| The very first online casino opened up in 1996 and is | | | | back when these things were still hard to come by |
| still around today. In fact, there are several casinos that | | | | online. Cable modems and DSL lines made it faster |
| opened up the first few years that gambling has been | | | | and more convenient to start downloading software, |
| on the Internet (and hundreds since), making it one of | | | | with less lag and connection problems. |
| the most successful online industries ever. But it was | | | | All that was left to do was to earn trust, which started |
| not always success and easy roads for the online | | | | happening in 1999. That was the year that |
| casino industry, as you will soon see. | | | | Microgaming, in an effort to show the honesty of most |
| Even before InterCasino opened their virtual doors in | | | | online casinos, struck an agreement with |
| 1996, there was a ton of opposition. Lawmakers and | | | | PriceWaterhouseCoopers, one of the most famous |
| anti-gambling groups lined up to take their pot shot at | | | | and honest accounting firms in the world. PWC agreed |
| the upcoming online casino openings. But once the High | | | | to start auditing the online casinos' payout percentages, |
| Commission of Antigua and Barbuda in the West | | | | to prove that they did indeed payout large sums of |
| Indies passed the "Free Trade and Processing Zone | | | | money- in many cases, more than Las Vegas casinos. |
| Act", the pieces were in place to make online casino | | | | Because of all of these developments, the new |
| history. They started the Division of Gaming to give out | | | | millennium started the Golden Age for online casinos. |
| the first official jurisdictional licenses so that potential | | | | The first IPO for online casino stock became available, |
| operators could now legally open up their online | | | | more jurisdictions came online and the first Progressive |
| casinos. Since the US and other big countries refused | | | | Jackpots awarded millions to lucky customers. |
| to give out these licenses, this is a huge part of online | | | | Business was booming. |
| casino history. | | | | Soon after, Poker started to dominate the airwaves, |
| Luckily since then, several other jurisdictions have | | | | and Poker Rooms, many affiliated with online casinos, |
| started issuing licenses all over the world, including | | | | became all the rage. With the boom in online Poker |
| Canada, the UK and more. But that list stops short of | | | | Room technology, the online casino industry took in |
| the United States, which still steadfastly refuses to | | | | billions in 2004, with profits expected to triple and |
| issue licenses. | | | | maybe even quadruple by 2010. |
| The first online casinos were met with a lot of | | | | Unfortunately, there will continue to be much more to |
| skepticism, as sending information like credit cards, | | | | write about online casino history later. This is because |
| names and addresses over the internet was still met | | | | the industry continues to have opposition in many |
| with a lot of suspicion. Online casinos were thought to | | | | camps, which shows no sign of stopping. People like |
| be shady or run by the mob. Slow connections meant | | | | Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona introduce bill after bill trying |
| stalled programs and graphics and a lack of quality | | | | to shut down online casinos, make it illegal for US |
| software providers in the fledgling industry meant a lot | | | | citizens to play at them, or at least ban US credit |
| of stalled platforms. | | | | cards from being used to fund online casino gambling. |
| Enter CryptoLogic and Microgaming, two online casino | | | | Though none of these measures has ever passed, |
| history pioneers. CryptoLogic went out of their way to | | | | they continue to be introduced. With the surge in |
| provide encryption technology to the online casinos, | | | | popularity lately, though, it does not seem like they will |
| meaning that sensitive information like credit card | | | | make much headway. Hopefully, this means that the |
| numbers were now safe from hackers. Microgaming | | | | next chapter of online casino history has more bright |
| was one of the first and still one of the best software | | | | spots than legal ones. |
| providers, making crisp graphics and realistic sound | | | | |