History of Online Casinos
Online casinos appeared shortly after the internet became a more mainstream tool for the public to use
The internet has been in full swing for about 30 years. Of course there have been many changes and advancements since the beginning. Believe it or not, online casinos appeared just shortly after the internet became a more mainstream tool for the public to use and offered a range of popular games. In online poker each player is only able to see their own cards, just as in real life poker.
Two of Clubs
Online Casinos came into play only several years after the internet was active. In 1994 there were several companies that designed preliminary software for online casinos as well as payment processing systems that were put in place in order to facilitate monetary transactions for online casinos on the internet. Today, the industry keeps changing and developing, and gamblers can even play on mobile casinos.
Intercasino, which is still a very popular online casino claims to be the first online casino that was available for players on the World Wide Web. Microgaming and Cryptologic were also some of the first masterminds behind gaming software and payment systems.
In 2001 a player was the lucky winner of an amount over $400,000 US dollars after playing on a progressive slot game at a Caribbean online casino making this the largest online casino jackpot to be won to that date.
In 2002 that jackpot is wiped with a player taking home over 1.59 Million dollars. In 2003, the eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance (ECOGRA) is created to provide some governing over the online gambling industry.
In 2006 there were over 2600 online casinos or online casino-like websites on the web. That is also the year that UIGEA showed its face and online casinos and any other form of online gambling was banned from the US.
Online casinos continue to thrive on an overall global scale and are likely to continue to do so. Live dealer casinos are a recent development in online casino gaming, gaining traction first in SE Asia and then Europe. Try online casinos with real dealers. However, online gambling, casino and poker in the US is illegal. It's also illegal in other major countries like France and South Korea, and it is rumored that soon it'll be the same in Italy. Only the future will tell what is next in store for online casinos and the industry as a whole.
See also: Playing Cards and Gaming BBC: Online poker industry in turmoil after US indictments BBC: 888 and Bwin shares soar as US betting rivals closed BBC: Can the world of online poker chase out the cheats?.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles
Woodblock and Stencil King of Diamonds
A limited edition art print of the King of Diamonds 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Queen of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Queen of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Hearts
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Hearts 1984 woodblock joker.
Woodblock and Stencil Jack of Clubs
A limited edition art print of the Jack of Clubs 1984 woodblock joker.
Mohegan Sun playing cards
Mohegan Sun playing cards published by Gemaco for Mohegan Sun casino.
75: Early American cards
An overview of some of the early cards made in the United States.
Ladbroke Sporting Casino
Ladbroke Sporting Casino caricature cartoon playing cards, U.K, c.2006.
Early German playing cards
Some early examples of popular German playing cards from the XV and XVI centuries.
A New Look at the Evolution of Whist Markers and Gaming Counters
This article aims to illustrate the evolution of whist and gaming counters from the 18th century to ...
The Parisian Tarot
The “Parisian Tarot”, early 1600s, with imagery and design synthesizing several influences.
Multicard
A Spanish-suited pack with multiple uses including roulette and dice.
73: Fakes, Forgeries and Tax Evasion
When there are official taxes to pay, people will find a way to avoid paying them - often illegally....
Goodall & Son Patience Boxed Sets
Goodall & Son produced a huge variety of Patience Boxed Sets at different times and for different co...
The Evolution of Whist and Bridge Boxed Sets, 1870s – 1930s
Boxed sets of cards, markers, scorers and rule booklets have been around for many decades. Some of t...
Bezique Markers, 1860-1960
Bezique is a two-player melding and trick-taking game. Dr. Pole introduced Bezique to England in 186...
Russian Playing Card History - From the Beginnings to 1917
An in-depth review of the history of card-playing, gambling, legislation, manufacture and taxation o...
Russian Playing Card Monopoly
The Russian Playing Card Monopoly was established in March 1798 with all revenue going to support th...
Trappola cards from Prague
15 Trappola playing cards possibly made by Johann Ziser of Prague, c1760.
Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Atlantis Paradise Island Hotel casino playing cards.
Languedoc pattern
The old Languedoc pattern was known at the beginning of the seventeenth century, if not before.
Pierre Roiné Aluette
Archaic form of Aluette published by Pierre Roiné, Nantes, c.1785.
Dutch costume playing cards from an unknown maker
Another pack of Dutch costume playing cards c.1880.
Portuguese-suited cards
Portuguese-suited cards with dragon aces, made in Italy, 1613.
Antoine de Logiriera
Archaic Spanish-suited playing cards published in Toulouse by Antoine de Logiriera (1495-1518).
Dutch costume playing cards
Dutch costume playing cards made for the Dutch market in the second half of the 19th century.
Royal Cards Reign of Queen Anne
“Royal Cards Reign of Queen Anne” cover historical events, both honourable and treacherous, during t...
72: The Ace of Spades
In standard English packs the Ace of Spades is associated with decorative designs. This is a histori...
Dubois
Dubois card makers from Liège in the Walloon Region of Belgium.
Playing Cards: A Secret History
Playing Cards: A Secret History
A. Camoin & Cie
This deck was inherited from ancestors, it has has a family history surrounding it. Details of the l...
History of Playing Cards explained in 5 Minutes
Video by Art of Impossible. In this video you will get a short overview of the most important histor...
Toledo, 1584
Archaic Spanish-suited deck with 48 cards made in Toledo in 1584.
The Most Popular Card Games in Casinos
The Most Popular Card Games in Casinos by Katelyn Oakley.
Gambling and Vice in the Middle Ages
Gambling and Vice in the Hours of Charles V: card-playing in the local tavern
“Deck with French suits”
A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.
Jeu Mythologique
“Jeu Mythologique” facsimile 18th century pack by J M Simon, 1983.
Heraldic playing cards
Reproduction of Richard Blome’s Heraldic playing cards, 1684, presented to lady guests at WCMPC Summ...
Le Jeu de la Guerre
Facsimile of “Le Jeu de la Guerre” designed by Gilles de la Boissière in 1698.
Corner Indices
Corner Indices were a major innovation in playing card production.
Baraja Carlos IV by Félix Solesio, 1800
Baraja Carlos IV, Félix Solesio en la Real Fábrica de Macharaviaya, 1800.
71: Woodblock and stencil: the hearts
A presentation of the main characteristics of the wood-block courts of the heart suit.
70: Woodblock and stencil : the spade courts
This is a presentation in a more straightforward fashion of the work done by Paul Bostock and me in ...
Caesars Palace
‘Aristocrat’ Casino Cards with special courts for Caesars Palace by USPCC 2006.
66: Adverts and related material 1862-1900
Some further material relating to cards from nineteenth and twentieth century periodicals.