With the invention and reliance on the internet, online gaming has revolutionised the gambling and casino industry. And this is in no way the only industry that has benefited from the internet.
Take Apple Tunes for example, which completely changed the way we could purchase music. No longer do we have to download an entire album, but we can instead download individual songs for just 99 cents each. Another good example is sites like Ebay and Amazon, both of which allowed consumers to get books, CD’s clothes, electronics, and just about anything else you can imagine shipped directly to your home. The invention of the Kindle changed the publishing industry, allowing indie authors to self-publish and build up a following, while we can easily receive a book in under a minute with the click of a button.
For some industries, changes in technology have actually made it harder or even impossible for them to do business. This includes video and DVD stores like Blockbuster, which was slowly driven out of business due to the invention of movie and tv streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix. Travel agents can no longer use price as a reason for clients to book with them, and need to rely on their knowledge of the industry and other unique selling propositions in order to remain relevant due to the prevalence of competing websites like Priceline, Hipmunk and Skyscanner.
Gambling is no stranger to the way that technology can change an industry. While actually sitting in a casino was once the only way that you could gamble, consumers can now lie on the couch and enjoy hours of entertainment and even win some money due to the many online gaming websites available- casino.netbet.co.uk is an excellent example of the types of user-friendly, high-quality and intuitive online gaming websites available.
The industry was initially only popular with young men, however this is no longer the case. older age groups and women are both enjoying online gaming, and the amount of female internet users in the age range of 16-75 has exploded, increasing more than 80% in Europe alone.
While the United States is dealing with groups which are unhappy with online gaming eating into their profits, and the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling is ramping up their efforts to get these websites shut down- even going as far as to hire lobbyists and consultants, it’s a different story in many other countries. Online gaming has long been a accepted form of entertainment in Britain, New Zealand and Australia, and many different states have since legalised online gambling, including Nevada, New Jersey and Delaware.
Many other states are beginning to recognise the potential profits they’re missing out on by taking such a hard stance on online gaming, and Mississippi, Louisiana, Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Iowa, Hawaii and California have all introduced legislation aiming to get online gaming legalised.
This is an industry which is no longer confined to swanky casinos and has embraced technology. There are many other industries which can learn from the online gaming industry’s example.
