The introduction of casino-type games online required a skip and a jump, compared to the world’s quick hop into Internet sports betting. Dealers had to be replaced by reliable software. Secure random-number generators had to be adopted from slot machine technology to enable virtual cards to be shuffled. And graphic interfaces had to be designed to make play enjoyable.
From the relative safety and anonymity of offshore locations, some operators decided to bypass these necessary steps and create games rigged to cheat players out of their bets. In 1996, only 15 web sites were accepting real money for virtual roulette, blackjack and other table games. One year later, more than 200 such sites appeared, many of which were fly-by-night operations seeking easy prey. Their “business model” was to strike fast, close up quickly and disappear before authorities could be alerted to find them.
The fledgling industry’s turmoil lasted only briefly, however. Strict government regulation in licensing countries, such as Antigua-Barbuda, made it increasingly difficult for cheats to set up shop. By conducting extensive background checks and requiring bonds as high as $100,000 per web site, the wheat was separated from the chaff. Independent reviews began to appear online, too, helping players identify which sites were frauds and which were legitimate. In due course, only the trustworthy survived.
By 1999, the number of online casinos reached 650. By 2002, the total topped 1,800. To help players identify the best of these and report on the trade’s latest happenings, Gambling Online Magazine was founded in 2001. Each year it asks its readers to select the best of the best places to play. Winning one of Gambling Online Magazine’s “Readers Choice Awards” is a significant stamp of approval.
Other credentials have been created since 2000 to help identify reliable operators, too. Among these are the Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA), an international, non-profit organization of Internet leaders working to develop a safer Internet; the non-profit Interactive Gaming Council (IGC), which sets fair and responsible trade guidelines and practices; and eCommerce and Online Gambling Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). The latter, in particular, awards its “Seal of Approval” only to web sites whose games have been found to be fair, whose operations are honest and conducted responsibly, and whose monetary deposits are safe.
Today, playing baccarat or craps at a reputable online casino is as safe as placing a bet at the tables of Monte Carlo. What’s more, players can enjoy gaming action right from their own homes, without the distractions that often accompany real casino play.
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