Gambling is one of the most widespread hobbies among people and casinos are typically associated with luxurious entertainment. Of course, there are lots of gambling joints that are nothing like the casinos seen in Las Vegas, but the theme of those establishments is still lush riches and golden colors.
One of the newest trends in the world of gambling is online casinos, and these have absolutely massive user base. In fact, it is one of the biggest and fasters growing industries of today. To that end, it would be interesting to go over some of the fun facts or online gambling statistics.
First online casino
We know that there are thousands of online casinos nowadays, and more keep popping up. This is because the regulations are becoming less strict and more countries are willing to regulate this form of entertainment. However, the first online gambling act was passed in Antigua and Barbuda back in 1994, and it was at this time that the first online casino company was formed called Microgaming.
Clearly, it did not see as much traffic as gambling platforms have today, simply because a lot fewer people had access to the internet at that time. Also, there are many companies that claim they are the first online casino company, but Microgaming has already claimed that title.
First online sports betting site
Seeing how online casinos have a massive potential it didn’t take long for sports betting sites to go digital as well. It is another form of entertainment that started to boom, once more people had access to the internet and smartphone. The first betting site was launched in 1996 and its name was Intertops. Other platforms were soon to follow, and today we have betting sites and casino sites that offer both types of entertainment.
First online poker site
The first site that allowed users to play poker online was called Planet Poker and it was formed back in 1998. Players quickly discovered this platform mainly because it was promoted by Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, a six-time champion in WSOP. It didn’t last long though, as it had to be taken down due to many technical issues but it clearly revealed that there is a big interest for those sites.
Today almost all casino sites offer online poker, and some of them even have live dealer options. Moreover, these sites are also $5 minimum deposit casino platforms, which means you can play with a minor payment. In other words, you don’t have to be too concerned with your stakes as most of them can come from bonus funds, depending on the platform you play on. Moreover, you can play poker on sites that don’t include real money just so that you can practice before you start playing on more serious platforms.
Market size
Currently, the top players in the online gaming industry are 888 Holdings plc., Bet365 Group Ltd., and Betfred Ltd. However, there are other companies, some of which are newly established that also greatly contribute to the market growth. At the end of 2019, the market was worth over $50 billion, but as stated more companies are entering the market. Some projections state that by the end of 2026 the market value will be doubled or over $100 billion.
There are more women online gamblers in the US
Online data analysis, gambling demographics, and the gambling platform Gamblerzz have revealed that the majority of 57% of online gamblers are female. This is interesting because this form of entertainment is mainly advertised to the male audience. One important thing to note here is that the figures include social casino games, which are not played with real money. So it’s likely that most of the female players are playing on those sites. Still, this definitely breaks some stereotypes about gambling and gamblers in the US.
Conclusion
These were some interesting statistics or facts about online betting and gambling. Hopefully, you learned something new and have something interesting to share for trivia night with your friends.
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