How the Online Casino Industry Has Flourished in Ireland


Posted July 20, 2018 in More

Gambling has always been popular in Ireland, with betting on horses and greyhound racing dominating the market for decades. Yet in recent years, there has been a major rise in the popularity of gambling, particularly online. This shift towards gambling on the internet has seen the online casino industry flourish. Yet what has created this trend?

With legislation put in place to protect both players and casinos, confidence in the industry grew from strength to strength, and more international operators started to not only accept, but specifically target Irish players, check out bestcasinosites.net  for instance. Welcome bonus offers in Euros flooded the market in a bid to attract new players. In 2015, the government introduced the Betting (Amendment) Act, which legalised online gambling. Prior to this, gambling activities were covered under the original Betting Act of 1931 and the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956. Needless to say, these did not cover internet based gambling activities, leading to ambiguity and uncertainty around the legality of the practice.

For starters, advances in technology mean that it has never been more entertaining to play real money casino games. When internet casinos were first launched in the 90’s, the technology was relatively basic, with a limited selection of games that ran on somewhat unreliable platforms.

Over the years, casino sites have improved significantly. There are countless software providers and game developers that are constantly creating ever more imaginative and innovative games that run on solid, high performance platforms. Game selections at online casinos have become increasingly diverse and all-encompassing. There are thousands of video slots, featuring cutting edge graphics, interesting features, and some life changing jackpots. You can also play roulette, blackjack, baccarat, video poker, scratch cards, you name it, you can play it. In fact, any type of game that you will find at a real brick and mortar casino can now be played online.

Given the value of the online casino market, operators have strived to constantly adapt and cater to the needs of their players. Whilst the convenience of online gaming was a major advantage over land-based casinos, there was still a significant gap between the experience of playing at both venues. This led to the development of live casino games with real dealers. Live casinos bridge the gap between playing online and experiencing the authentic atmosphere of a brick and mortar venue and have proven immensely popular with players.

Another significant advancement in the market is mobile gaming. Operators have invested heavily in making their games and sites mobile compatible, providing seamless multi-platform gaming. This is confirmed by the fact that mobile gaming revenues outstripped those generated by PC and this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. As such, online casinos are more accessible than ever. Now, not only can you play casino games from the comfort of your home, you can grab your phone or tablet and play on the bus, at the pub, in fact, you can play anywhere you have an internet connection.

So, what does the future of the iGaming industry have in store? It is fair to say that the outlook is rosy. Player protection is being placed at the forefront of regulatory body’s priorities. Bonus offers are becoming more favourable, with unfair or ambiguous conditions being cracked down on. The range of deposit options are ever expanding, providing players with not only traditional methods, but also alternative options, including cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin. There are also innovative developments including VR online casinos on the horizon. All things considered, for players from Ireland, there has never been a better time to put the luck of the Irish into play.

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