Both a wide and a tight definition of “iGaming” are possible. iGaming, in its strict definition, is the practice of placing an electronic wager online on the result of a game of chance. We so define iGaming as having an online component.
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However, if iGaming is defined as placing a wager online, it also comes under the more general category of gambling, which includes a wide variety of activities including casinos, sports betting, lotteries, bingo, and card games.
By “iGaming,” we refer to an industry that encompasses a variety of online verticals and the many companies that operate inside them.
A business that creates game software for online casinos, or a “game provider,” for short, is a component of the larger iGaming industry. Likewise, developers of gaming systems (like SOFTSWISS) are classified as iGaming software vendors.
There are what are referred to be “games of skill” as opposed to games of chance, the results of which are heavily impacted by RNG or luck.
Online casino games, sports betting, lotteries, sweepstakes, bingo, fantasy sports, and eSports are all included in the former. These include card games (poker, blackjack, bridge, etc.) and board games (chess, backgammon, etc.) where the outcome is mostly determined by the player’s mental ability rather than chance.
Regarding whether games of skill should fall within the larger term, there is some ambiguity in the iGaming sector. There’s little doubt that both groups will meet at iGaming events.
The Origins of iGaming
Urbanization, technical innovation, and the globalization of the internet have all contributed to the iGaming industry’s explosive growth. The key occasions that have influenced the online gaming market since its founding are discussed here.
The Free Trade & Processing Zone Act, passed by the Antigua and Barbuda government in 1994, permitted businesses to get licenses in order to operate online casinos.
The Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) was established in 1996. The licensing of online casinos all around the world was its primary business. There were just fifteen gambling websites in 1996, but within a year there were 200.
Legislators were interested in the business in 1997 due of its fast expansion. The online Gambling Prohibition Act, which outlawed the promotion and sale of gambling products and services to the general public, was eventually enacted by the US Senate in 2006 after much debate. But this Act was reviewed and abolished a few years ago. States in the US currently make their own laws at the state level.
The Gambling Act of 2005 was passed in the UK, enabling gambling sites to operate lawfully and establishing the Gambling Commission to supervise all gaming.
2013 saw SOFTSWISS launch its Online Casino Platform, marking their first entry into the iGaming industry.
International Gaming Regulation
Due to the widespread use of the internet, gamers may now access online gambling services from both domestic and international operators. As a result, legislatures in some nations are attempting to take notice of this and create their own regulations pertaining to the iGaming sector.
The state regulates and legalizes the operations of online gambling companies in several nations worldwide. Belarus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and other nations are examples of such nations in Europe.
These regional marketplaces need local licenses and are sometimes referred to as regulated markets. Like with physical casinos, online operators need to hold a license in order to serve players in a certain nation.
For instance, before being permitted to operate an online gambling website, internet operators in Lithuania are required to own a minimum number of operational land-based gaming establishments inside the nation.
Some nations, like Israel, may outright forbid internet gambling. Some nations may neither permit nor forbid online casinos. One nation that has no laws or restrictions on iGaming until October 2021 is the Netherlands. Online casino operators were finally recognized and subject to legal regulation when legislation finally made an appearance.
The rules of each individual nation ultimately determine whether internet gambling is allowed or not.
Today’s iGaming Industry
Global gaming was significantly influenced by the COVID-19 epidemic. Sports activities where participants could place bets were halted, and land-based casinos, bookies, and gambling halls were shut down. The demand for online gambling increased dramatically as a result of this circumstance.
The predicted value of the worldwide online gambling industry in 2021 was over USD 70 billion, and analysts predict continued steady growth in this business.
With the use of mobile technology, iGaming is able to draw gamers away from conventional land-based casinos. A variety of themes, state-of-the-art visuals, animations, and contemporary music are available to players.
The market was encouraged well before COVID-19, by the increasing demand for cellphones with better internet connectivity. Globally, the quantity of mobile devices will only increase.
VR/AR technology may be used in conjunction with online wagering to provide new experiences to those who choose to add them. One of the top live casino operators, Evolution, is now investigating the use of VR technology. It has already produced a VR experience based on the well-liked Gonzo’s Quest slot game.