Today, it is easy to find the best casino online UK within seconds and play the best games. But, a while back, the situation was completely different. This industry is developing faster than anything else. We all know that. What you may not know is that the rise of online gambling in the United Kingdom was impressive and interesting. We are going to reveal all the things you need to know about right here, right now.
First Online Casino
Have you heard of Microgaming? The company was responsible for making the first online casino back in 1994. This site was simple, in the lack of a better word. It had only a few games and not a lot of features. There were not a lot of payment methods either. Players had to make a wire transfer in order to deposit funds and play. Bonuses were limited as well.
But, soon players started playing these limited games and Microgaming and other brands noticed the potential. Many businesses started developing online casinos. In a few years, there were over 200 online casinos in the United Kingdom.
Gamblers soon realized that online gambling is more than just appealing. Add the fact that more and more people had an internet connection, and you can deduce why this is so important and beneficial. Anyway, they liked the ability to play a lot of different games without having to travel to the next city or to the land-based casino. They also liked the fact more and more casinos started to offer great bonuses, something that is not common in land-based casinos even today. If you are looking for bonuses and promotions online then online casinos are still a much better choice and check out the latest non-UK casino sites where you can get detailed information about casino games and its benefits.
Gamblers soon realized that online gambling is more than just appealing. Add the fact that more and more people had an internet connection, and you can deduce why this is so important and beneficial. Anyway, they liked the ability to play a lot of different games without having to travel to the next city or to the land-based casino. They also liked the fact more and more casinos started to offer great bonuses, something that is not common in land-based casinos even today. Yes, online casinos are still a much better choice if you are looking for bonuses and available promotions.
The next major thing to know occurred in 2005 with the gambling act. It was adopted in 2007. The gambling act made online gambling completely legal, and more and more companies were able to offer their games to UK players. Just one year after adopting the act, the value of the industry in the UK was over £8.36 billion.
UKGC And GamStop Creation
All gamblers in the United Kingdom have heard of UKGC. The acronym stands for United Kingdom Gambling Commission, and it is more than just important. It was formed in 2007 and it is still active. As a matter of fact, this gambling authority is one of the best-known and most appealing authorities of this kind. They control all online casinos that operate in the UK, and a casino must get their license.
The license is complicated to get. A casino must meet countless rules and regulations. But, the main goal of these rules is to make online gambling fair and safe. All you need to know is that every single online casino that holds a UKGC license is a safe and reputable place to gamble at.
One of the newest or relatively new additions to the gambling realm in the UK is the creation of GamStop. This is a program or platform, if you prefer. The goal of GamStop is to help players who have gambling addiction or similar problems. The idea is simple. A player will create the account at GamStop. As soon as he is done, all UKGC sites will become unavailable for a specific period of time. The time frame is selected by the actual gambler. You can choose up to a 5 years-long ban. This is known as self-exclusion, and it is very successful and very popular.
GamStop is mandatory to all casinos that have a UKGC licence and there is no way around it. Only when the self-exclusion expires or ends, a player can contact customer support and ask them to allow him to gamble again.
The Latest Numbers
There is no need to tell you that the UK online gambling market is the biggest of them all and has the highest value. The value is over £14 billion, and it is rising as we speak. All we can add here is that the value will rise indefinitely due to the overall popularity of online gambling across the country.
Over 45% of the population of the United Kingdom gambles at some point. Most of them do this a couple of times per week, while some are doing every single day. Over 10 million prefer online gambling to land-based casinos. There are a few perks that you probably know about.
Players in the United Kingdom like a lot of different games. They prefer slots which are the most popular games of all time, roulette, poker, and blackjack, and they live sports betting. Football and horse racing are the two most common and the most popular sports people bet in the United Kingdom. We are adding this due to the fact most UK casinos have a sports betting section. There you can find a lot of different sports and place a bet on any you like instantly.
The Final Word
The next time when you are looking for the best online casino where you want to gamble, keep in mind that the history of this industry was rich. Online gambling started slowly with a single casino. But, within a decade, it became a trend that most people like or want to enjoy on a regular basis. If you are one of them, your next mission is to find the casino you like and use bonuses. These are stunning promotions today that all gamblers should consider due to obvious perks you can get.
