The world of online casino is absolutely thriving right now, there is no doubt about that. Never before has their been this many casinos to gamble with or games to try, with the more traditional means of online poker, sports betting and the like, still very much existing and improving in their own right. More people are gambling online than ever before, too. The online casino has become so easy to access and so well-run, that it is now the most common way to have a flutter. From slot games to in-play football bets, you can do it all and more online and this is why the industry is enjoying a real peak.
If you are new to the exciting world of online gambling, then you have come to the right place. For this our humble reader, is the complete slots online casino guide. From the very origins of online casinos to the service that online casinos provide today, all will be covered in this guide to online gambling. Furthermore, we will go into depth about some of the ways in which you can bet and most importantly, advice on how to gamble responsibly and safely online.
When was Online Casino Invented?
The online casino as we know it today looked very, very different when it first emerged online. As did everything in that early internet consumer age, the earliest ways of gambling online involved a lot of pixels and some very simple coding - in hindsight at least. In 1996, the company InterCasino provided what is regarded as the first-ever online casino service. Still active today, InterCasino was first on the scene, making the most of technology that, despite being new, was already reshaping how people think about gaming and gambling. As the access to the internet grew, the quality of service improved, too, and eventually, online gambling was a well-established corner of the world wide web.
Of course, in the early days of online casino the games were a little more limited. Online poker became an instant hit, despite the limited graphics. The thought of multiplayer online gaming was a thrill in itself, yet to thrive in the manner of which it did in the 2000s with online video games like Call of Duty and the like. Simple slots games were also present, but very different from the all-action affairs that we see today. Bookmakers slowly took advantage of the technology, with customers able to place some bets online but again, nothing like the online bookmaker and online casino experience that we see today.
Modern Online Casino
These days, you are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to online casino providers. Likewise, you have plenty of games and ways to bet to choose from, too. We will get into those in a moment, but first, consideration as to why online casino has become so popular. A major factor has to be the rise of the smartphone. The handheld devices which are now so important to our daily lives for both work and entertainment, have truly changed the media industry as a whole. For people of a certain age, the smartphone is now the dominant way in which information is taken on and therefore, the online casino’s success in translating its service to smartphones has been crucial. These days, you can place a bet on live sports from the ease of your phone, simply by opening up an app or a website on your browser of choice. Similarly, gambling games are tailored if not optimised for smartphone use, with slot games finely tuned to excel in the touch screen set-up.
The rise in popularity has led to more money being pumped into the industry, creating the opportunity for bigger jackpots and a higher standard of games due to investment in developers and online casino brands. There really never has been a better time to gamble online as a result of these modern developments.
How to Get Started With Online Gambling
If you are completely new to the sensation that is the best online slot games casino and online gambling, you will be pleased to know that getting started is very simple indeed. A quick search in your search engine of choice will provide you with an endless list of online casinos to play with. However, the first thing to do is to shop around for a brand that suits you best. Be sure to research what kinds of games and betting services each casino offers, as you will want an online casino that fills all of your needs. If you are looking to try some online slot machines, be sure to pick an online casino with a good selection. Better still, look out for welcome offers and new customer bonuses that are exclusive to people like you who are shopping around for an online casino to bet with. Again, if you are looking to play slot games, maybe find an online casino provider that is offering the opportunity for some free slot game spins. Little touches like this can make the difference in getting off to a good start in the world of online casino, so take your time in choosing where you want to put your money. Some websites are exclusive to sports bettings and others only offer casino games. If you want a bit of both, this is easy enough to find, too. There really is an online casino (or two) for every single person.
Online Slot Games
One really popular way to gamble at the moment is with online slot games. What are online slot games? Well, in simple terms, these are the new fruit machines of the modern world. Those flickering fruit machines that sit in the corners of pubs, clubs, chip shops and bars are no longer the only way to spin the reels and win some cash, as the online slot game industry is booming right now in its own right. Online slot games or video slot machines as they are often known as thanks to their animations are being created and released all the time. One great thing about them is the range in themes that you will find as you navigate through seemingly endless pages of slot games. From classic themed slot games that centre around the retro charm of just some fruit on the reels, to really engaging, ambitious and wonderfully developed 3D video slot machines with themes like underwater adventures or Ancient Egypt. From zombie apocalypses to the Luck o’ the Irish, you will find so many slot games in different shapes and sizes.
