The Evolution of Online Live Casinos
Posted on 1 March, 2023 by Micheal Alexander
Live casino games have only been with us for around the last 20 years. Since the invention of the internet in the 1990s, online gambling has exploded. It had a second boom during the 2010s, thanks to the introduction of cryptocurrencies on the scene. Now, online live casino games have become one of the more popular choices for players around the world. Let’s take a look at the evolution of online live casinos, and where we are now. Casino guide online
Online Gambling Had a Bumpy Start
If we’re being honest, online gambling didn’t exactly get off to a good start. There was zero legal framework for online casinos in the beginning, and the rapid growth of the industry was causing some major challenges.
Eventually, in 1994, the Free Trade and Processing Act of Antigua and Barbuda was passed, and gambling platforms could apply for licenses to operate online. Other countries soon followed suit, including the United Kingdom and Malta.
Microgaming was the first company to reveal online casino software, back in 1995. However, they could not host real money bets, and it wasn’t yet possible to transfer the funds securely between the player and the platform. This changed in 1996 when Cryptologic built a cryptographical method to transfer funds – which was both secure and trustworthy. Top bonus Casino
How Did Live Casinos Get Going?
The earliest online gambling platforms had around 20 games each, and speeds were incredibly slow due to troubled internet connectivity (and just generally slow ISPs).
However, this changed fairly quickly, and soon casinos were able to offer live casino games. Planet Poker is likely the oldest example of a live casino – its poker room (established in 1998) allowed players to play live, although the speed was still fairly slow and the video quality left much to be desired.
Modern Day Live Casinos
Today, most casinos offer some form of live gambling experience. The rise of cryptocurrency has made things even more secure, and internet speeds have vastly improved. There’s likely no more lagging, and video quality is crisp. It’s an entirely different ball game to what the early 1990s players knew.