Even though a few brick and mortar casinos have fiddled with the idea of diversifying their offering by setting up online operations, the majority of online casinos today are autonomous entities in their own right.
Inhouse casinos have been around for centuries, and their outreach spans globally. With the advent of new technologies, inhouse casinos have, too, climbed on the innovation bandwagon, streamlining their operations to suit the expectations of contemporary gamblers better. It is no wonder then that many have seen the online casino branch of the gambling industry as a mere offshoot of the more traditional inhouse gambling establishment.
Online Gambling as a Standalone Industry Segment
If observed as an independent entity, the volume of the global online gambling industry often reaches the turnover volumes of the GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) companies. To put this in perspective, the annual business volumes of online casinos equate to tens of billions of Canadian dollars. Online casino games of excellent quality are being churned out regularly by developer giants such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Playtech.
These game developers create and maintain a wide array of games on behalf of an online casino provider, usually in exchange for a percentage of the profits. And these percentages can be quite substantial, as it’s estimated that the Canadian online gaming industry, which includes online gambling, earns over CA$30 billion each year.
Who Owns Online Casinos?
The simple answer is independent entrepreneurs and a select number of PLCs (Public Listed Companies. The market segment is quite open to anybody who has got a clear vision of how to take online gambling further and has got the necessary financial backing. These online casinos function as independent entities and are in no way linked to any physical casinos on the ground.
This, of course, doesn’t mean that inhouse casinos can’t operate as online providers too, although very few have braved the cyberspace and have stuck to their more traditional operating models. There’s also the issue of legal, operational constraints in certain territories, with countries like the US generally forbidding online gambling in most of the states.
Canada has got a more liberal approach to online casinos, and they are allowed to operate anywhere in the country, as long as they are based offshore. Within the EU, almost any state that allows online gambling also allows its land-based casinos to set up online operations. Nonetheless, these inhouse casinos are generally not very active on the internet, having failed to jump on the www wave on time, thus conceding this market segment to independent online casino operators.
International Online Casino Providers
Over the years, major online gambling providers such as 888, Bet365 and Unibet have broadened their services to cover all corners of the world, replacing many traditional gambling houses. These providers have become global virtuosos in online casinos, offering their players a genuine inhouse casino experience from the comfort of their homes.
The Growth of Virtual Casinos
Although a relatively new industry in its own right, online gambling has followed the latest technological advancements over the past couple of years. Smartphones have allowed online casinos to become mobile by designing apps and smartphone friendly interfaces for the gamblers on the go. As a result, all online casinos are now compatible with mobile devices, which has led to two-thirds of all players accessing their favourite casino games via their smartphones.
Are Online Casinos as Safe as Inhouse Casinos?
Well, that depends on what you perceive safety to be. If you are worried that online casinos are not as safe as their brick and mortar counterparts, you need not worry. Of course, like in any industry, there are some dodgy providers. To put your mind at ease, check whether the casino is licensed by a reputable local or international gaming authority. By visiting their websites, you can doublecheck the certification of any online casino:
Kahnawake Gaming Commission
PO Box 1799, Old Malone Highway,
Kahnawake Mohawk Territory,
Quebec, J0L 1B0
Canada
www.gamingcommission.ca
UK Gambling Commission
Victoria Square House
Victoria Square
Birmingham B2 4BP
United Kingdom
www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
Malta Gaming Authority
Building SCM 02-03
SmartCity Malta
Ricasoli SCM1001
Malta
https://www.mga.org.mt
To conclude, it is safe to say that almost all online casinos are run independently of land-based casinos. In the end, online casinos are all about convenience. Avoiding long drives, cluttered casinos and machine queues are some of the perks of gambling online. And, you have the choice where and when you want to play.
