2006: What will the Year Bring to Online Gambling
The online gambling sector was on some major rotation in 2005
with online casino promotions becoming bigger and better,
gambling events merging online and offline marketing and a
number of casino operators even making their way onto the London
Stock Exchange.
New software technology and online casino games hit the market,
making 2005 one of the busiest years yet. But more importantly
there are a lot of excited gamblers and investors waiting to see
what the major online casinos and poker rooms will bring to the
table for 2006.
Perhaps some cutting-edge, innovative gambling software or
drastically improved Internet security technology that will add
an entirely new dimension to what it means to play online. Or
could we be looking forward to even bigger prize pools and
tournaments that go beyond the likes of PartyPoker's "Poker
Tournament Cruise" or the Fortune Lounge Group's "International
Casino Games".
Over the past year the online casinos have done a lot to make
the process of online gambling more involved and exciting for
the player. Traditional download casino software saw the
addition of new technology designed to make the online casinos
more enjoyable and convenient. Java applications and
instant-play Flash casino games helped players obtain immediate
access without downloading or installing software.
Mobile casino games have also become the growing trend within
global entertainment markets, and many players enjoy great
games, like poker and Blackjack from their hand-held devices.
This technological revolution has allowed players to take their
favorite online casinos and poker rooms with them.
Maybe a change is brewing in the way gamers play online, and
with the increase in casino and poker room endorsements by
eCommerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance, eCOGRA,
responsible gambling and player protection is becoming
increasingly the norm online.
In South Africa, for example, Internet gambling is not really
legal, but the National Gambling Board in that country, is
trying to get above-mentioned sector legitimated by the Trade
and Industry Ministry. This could mean that South Africans
earning a substantial living off playing casino games or poker
online could be in for the tax ride of their lives.
The question is whether 2006 will see the similar kind of
phenomenon and originality that online gambling provided in the
previous year. With the ever-increasing penetration and
affordability of online entertainment, more and more players are
joining in the fun at online casinos, and this creates healthy
competition that is often the reason for fresh features and
innovative technology.
Whatever this New Year brings, one things for sure, that
financially the rewards stand to quadruple in the next four
years, with the legalization of Internet gambling promising an
estimated USD25 billion burst into economic markets.
So while online casinos vie for our consumer interests, we can
enjoy the benefits or more appealing and interactive casino
technology while we await the financial rewards of a
revolutionary industry.