From Poker to Pontoon, Slots to Roulette, gambling online is now a mainstream pursuit

Gambling is a worldwide pastime. For me, it is something I have done as a casual pursuit ever since I turned of age, placing my first ever wager on the English Grand National Horse race, something that is now an annual tradition. In the past few decades, I have also had the good fortune to be able to travel to Las Vegas, the spiritual heart of casino gambling and gameplay, and lived but an hour from Atlantic City for a while too.
Add to that a little flutter on the Premier League here and there, and perhaps one on the odd boxing title fight, and you get the idea: gambling is fun and casual for me.
Since the birth and exponential growth of the internet and digital devices, the world of gambling has undergone something of a revolution, as well as a constant evolution. For those who love a game of poker, a little slot action, or a fun game of roulette, the casino now comes to them, rather than them having to go to the brick-and-mortar building.
The almost innumerable variety of online casino games available is incredible, and the quality of the gameplay and experience is getting better with each iteration.
So, how has gambling gone from being something that, perhaps, was less of a general pastime and considered to be somewhat niche, to being one of the most globally enjoyed leisure pursuits? Well, one of the main reasons is the way in which technology has enabled gambling to be more accessible, more regulated, safer in terms of digital transactional betting, and more widely available due to all these factors.
Let’s dig a little deeper and see what else we can conclude.
Gambling And Casino Experiences Digitally Delivered
In the early days of the internet, and indeed of mobile phones, the only card game you could play was solitaire. To some, it may be called patience, which was certainly needed to play that. It was, appropriately, a solitary game and about as far from the online casino and gambling app landscape which now exists as it could be.
Take a look at any search engine and you will find countless gambling sites, gaming apps, online casino destinations, and a landscape of great gambling options that are available around the world and around the clock.
Having the ability to have our gambling and casino experiences delivered digitally has transformed both how we gamble, who gambles, and in some ways, what we can place a wager or bet on. Whether it is poker or bingo, lottery games, or sports-based betting you love, the ability to enjoy this experience is now digital.
Indeed, the online gambling industry is a billion-dollar sector, making the drive for competitors to keep things exciting ever greater.
Of course, before you tell me, there are still brick-and-mortar casinos, betting shops, and gambling establishments, but having these things digitally delivered, so to speak, is something that makes them more accessible, not to mention more convenient. As well as this, it has made gambling and online casino gameplay, in my humble opinion, much more mainstream.
For many, the pilgrimage to Vegas, the buzz of the horse racing track, or even the fun of betting shop will never be replicated, but for others, gambling and gameplay online is either their preference or their only option. And with that, the mainstream mantle has been achieved.
Global Gambling Uniting Players And Creating Communities
One of the wonderful things to emerge from the exponential growth of online gambling and online casinos is the communities this sector has created. Or, to perhaps be more accurate, the way in which those who love the online gaming experiences and gambling have themselves enabled new communities to be born out of this global leisure pursuit.
Since the dawn of online casinos especially, communities of like-minded friends have come together to share their passion.
Whether it is poker or pontoon, iGaming or slots, worldwide friendships have been forged and, in many cases, in-person tournaments and conventions created. For poker in particular, the global community has not only taken this from a casino floor game to a worldwide online phenomenon, it has created a profession.
Far from being a pipe dream, the number of professional poker players is growing, and it is now considered a real option for the brightest and best casino table gamblers, many of whom hone their craft online, as well as at the casino.
Final thoughts
As we draw this discussion to a conclusion, I think we have established that gambling has become more mainstream, and online casinos are a global behemoth. We have touched on other things, such as online communities that have grown around the world, creating both business and friendships.
With so many positives for the gambling world, it is not surprising that it is one of the premier forms of online entertainment, and I’d put a bet on it getting bigger and better.