Gambling has been with us since ancient times. Gambling online is a relatively new phenomenon and one that appears to be growing in popularity on a daily basis. Take a look at these facts:

The first online gambling site was launched in August 1995. It’s currently estimated that there are actually approximately 2,000 Internet gambling Web sites offering various wagering options, including sports betting, casino games, lotteries and bingo.

Internet gambling revenue in 2005 was estimated at $11.9 billion and is projected to double by 2010, based on Christiansen Capital Advisors (CCA).

So what is it about the online casino phenomenon which has so enticed gamblers? Perhaps it really is the virtue of it simply being online. You can find numerous attractions to not having to attend a casino to gamble. The most prominent of these is the intimidation. Online gambling opens up a whole host of games to players who previously never had the courage or interest in observing tables in a land based casino.

Then it’s the choice of games. The range of games and their varieties online are astounding. Poker, blackjack, roulette or sports gambling, online casinos offer all of them. Lets take a look at a few of them:

Online poker has been partly answerable for a dramatic rise in the number of poker players worldwide. For the year of 2005, revenues from online poker were estimated at US$200 million per month.

Blackjack, also known as twenty-one or Pontoon, is one of the most common casino card games on this planet. Much of blackjack’s popularity is because of the blend of chance with aspects of skill, and also the publicity that surrounds card counting The slot machine typically pays off based upon patterns of symbols visible on the front of the equipment when it stops. Modern computer technologies have resulted in several variations on the slot machine concept.

The freedom of time and money are added attractions. The internet casinos are relatively low-cost to operate with regard to staff being paid, so they can be able to offer players free games. Entering a blackjack room in an online casino is quite different to approaching a blackjack table in a land based casino. The speed and intimidation may be high when playing online casino slot – more.., in a ritzy casino. Crucial decisions are made quickly and on the spot. At home, the player is able to slow down and play only once they are ready.

Sadly, with such a growth in popularity has come many online gambling hoaxes. Illegitimate and cheating web sites are present on the net and may also be deceiving. The most significant things to remember when gambling online are the three aspects of consideration, prize and chance. All three should be present.

The problem with online gambling is that it is far harder to control. The area which has to protect itself from the risks of compulsive gamblers. In the virtual world, this really is difficult to enforce. A customer is able to sit within their own family room, in what ever state they decide to be in and at what ever age and gamble just as much as they desire.

Caution seems to be the only key. Gambling has always been a controversial subject; gambling on the internet is simply an extension of this controversy.