The History and Evolution of Mobile Gambling

What is Mobile Gambling?

Mobile gambling is exactly what you think it is, enjoying gambling on a mobile phone or tablet. Over the course of its rich history, mobile gambling has evolved and completely transformed the online gaming industry. From the early beginnings in the 1990s, to the present-day takeover of the iGaming industry, mobile gambling has driven the market into a new stratosphere. To learn more about the what the future holds for mobile gaming, we must first see how it has evolved over the past thirty years.

The Early Days of Mobile Gambling (1990s to early 2000s)

Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact first ever online mobile casino game, it is believed that Microgaming launched the first-ever online casino. The start of online gambling can be traced back to the mid-1990s. In the early years of online gambling, casino software was developed to work on desktop computers. Players would have to download and install dedicated software and mobile gambling was still a distant concept.

By 1996, the number of online casinos had grown to 15. However, by the end of the following year, the number of online casinos had reached a whopping 200. One of the main pioneers in the growth of online casinos was a company called Cryptologic. The operator was one of the first to enable monetary transactions on the internet. This made it easier and safer for players to carry out fast online transactions.

In 1998, the iGaming industry saw the introduction of online poker. Planet Poker became the first website to offer online poker. However, the site was fairly slow and buggy, which opened the door for other operators to offer a vastly superior service.

The Growth of Mobile Gambling (mid-2000s to early 2010s)

Mobile gambling first entered the mainstream throughout the early 2000s up until the early 2010s. For instance, Betfair entered the gaming industry in 2000, revolutionizing online sports wagering. Only two years later, players were able to place live bets on sports events while they were taking place by sending text messages from their phones.

In 2003, eCOGRA was formed. It quickly became one of the most reliable and reputable testing agencies globally. It ensured that all casinos operating with an eCOGRA seal of certification were legal, professional and fair. With the development of certificates, testing and regulatory bodies, the online casino industry was able to flourish.

The mid-2000s to 2010s were a time of many steps forward and several steps backward for the online gaming industry. For instance, online poker was always popular and successful in the United States. However, in 2006, the Congress issued the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act, making it illegal to deposit and withdraw funds to and from an online gambling site. Although running an online casino was still legal in the States, playing for real money became a little more complicated – at the time.

The growth of the mobile gambling industry was accelerated during this period. This was due to the constant development and advances made in smartphones. The period saw many jurisdictions welcome mobile gambling and playing from smartphones. In fact, technology also allowed players to access casino games from applications and also from the websites themselves.

The Impact of Mobile Gambling (2010s to present)

Since the early 2010s to the present day, the online gaming industry has developed massively. One of the main reasons behind this growth can be traced back to 2013, when mobile casinos became far more widespread in the industry.

Mobile casinos were able to take off after the introduction of HTML5 technology. Previously, online casinos relied heavily on Flash, which was not mobile compatible. However, HTML5 technology brought in cross device compatibility. With the new technology, players would simply need to search for the casino via a web browser and could access any games without needing to download any additional applications.

In 2016, Microgaming introduced its first ever Virtual Reality Games. Using a VR headset, players could play casino games at home while being immersed in a realistic casino environment. VR gambling is still in its early days; however, several leading developers are exploring its potential

More recently, there has been a big shift in the legality of online gambling in the United States. More and more states are legalising various forms of online gambling and this of course opens up a huge player market. While Europe has long been the home of online gambling, if current trends continue, then the USA will soon be the largest market by far.

The development of live casino games has also helped the industry grow, allowing players to play various casino games and game shows with a live dealer or croupier in a studio. All of the action is streamed to player’s mobile devices using HD cameras. This gives players an authentic casino experience at the tap of a screen.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards mobile gambling as retail casinos were forced to close. Those would usually visit land casinos had to turn to online gambling in order to enjoy their favourite games. This trend has continued, not just with casino players but also with sports bettors, poker players, bingo players, and so on.

To Conclude

It is safe to say that the future of online gambling is mobile gambling. Already today, players can enjoy an immersive casino experience on their smartphones and tablets and as technology advances, the experience is sure to become even better.