In the past, if you wanted to play your favourite slots or table games, you would have to visit your local casino.
However, by 1996 this was no longer the case as a boom in gambling and a sea change in the way we gamble took place.
1996 is a special year in the history of gambling and it will always be looked back on with great fondness for some parts of the industry.
It was of course the year when the first online casino was introduced to the world on the internet and this was swiftly followed by the first video slot. These two innovations at King Casino would prove to be highly lucrative to certain sectors of the gambling world but not so to others.
Winners and LosersÂ
Online casinos and slots became more successful than anyone could image and this squeezed the business of more traditional land-based casinos.Â
Now non-remote gambling of all types is facing tough challenges ahead. Advances in technology and the changing gambling habits of the public, have led to concerns in this section of the industry.Â
Land-based casinos have been around for many years and are still popular. The glamour and thrills offered at a casino environment can make for a memorable and unique night out.
However, even they are being eclipsed by the growth in the remote gambling sector. They more than any part of the industry, face direct competition from online casinos.Â
If you enjoy a night out then a regular casino still has a lot to offer, as it is a more sociable experience than remote gambling. However, there is a view that land-based casinos are not for the many but the few. The public feel that regular casinos are reserved for the elite who can afford to play at an exclusive club.
It is a fact that online casinos have brought gambling and the casino experience to a wider audience and that it caters for all budgets, unlike most regular casinos that rely on attracting high-rollers to increase revenue.Â
Land-based casino revenues are falling across the globe including the casino power bases of Asia and North America. This is also in evidence in the UK.Â
To say that this is all down to the success of online casinos is to over simplify the situation. There is no denying that remote casinos have played a major part in the downturn.Â
Many land-based casinos have wisely moved parts of their operations online to give punters the best of both worlds. This has helped prevent further loss in revenue.
The main reasons why people prefer online slots to brick and mortar casinos are because online slots offer far more choice of games. There are literally hundreds stored digitally and these can be played anonymously in the comfort of your own home.Â
Final ThoughtsÂ
The convenience of how online casinos fit in our busy lives gives them the edge over their land-based cousins and slots players are also treated to far more introductory offers, such as deposit match ups and free spins, this makes them more appealing to the public.