The popularity of casinos and online gambling in general – sports betting, poker and many other similar games – has grown significantly over time. Even if you’re already a little familiar with this world, do you know, for example, when and where online casinos started, what the biggest winnings are, or why slot machines have fruit symbols? Most trusted casino Rocket Australia, has come up with eight fascinating facts about online casinos that are definitely worth knowing.
1. Online casinos started in the mid-90s.
In 1994, the island of Antigua and Barbuda passed a law that allowed the granting of licences to organisations applying to open online casinos. Prior to online casinos, the software company Microgaming developed the first working gambling software. Secure transactions became viable and led to the first online casinos in 1994. By 1997, there were already over 200 online casinos and sports betting providers worldwide.
2. Internet casinos can be divided into three categories: online casinos, downloadable casinos and live casinos.
Online casinos are websites where users can play games without downloading software to their computer. Downloadable online casinos, as the name suggests, must first be downloaded and installed on your computer. Although downloadable online casinos are considered to be faster than online casinos, there is a risk that downloading the software may also introduce malware. Therefore, it is important to check beforehand that you are dealing with a trustworthy casino. And the third, and most recently emerging, is the live internet casino, which gives players the opportunity to participate in the game in real time and interact with other players.
3. Online casinos are generally safe, but there are also fraudsters out there.
Unfortunately, as online casinos have become very popular, this has also led to the emergence of gambling sites that are set up in such a way that the player has virtually no chance of winning. In order to make sure that a casino is trustworthy, it is important to check that it is licensed. In general, online casinos are regulated by national gambling law, which requires all gambling operators to register properly and, for example in Estonia, to obtain a licence from the Tax and Customs Board (MTA). More broadly, most European online casinos operate under a licence from Malta or Gibraltar. The Maltese licence is considered a particularly good indicator. However, obtaining such licences is a complicated, lengthy and expensive process, involving a number of background checks on both the company and its owners, but it is what ensures the credibility of the casino.
4. Online casinos are basically the same as regular casinos.
All of the games and rules that you’re used to in a regular casino are exactly the same in an online casino. However, online casinos have their own advantages. You can relax online and, if you’re lucky, make money from the comfort of your smart device, without leaving your home. Plus, it’s all anonymous. True, you use your identity to prove you’re at least 21 years old when you sign up, but that’s also important for cash-outs, but the fact that you have the fewest chips on the table is something no one else can tell you.
5. The most popular is the slot machine.
The choice of games at online casinos is mind-boggling, from card games to slot machines and more. Various studies have shown that the most popular games in casinos are slots. The reason is that slot machines do not require players to count cards or remember a lot of different rules. Slot machines are also fun and have lots of variations: fruit, pirates and even cowboys in some places. Fun fact: In the early 20th century, many casinos and entertainment venues banned slot machines. In many casinos, slot machines were introduced in many casinos and casinos in the UK, and were quickly replaced by machines with berry and fruit symbols, which were placed in shopping centres, bars and other places where people congregated. Although money was replaced by chewing gum and sweets, this did not diminish the game’s popularity. Today, the machines have come a long way, but the fruit and berries remain.
6. The games are popular with both men and women, with the average age of players being between 30 and 40.
Gambling is often thought to be a male interest, but in fact both men and women “go” to online casinos. It is true that there are still more men, but the proportion of women in the sector is steadily increasing. Various data have shown that men prefer games of skill and women games of chance. However, the average age of the player is between 30 and 40 years. The reason for this is simple: minors are not allowed to play games of chance, and most of the users who are technically proficient fall within this age range.
7. Bonus systems may vary.
Many online casinos offer sign-up bonuses for new players. Bonus money is like real money in an online casino and can be used to play and increase your chances of winning. Each casino offers different rules and bonuses, so it’s worth making sure you’re familiar with them before you start playing, but generally they either give you free spins or a limited number of games, bets or wagers.
8. The biggest prize paid out is €90 000 000.
The “Guinness Book of World Records” states that the biggest win to date is from 2018. It was paid out by a group of companies that operate a betting platform where customers can bet on lottery results. The lucky winner was Christina, a 36-year-old cleaner from Berlin. The biggest jackpot payout for an online slot machine game is €17,879,645, which was won on 6 October 2015 by Jon Heywood from the UK. The story of a Finnish man in his 40s who bet 25 cents on an online casino slot machine on 20 January 2013 but unexpectedly won €17 861 800 is also interesting.
