Our Top 10 Online Casino Facts

1. The Expanding Online Gambling Industry

Britons have a long-established betting tradition along the lines of a liberal framework for gambling. The total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) for the United Kingdom in 2015 was £12.6 billion, of which the remote sector market share was 29%. Online casino gaming is very popular among British gamblers who prefer to gamble in the comfort of their homes regardless of the time of the day.

Between November 2014 and March 2015, the total Gross Gambling Yield from online operators stood at £1.45 billion while the total betting turnover was £13.8 billion. Online British players enjoyed casino games the most with online casinos having a GGY of £834 million. Of this, online slots attracted the most players with their interesting games, earning £532.5 million in revenue. Table games and card games accounted for 25% of the total online casino revenue.

Apart from online casinos, online players also stake their money on sports betting and bingo. The gambling yield for bingo games was £83 million while for betting activities, the gross yield was £535 million. Their love for online sports betting on the biggest leagues in football, tennis, basketball and horse racing has resulted in some incredible figures in the online UK betting market. The sport with the most bets was football with revenue of £168 million. Horseracing followed with £128 million, tennis with £25.3 million, dog racing with £9.2 million, cricket with £4.8 million, golf with £3.6 million and lastly, spread betting with £3.1 million.

2. The Very Firsts Of Online Casino Gaming

Here are some interesting first ever facts about online casino gaming:

• The first ever online casino to hit the internet was in 1994 by Microgaming.
• The world's first online progressive jackpot game was Microgaming’s CashSplash™
• Live dealer games were first introduced by Playtech.
• The first online sportsbook was introduced by Intertops.

3. The Most Popular Online Casino Game Is Slots

Slots have their very own appeal with the blinking lights, the clattering coins, the fancy animations and definitely, their thrilling jackpots. Having come a long way from days of three reeled slots and a few blinking lights, devoid of any fancy gaming features, today’s slots offer more excitement, fun and thrills with its frills. Stirring bonuses, 3D graphics and progressive jackpots have swept player experiences to new heights.

Slots have been gaining popularity since the beginning of online casino history. Statistics from the UK Online Gambling Commission reveal some astonishing insights. Between 2009 and 2015, there has been a threefold increase in online slots gaming. The revenue from slots has increased from £86.08 million in 2009/10 to £767 million in 2014/2015.

The popularity of online slots can be attributed to many factors. Slots do not require any strategy or thinking, but rather it is a game based on pure luck where the only control that players exercise is on their budget. According to MIT professor, Natasha Dow Schüll, in her book on slot psychology, she explains how players prefer the smooth flow of the gaming experience with positive-reinforcing small wins every few spins.

Moreover, with a sea of slot games offering lower bets and enormous potential progressive jackpots, gamblers love trying out their luck. As more and more players play online slots, the progressive pool keeps on expanding and someone lucky enough can hit millions of pounds. Compared to offline casinos, online casinos are devoid of space restrictions and provide a better range of online slot games with RTPs (Return to Player percentages) rising to 97%.

4. The Enticement of Welcome Bonuses

Internet casinos lure players to sign up and play with them using appealing welcome bonus offers. Of course, an online casino won’t simply give away free money, there are always strings attached. Make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up for a welcome bonus offering by an online casino. Many bonuses are bound by wagering or playthrough requirements that need to be fulfilled before you can get your hands on the bonus. By learning more about the different types of bonuses, you can get the best value for your money.

Welcome bonuses consist of a variety of forms such as No Deposit Bonuses, Matching Bonuses and Percentage Bonuses. Although not found widely, the No Deposit bonus allows you to play casino games for free without making a deposit. You get some bonus amount that you can use to try out games at the online casino. Don’t forget to read the fine print as it might include things such as restrictions on games played, making a deposit before withdrawing the bonus, or wagering a certain number of times before withdrawal.

With a Matching Deposit bonus, players enjoy a matching bonus amount when they deposit a certain sum of money into their online casino account. For instance, on a deposit of £100, you can get a match bonus of 100%, which means you get a bankroll of £200 to play with! A third variation of the welcome bonus is the Percentage Deposit bonus, in which the online casino gives you a percentage of the money you deposit with them. So a 50% bonus would mean, getting a £50 bonus on depositing £100. Be mindful, all bonuses are subject to wagering requirements.

5. Progressive Jackpots Are Massive

The world’s largest jackpot from online slots has made it to the Guinness Book of World Records. Back on 6th October 2015, John Heywood from Cardiff, United Kingdom, was one lucky winner to have won a staggering amount of £13.2 million from playing Microgaming's Mega Moolah progressive slot at Betway online casino. The second place is bagged by a Finnish player winning the Mega Fortune slot jackpot worth £17,861,813 back in 2013.

The biggest progressive online slots include Microgaming’s Mega Moolah, Microgaming’s The Dark Knight, Playtech’s Marvel Mystery Multi-Level Progressive Jackpot, Net Entertainment’s Mega Fortune, and Net Entertainment’s Hall of Gods. Microgaming’s Mega Moolah is known for its colossal payouts and to date it has turned 26 gamblers into instant millionaires. This Millionaire Maker online slot game has a million pound seed value for its Mega progressive jackpot.

