10 Interesting Facts About Online Casino Gambling

It’s not quite the Wild West that it was a decade ago, but the online casino gambling industry is still finding its place in the world of legalized gambling over the internet.

Many regulations have been put into place to ensure the safety of both the player and the house, but unexpected occurrences still happen on a regular basis.

Millionaires have been made, millions of dollars have been lost, and all of that is the reason why millions of people play the games.

In this article, I’ll lay out 10 interesting facts you may not have known about online gambling.

1 – It’s Legal, But Only Depending on Where You Live
The legality of gambling is in many ways like the legality of marijuana in the US. It’s legal in some places, technically illegal in others, but it’s usually not prosecuted unless it’s a seriously big operation.

If you’ve ever spent some time gambling at a real money online casino, you’ve probably noticed that payment systems aren’t as straightforward as they are for other things. That’s because if you’re in a location where gambling isn’t fully legal, you need to go through several loopholes in order to avoid breaking the law.

The laws are always changing, so it’s important to keep up on the latest developments. Check in here to stay on top of the current laws in your area.

2 – The First Online Casino Hit the Web in 1994
It’s hard to believe that online casino gaming has been around for more than 25 years, but that is in fact the case. Developed by Microgaming, a company undoubtedly ahead of its time, the first online casino popped up just about 100 years exactly after the first slot machines started making their way onto the casino floor.

Today, Microgaming still runs and maintains an online gambling platform that I would recommend checking out if you’re looking for a reliable place to play.

3 – The Biggest Win Ever
Billions of dollars have been exchanged between house and player since online casinos began in 1994. But one victory stands above them all (prepare to be jealous).

Casino Gambling

An anonymous man who was playing on a Microgaming site (the founders of the first online casino) raked in more than $21.7 million playing a progressive jackpot. Allegedly, his initial bet was just $0.75. In just a moment, one man proved that when they said playing video games would never pay off, they couldn’t have been more wrong.

4– Cryptocurrency Is Growing in Popularity
To be sure, cryptocurrency has always been a favorite way to conduct online business that might fall outside what would typically be considered “100% legal.” I’m not passing any judgement, but it’s simply a fact. With that being said, there are practical reasons why cryptocurrencies can be beneficial to online gamblers even if what they’re doing is fully within the bounds of the law.

Gamblers like cryptocurrency because it provides anonymity and because it takes banks—and their robust monitoring systems—out of the picture. Today, just about all major online gambling platforms accept bitcoin, along with other major cryptocurrencies, as adequate payment.

If you’re unfamiliar with how cryptocurrencies work, don’t worry, most sites don’t require you use this type of payment if you don’t want to.

5 – Online, But Not Fully Digital
When you think of an online gaming platform, you probably think of some graphics and a corresponding algorithm that determines who wins and who loses. For the most part, this is the case.

While the setup I described above is most common, some websites offer real-life dealers to lay down the cards in blackjack or spin the wheel in roulette. Does it seem unnecessary? Don’t judge just yet.

One of the most common online gambling complaints is that the house is rigged against players. This isn’t the case, but when there’s no human element involved, it’s hard to know that you’re getting a fair shake.

Online casinos that are obsessed with transparency know that it’s harder to discount the results when it’s a real person on the other end. If you’ve never tried online gambling this way, I’d personally recommend it. It’s the closest you can get to feeling like you’re at the casino without actually getting in the car and driving.

6 – Slots Bring in the Bucks
The appeal of slots is that there’s virtually no learning curve and you can play hundreds of rounds in just a few minutes. Yes, there’s no doubt that slots are the house’s favorite game for you to play.

Slot machines, whether in real life or online, are always going to return a high percentage of the money risked back to the bettor. However, the house is always going to win. The reason slots are so profitable is because the rounds are so quick, meaning the house slowly (but surely) profits.

The online casinos that focus exclusively on slots are almost always among the most profitable in the world of online gaming.

7 – You Can’t Count Cards in Online Blackjack
Even the most amateur gamblers know about counting cards, likely because of a movie or book they’ve watched or read. With that being said, very few ever get around to learning how to do it for themselves.

For all the mythology surrounding it, counting cards isn’t really all that hard to learn. Nor is it illegal in the sense that you won’t get put in jail (but you probably would get asked to leave if you were caught).

Online Blackjack

If you are looking to learn how to get into the business of card counting, don’t do it online—it’s not possible.

Online casinos use randomized card selection in such a way that card counting is entirely removed from the equation.

8 – Reviews Aren’t Always That Reliable
No advertising is as good as the positive words from a satisfied customer. In an industry where there are thousands of different platforms competing for your business, positive reviews are worth their weight in gold (or Bitcoin).

It’s likely that when you’re searching for a digital casino to use, you’ll check out the reviews. Just as with Amazon or any other major website, the reviews can’t always be relied upon to be truthful.

Online gaming platforms are notorious for hiring freelance writers to provide them with a glowing review. Now, these reviewers do usually play, but they aren’t as familiar with the site as they might let on.

9 – Bonuses Matter
In the internet age, most people have become conditioned to ignore promises of free money. More often than not, it’s a fake offer if not an outright scam.

Luckily, this isn’t the case when it comes to the vast majority of online casino bonuses. Typically, these will be offered in the form of “free play” money or a deposit match when you sign up. You won’t be able to simply cash out this free money, but you can use it just like real money when gambling.

At the end of the day, any time you have access to a little extra money to pad your bankroll, it’s highly recommended that you take advantage.

10 – You Should Tip Online Dealers
It sounds strange to tip when playing online, but some casinos provide the option and expect you to give a little bit at the end of your gaming session.

Now, there’s obviously a difference between what (or if) you should tip based on whether or not the dealer was a real person or simply a computer. Most players are going to be less likely to tip a computer, but remember that these sites aren’t charging you to sign up. And in some cases, they are even paying you to do so.

If you lose, don’t worry about tipping the dealer. However, if you walk away with a nice win, throw the site a few extra dollars for their trouble.