the ever-changing universe of casinos will continue, and there are many expectations about what the future promises.
