If you're new to online casino gambling then you might want to read our brief industry overview before you select a casino to play at.
Background
Online casino gambling is not exactly new. The first online casino ( Inter Casino ) started taking bets in 1996. From 1996 to 2001 the industry experienced exponential growth and many new entrants before stabilising around 2002. At present there are around 2,000 online casinos operated by around 400 companies. Most of the pioneer casinos are still operating today and rank amongst the most recognised and respected brands in the industry.
Want to read more about the industry generally? Click here.
Playing online
Playing for real money online is simple. You just download and install the free casino software, then open an account by depositing money with the casino using a variety of deposit methods. Winnings are withdrawn in a number of ways also.
Click here to read more about how to deposit/withdraw.
Mobile Gambling
Mobile gambling is the latest development in this industry. If you have a WAP or internet enabled handset (most current models phones) you can now play blackjack, roulette, baccarat etc for rel money from your mobile phone. Go to Casino Tropez for details
Licensing Jurisdictions
The majority of currently operating online casinos are licensed in one of a number of Caribbean countries, most notably Antigua & Barbuda, Curacao, Dominica, The Dominican Republic, and St Kitts & Nevis. Other jurisdictions offering licenses include Australia, Alderney in the UK Channel Islands, Gibraltar, The Isle of Man and the North American native regions of Kahnawake and Saskatchewan.
Rogue operators
As for in any industry, the online casino industry has had, and will always have its fair share of rogue operators. Casinos that shut down without refunding player deposits, use rigged software or simply refuse to pay out winnings have plagued the industry. But the great thing about the internet is that it is a very powerful probity tool. Rogue operators are very quickly identified and branded through a myriad of chat rooms and player advocate sites so that cheat casinos can't operate successfully for long.
Honest casinos on the other hand quickly develop good reputations and strong player loyalty, allowing them to operate for many years. Apart from industry awards, the age of a casino is often a good indication of its standing in the industry.
All
casinos
listed
on
this
site
have
been
taking
bets
for
at
least
5
years
and
rank
among
the
industry's
most
respected
brands.