Online casino

As a rule, online casinos provide the opportunity to play the same gambling as in conventional casinos (roulette, poker, keno ).

However, during a real game, the probability of winning or losing depends on many objective factors: these include the initial location of the cards, the methodology and intensity of the shuffle, the number of players at the table, and other reasons.

In an online casino, the result of a game is generated using the built-in program - a random number generator . This is a part of the game that performs only one function - it constantly generates rows of random numbers. At the moment when the player presses the Spin button on the gaming machine or spins the roulette wheel, the program takes a sequence of numbers from the RNG and interprets it as a result of the game round.

From the side it seems that there is no significant difference in what determines the outcome of the game. In both cases, it depends on random factors. However, in reality, real and online games can lead to different results ^[3] .

The first online casinos date back to 1994, when Microgaming developed the first online gambling platform. At the same time, the state of Antigua and Barbuda adopted the “Law on Free Trade and Information Processing” ^[4] , which defines the mechanism for issuing licenses to representatives of the gambling business. This bill has contributed to the development of the industry on the Internet.

Until 1998, online casinos developed quite evenly. But it was in the 98th that there was an increase in the popularity of such sites. The reason for the rapid growth of public interest in casino sites was the introduction of the concept of "progressive jackpot ". The essence of this innovation was that part of the casino's profit was returned to the players in the form of large accumulated jackpots. These wins received units, but the opportunity provoked a lot of people to play.

The year 2001 was the year of growth for online casinos. At that time, most of the playgrounds appeared and finally gained a foothold in the market ^{[ what? ]} . The number of manufacturers of gaming software has grown, new gambling has appeared.

The activities of online casinos are controlled, and in some countries, including Russia, it is completely prohibited. Most countries have developed and implemented special bills that stipulate the features and rules of online gambling business in their territory. Approaches to the regulation of such activities can be divided into 3 groups:

1. A complete ban on all online casinos. Representatives: USA , Canada , Japan , Estonia .
2. Issuance of very limited online gambling licenses. Representatives: France , Germany , Italy .
3. Licensing of all types of gambling activities, including on the Internet, without any strict restrictions. Representatives: Costa Rica , Antigua and Barbuda , Panama , Malta , Gibraltar .

Control over the activities of gambling establishments in the Russian Federation is described in the law "On state regulation of the organization and conduct of gambling" of January 1, 2007 ^[2] . According to this bill, gambling establishments can be placed exclusively in special gambling zones , and the registration and licensing of online casinos is also prohibited. To circumvent the law, online casinos receive permits in other countries.

The safety of online casino players is one of the most important and frequently discussed topics in the field of online gambling business. The increase in the number of virtual casinos has led to the widespread dissemination of various fraudulent schemes targeted by players. Sometimes scammers duplicate an existing online casino.

Some online casinos run campaigns related to the fight against fraudsters.

The user should pay attention to the following factors:

• License The following data must be indicated on the casino website: license number, name of the organization that issued the license, link to its official website.
• Software maker . High-quality online casinos indicate the manufacturers of the games presented on the site. This way you can find out who provided the software and is responsible for its reliability and quality.
• Support . Players should be provided with information about organizations that control the activities of the casino and provide assistance to people who are addicted to gambling.
• User reviews . An important characteristic of any game project is user reviews. They form an overall picture of the attitude of players to a particular institution, allowing less experienced visitors to navigate.
• Brand As in any other business area, the brand plays a huge role in the selection of online casinos. People often trust proven reputable institutions than novices. Famous brands, in turn, monitor the quality of their sites, supporting a positive audience opinion.

Licenses of some countries (e.g. Curacao , Cyprus ) guarantee fair play. Most of all, pay attention to the software used, the executable part of which is on the side of the manufacturer. This eliminates the possibility of twisting the results of the game. Giants such as Novomatic , Net Entertainment , Microgaming and others, when they provide official software to a specific gaming hall, control the use of games on their side. It is necessary to ensure that the software is officially presented on the casino website .

• Gambling business
• gambling addiction
• Browser games