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 you will find well over 2,000 Internet gambling Websites 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, in line with Christiansen Capital Advisors (CCA).

So what is it about the online casino phenomenon that has so enticed gamblers? Perhaps it is the virtue of it simply being online. You will find a lot of attractions to not having to attend a casino to gamble. The most prominent of these will be 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 is 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 several 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 every month.

Blackjack, generally known as twenty-one or Pontoon, is just one of the best casino card games on earth. Much of blackjack’s popularity is because of the mix of chance with aspects of skill, and also the publicity that surrounds card counting The slot machine typically pays off according to patterns of symbols visible on the front of the machine when it stops. Modern computer technology has resulted in many variations on the good slot online machine concept.

The freedom of time and money are added attractions. The online casinos are relatively affordable to operate in terms of staff being paid, so they may be able to offer players free games. Entering a blackjack room within 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 in a ritzy casino. Crucial decisions are made quickly as well as on the spot. At home, the player is able to slow down and play only when they are ready.

Sadly, with such a growth in popularity has come many online gambling hoaxes. Illegitimate and cheating websites are present on the net and may be deceiving. The most important 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 sector that has to protect itself from the risks of compulsive gamblers. Within the virtual world, this is difficult to enforce. A customer is able to sit in their own living room, in whatever state they decide to be in and at whatever age and gamble as much as they desire.

Caution seems to be the only key. Gambling happens to be a controversial subject; gambling on the net is simply an extension of this controversy.