Progressive online slots have a jackpot value that keeps on increasing as more and more players play the game. Mostly, a progressive jackpot is spread over a network of games, which means that each bet made by players playing the games, contributes a certain amount to the jackpot. The odds of winning a progressive jackpot are considerably small, which is why the jackpot meter reading shows incredibly gigantic amounts. But when some lucky gambler hits the winning combo on a progressive slot, he/she is certain to pocket well over a million pounds! The jackpot meter then resets to its seed amount.

6. The Fine Print Holds The Darkest Secrets

When it comes to online casinos, it is essential you read the terms and conditions, rules and privacy policies of the casino you plan to gamble online. Reading the fine print means you are aware of what to expect at the online casino rather be taken back by surprises later on. Whether you are opening a new account at an online casino or thinking about taking advantage of a new promotion, be sure to read these ‘boring’ details to know the casino’s obligations and your rights as a player.

The fine print includes the general terms of the site as well as the special conditions of different bonuses and promotions. Sometimes, bonuses appear to be quite unbelievable, which is why reading the particulars helps you find out what rules you need to abide by in order to avail the bonus. Not doing so might mean that you may not get your hands on the bonus money or in worse situations, not even the winnings generated from playing with bonus money. When availing bonuses, it is especially important to read the fine print for wagering requirements, minimum deposit compulsory to avail bonus, and even financial methods required for making the deposit that would qualify you for the bonus.

Some online casinos include details about withdrawals in the fine print. Be sure to go through to find out the maximum number of withdrawals allowed per month and any free withdrawals allotted to your casino account.

7. Watch Out, For Not Every Online Casino Is Trustworthy

When you play at well-known online casinos, you can enjoy a wholesome gambling experience. Reputed online casinos are verified in terms of safety and security, and are licensed from authentic regulatory bodies. You can easily play your favourite games without worrying about any sort of rigging. Playing at an online casino gives you the benefit of an array of financial methods for making deposits and withdrawals, but only the best ones offer a complete range of safe options.

The best online casinos rely on casino software from leading tech giants such as Microgaming, Playtech, NetEnt and more. This means you can enjoy a variety of games such as online slots, table games, poker, and bingo. If a casino has a good reputation, it has already been assessed, reviewed and rated by many websites. Moreover, their games will already have been played to assess their performance and quality.

To avoid any unpleasant experiences later on, do research on your part before opening an account at an online casino. Don’t forget to read the fine print for essential information or contact customer service to test their service and reliability.

8. Online Casino Games Can Be Played For Free

No doubt, playing online for real money is fun, but it is always best to try out the free games at an online casino first to get their feel. Gaming for free gives you a practice session of what to expect when playing the game using real pounds. You get a good idea of the rules and techniques of the slots and table games, allowing you to maximise your chances of winning during real cash play. Some good online casinos even offer you with strategies that you can implement during free play to see whether you can improve your odds of winning.

Playing free games has its own set of benefits. An online casino allows you to play table games and slots at your convenience for free unlike land based casinos where it is impossible to play free games. You can experiment with all sorts of games at no cost. Those turning to gambling just for the sake of fun and enjoyment can do so without risking even a penny at free games. On the other hand, land based casinos let you enjoy the fun of gambling at a price tag! Furthermore, you can try out different online casino games for free, regardless of whether you are legally old enough to gamble.

Enjoy playing free casino games online at any time, from anywhere at your own convenience without any limitations or the fear of losing your hard earned income.

9. Not Every Casino Game May Be Your Favourite

With a range of casino games out there, it might be quite a task finding a favourite one. A game that your gambling buddy loves might not be your favourite too. You have to test out various casino games to find the best one. If you are doing badly at roulette, maybe go ahead and try pokies.

Perhaps, you can start off by figuring out whether you prefer games based on luck or some deep strategy. When you prefer easy games based on luck that do not require mental exercise, then online slots will appeal to you. Take a look at the odds of the various pokies and choose ones that have higher payout percentages to maximise your winning chances.

Games that require some strategy require skills that you need to acquire and hone by practise. The more you practice, the better you get at it. Table games and poker are games that require you to develop some strategy and think before you make a move.

10. You Lose More Than You Win

For many, gambling means chasing a dream - a dream worth a seven digit payout! But with the staggering online casino industry, it is easy to zone out in online gambling. While betting at online gaming can be so easy, it can be even easier to lose. Gambling wins are slightly tilted in the favour of casinos. Casinos end up winning and players, collectively, stand to lose.

Just like brick-and-mortar casinos, online casinos also tempt gamblers to stay a little longer not to miss a probable win close by. Apart from offering tempting bonuses, the biggest lure of an online casino is convenience. The following statistic confirms this convenience. With 85 nations across the world having legalised internet gambling, the global online gambling market is currently worth around 27 billion pounds a year!

Perhaps, the best strategy to adopt is to bet only what you can afford to lose. You don’t feel bad about losing it, but accept it as a part of the ‘fun’ of gambling. But when greed gets in the way, it can cause serious losses that you won’t be happy about when you wake up in the morning. A few tips to avoid getting drifted away by gambling online include limiting online casino accounts, using a site that has a betting limit per day and not getting carried away with a few wins.