Casino-style games have been popular for centuries – and it looks like they’re here to stay. With the internet boom and technologies moving increasingly forward, casino games have become ever-more popular over the past decade. With new players and older generations all enjoying their favourite casino game on websites like 777 casino.
In this article, we’ll explore the history of online casino games and why they’re so popular today. You’ll also learn the top tips on how to play casino games online!
A brief history
Historians can’t pinpoint the exact date that gambling began, but casino games — even if they weren’t called that yet — have been played likely for thousands of years. Rudimentary games have been discovered from the era of Ancient China, as well as Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Cards have been played all the way back into the 9th century, and eventually spread across Europe. Some of the first gambling houses actually launched in Italy during the 17th century, with games including roulette and twenty-one being played in US states a few centuries later. Slots were actually invented in the US in San Francisco, back when Charles Fey created the Liberty Bell.
As you can see, gaming has had a long history — and as we’ll explain it looks like they’re better than ever before!
iGaming and online casinos today
The internet boom of the 90s changed the world in so many ways. This also applies to gaming and online casinos. The first online game was actually developed by Microgaming, and with regulations changing over the following ten years, online casinos began to grow in popularity.
As smartphone ownership proliferated so too did the amount of players enjoying online casino games. iGaming now generates a yield of £5.7 billion annually in the UK alone, with studies showing that a total of one in four adults had enjoyed playing online casino games like poker or sports betting during 2021.
But why is iGaming so attractive to players?
Great gaming experiences
One of the huge draws to online gaming is that there are so many fantastic games on offer. As the industry has become incredibly popular, game developers and publishers want to keep producing as much as they can. There’s some incredible gaming experiences like no other, and virtual reality and augmented reality are coming into the mix.
These days you can play games with live dealers, enjoy a huge array of themes and access the best in animation, graphics, sound and video experiences when it comes to playing games.
There’s always something new available to play, with titles being released on a regular basis to keep players entertained. Some games have even become more profitable to players online (as opposed to in land-based casinos), so there’s even more reason to choose to play on your smartphone, device or laptop!
Accessibility
In the past, in order to play their favourite casino games players would need to get dressed and potentially even travel to a land-based casino. It was difficult for those in remote areas outside of cities to play games, and the expenses involved could end up being costly to players.
iGaming has meant that no longer do you need to leave the comforts of home to play great casino games. Many people use them as ways to pass the time while on commutes, or play with friends across the country online.
Accessibility is definitely a key factor into why casino games have become so popular in their online format.
Security
Security when it comes to payment is so important these days, especially in the online world. Thankfully, casino games online, especially from reputable websites, are incredibly secure, making deposits and withdrawals very sife.
Many offer a range of payment methods, including bitcoin, so there’s always a way to pay that suits you!
How to play the top games
Roulette
Roulette is a game that’s commonly associated with casinos, but if you’ve never played it before you might think it’s all about one number and colour. There’s actually lots of ways to win at roulette that are better than choosing a single number.
If you’re looking for a good strategy make selections outside the primary roulette board, which include black and red or odd and event. Also: high or low!
Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the easiest games when it comes to cards that you can play, but there are some strategies that are useful that can help you to improve your chances.
These include splitting pairs of eights or aces, being aware of a soft hand versus a hard hand and knowing when you should stick! All of these will help you to play a better game and increase your ability to win!
Slots
Slots are fun because they’re mostly a game of chance. But players have become good at creating their own chances to make the odds slightly more in their favour. It’s been recommended that you choose less popular times to play, as this will reduce the number of players you’re competing against. Keeping track of bonuses and offers also can expand your use of free spins – essentially, it’s free money to play with!
