There’s no denying the impact that broadband internet continues to have on the online gaming experience, especially iGaming. With more players more than ever choosing to play their favorite casino games at home or on a mobile app, the subject is about the inseparable relationship between the iGaming arena and the growing broadband internet. Before logging in or joining your favorite iGaming site, read this article to learn about the amazing ways the internet continues to propel the iGaming world.
Understanding iGaming: A New Breed of Casino Play
If this is your first rodeo dealing with iGaming, better known as online casinos, iGaming is the digital version of the traditional retail casino experience. Formal iGaming has been around since 1994. However, it was very limited in countries and games available. However, the biggest reason for its limitation was due because of the Internet. Unfortunately, the original dial-up modem was not up to the task of consistently handling the Adobe Flash graphics.
Because of the frequent crashes and limited internet, the first generation of iGaming was mostly hit or miss. However, come the early 2000s, things began to change for the better for the struggling iGaming scene.
The Dawn of Broadband Internet
While we take for granted the amazing capabilities of broadband internet, mostly fiber and cable internet, they weren’t always around. Come the early 2000s, the concept of broadband internet became mainstream. The DSL was a much-needed improvement for a more stable internet connection.
Also, during the 2000s, iGaming sites were only available outside of American shores. Taking advantage of the improving internet connection, the top gaming developers like Microgaming and NetEnt began refining their slots and early table games with better graphics and technology.
With the early stages of video slots, offshore casinos took off. Many players, especially in America, still frustrated that online casinos weren’t available in their neck of the woods, became loyalists for offshore casinos licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, especially, or in many cases, playing at unlicensed casinos.
With the early stages of broadband internet, the allure of 24/7 gaming while being able to work around geo-restrictions slightly began to take root. Another advantage of the emergence of broadband was more iGaming variety. Some players don’t have access to retail casinos in their area, so having multiple options makes them feel engaged and inspired to contribute to these iGaming sites.
The Rise of Broadband Internet
The world of iGaming would get another much-needed assist with the first waves of cable internet. Cable internet forever changed the game because iGaming operators now had the proper bandwidth to fully unleash the new generation of slot and table games.
Also, Adobe Flash technology was being phased out in favor of the more improved HTML5 technology and Javascript. With more functional slots and table games, the true golden era of iGaming began.
Also, in the late 2000s, Bitcoin came onto the scene. While Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are now celebrated as being traded on Wall Street, they have become household names because of crypto casinos. Taking full advantage of the emerging cable internet and better game graphics, crypto casinos became the number one type of iGaming site that players worldwide flocked to.
Besides stable internet connections and gorgeous graphics, crypto casinos also pushed the bar for the incredible UX design that we love and take for granted at today’s iGaming sites. Pushing the bar further, crypto casinos also ushered in the era of registering and playing anonymously, especially at tournaments.
Because crypto is de-centralized, players could get their winning that day or faster than most credit card and e-checking payouts. The concept of fast and instant withdrawals stated with the early crypto casinos, and it is now a key feature for today’s spectacular iGaming sites.
The Birth of American iGaming
Come 2012 with broadband and cable internet now in the homes across the country, states like Delaware and New Jersey finally launched legal iGaming. With the proper graphics and bandwidth, live dealer games were finally able to thrive. While the concept of live dealer play has been around since the 2000s, the internet and graphics were subpar.
However, today, Evolution Gaming and Ionic 21 for sweeps iGaming present their live streams in stunning 4k resolution that is so real that you can’t tell if you’re playing in person or not. Also the concept of broadband internet also ushered in the amazing era of jackpot slots. Seemingly, every week, players win multi-million dollar jackpots seamlessly from the comfort of their homes or outside on their mobile devices.
Even mobile internet is more sophisticated. No longer do the top iGaming sites need a separate mobile site. Players can simply log in from their mobile device and pick up where they left off wherever the iGaming site is legal. Through the rise of sweepstakes casinos and with the top sweepstakes apps, players can play at their favorite sites effortlessly in over 40 states.