One other theme to look out for is the rather simple but extremely exciting jackpot slot. These slot games are geared around the potential for a huge, life-changing jackpot, thanks to their progressive jackpot gameplay. Titles such as Mega Moolah have made people millionaires from very small bets.
Casino Classics
Of course, the online casino could not be a casino if it did not offer the casino classics that built the very gambling industry. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a card shark, know that the online casino offers perfect waters for you to practise in. As mentioned, online poker has been a staple of the online casino since the very early days. From blurry pixels to 3D graphics and worldwide competitions, online poker is certainly very healthy in the modern online casino world. Elsewhere, Blackjack is a game that has translated very well into an online spectacle. Playing against the dealer is just the same online as it is in the casino, with all the rules and likelihood of winning just the same. There are brilliantly designed games of blackjack to play online, too, so it’s all about getting online and exploring. As for roulette, that iconic spinning wheel still captures the imagination, even in the online, virtual world. Whether you want to play American or European roulette, you will find it online with some really great and popular options available, too.
What does RNG mean?
RNG is a vital part of the online casino. It stands of Random Number Generator and it is the software that so many online casinos, online casino games and online casino game developers use. In short, it ensures a fair gambling experience, with the odds game that is something like blackjack, roulette or an online slot game is translated seamlessly into online offerings via this software. Regulatory boards and the Commission of Gambling enforces law and legislation around fair gambling and the random number generator is a huge part of it. The use of RNG guarantees a fair chance of winning or losing on every hand, every spin or every reel.
Tips for gambling responsibly
The popularity of online gambling and rise in its use in recent years has led to more publicity being made of gambling addictions and the impact of not gambling responsibly. Responsible gambling is the most important part of online casino and in many ways, to gamble safely and responsibly is to win, before you have even weighed up your wins and losses. With this in mind, a complete online casino guide would not be complete without a decent-sized guide on how to gamble responsibly. Here we have some tips for gambling safely and responsibly when playing and gambling with an online casino.
Set yourself a budget
Our top tip for gambling responsibly involves setting yourself a budget to gamble with. This can be done by keeping your own records or, perhaps more effectively, by making the most of the tools that your chosen online casino offers. With a commitment to responsible gaming being high on the agenda of online casino brands right now, the majority of the bigger casinos offer an system in which players can set budgets.
Choosing the amount of money one would like to gamble and how often, be it every day, every week or every month, once this limit is reached the player cannot bet any more. This is a very effective way of tackling gambling addictions. We would advise to set your budget as an amount of money that you are content with losing. See this is as the cost of the games that you are playing and the potential they have to pay you back. Never bet an amount of money that you are not content with losing.
Take a break
This is a very simple tip but it is a very effective one, too, when it comes to gambling more safely online. Taking a short break or indeed a long one, can calm gamblers down a lot and help them take perspective or make cool and collected decisions. Taking a break can end up with you doing something else entirely which, after a lengthy session behind the screen playing any kind of game, online casino or otherwise, is always encouraged. Most importantly though, taking a break allows for you to take the emotion out of gambling. Whether you are betting amount after amount because you are on a run or because you are trying to cover your losses, betting should not be done with emotion. The random number generator as mentioned earlier does not have any emotion and therefore, neither should you when it comes to placing a bet.
Don’t drink and gamble
Isn’t it funny the decisions we make when we’ve had a few pints of beer or a few glasses of wine? Last person you definitely should not have texted. That kebab you definitely should not have eaten. That dance move that should have stayed between you and your bedroom mirror. Bad decisions are natural when you are under the influence of alcohol and therefore, you should not gamble online when you have been drinking. Avoid making a bad decision on what used to be your favourite online slot game, or making a drunken bet on West Ham United to win the league by staying off your betting app when you’re on a night out - and when you get home later.
