As more people enjoy entertainment at home, the global online gambling market has continued to grow at a substantial rate. Estimated to be worth around $72 billion US dollars at present, online gambling is set to reach $112.09 billion by 2025.
Online gambling includes betting, with sports betting being the most popular category, as well as online casino games. The most played casino games include poker, roulette, slots and blackjack online.
As regulations become less prohibitive in the United States, the choice and variety of games is becoming much bigger and player numbers are rising. Canada, the United Kingdom and China also have some of the fastest growing gaming markets.
Online casinos have been around for the last three decades, before this time casino game enthusiasts would have to visit land-based casino venues to enjoy their favourite games. While land-based casinos are still popular options for big nights-out and celebratory occasions, for casual gaming, many players now enjoy playing at home from their smartphone, computer or tablet devices.
When playing casino table games online, players are still able to play in real-time against opponents as they would in a physical casino. This means that it is still possible to enjoy the competitiveness and thrill of these games.
These are some of the most popular table games that have been adapted for the internet:
Poker
Poker is a well-known game where two or more players bet on the value of the hand of cards dealt to them. Online poker is similar in many ways to the land-based game, players have the same number of cards (according to the variant at play) and the rules of the game remain the same.
There are however a number of key differences, particularly in the way that players observe one another’s tells. When playing online you cannot see the other player’s facial expressions, body language or gestures, instead you rely more on reaction times, betting patterns and fold or flop percentages to make decisions, you may also communicate with them through the website’s chat box feature.
Online poker is also often cheaper to play than land-based poker. You can usually stake smaller sums of money as the operator has much lower overheads for a web-based business than they would for a bricks and mortar building. Land based casinos generally dedicate more space to gaming machines for games like slots as they are able to profit more from these.
You can find every variant of poker online, from popular choices like Texas Hold’em and Omaha to usual types such as Pineapple and Pot Limit Razz.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a card game where a player plays against the dealer and must try to acquire cards with the value of 21. They begin with two cards and usually have a number of options, which includes taking another card, splitting to create two hands from their original cards, double down or they can surrender the hand and forfeit half the bet (first decision only).
One big difference that you will notice between online play and blackjack in a bricks and mortar casino is the number of card decks that the dealer has to hand. In a traditional venue, there will be more than one deck, which you might see arranged into a horseshoe.
When playing online the number of card decks is irrelevant as usually there is one notional deck with a random number generator. While card counting sometimes happens at in-person venues, this set-up means that it is not possible to count cards in online games.
As with poker, when playing the online version of blackjack, you can usually stake lower amounts than you would at a land based venue.
Roulette
Roulette is another gambling game that has been around for centuries, it has variants including European, French and American. In this game, a ball is dropped into a spinning wheel which has numbered compartments and players bet on the color or number that the ball will come to a stop in.
Online versions of the game tend to be a lot quicker as the human element of spinning the wheel is removed. You are also more likely to find more game options when playing online as the casino isn’t limited by floor space.
The social experience in casino gaming
Traditional casino gamers who have yet to play online may question how internet based games can match the buzzing atmosphere and social experience that many players enjoy in land based venues. However, recent game developments and technological advancements have enabled operators to replicate this.
For instance, many sites now offer live games of poker, blackjack, and roulette. In live games players still play at home on their device but they are connected to an actual dealer in real-time. The chatroom features that these websites offer also allow players to communicate with one another and share their experience.
Virtual Reality (VR) casinos are also finding their way onto the market. Wearing a VR headset, players can venture around a virtual casino, walking up to games and chatting with other players also participating from home, they can even socialize in the virtual bar area or lobby.
While land-based casino venues are wonderful for special occasions, online sites benefit from having a huge variety of table games and gaming options for players to enjoy at their convenience.
