Gambling Online Apps

In 1994 a little-known company in South Africa called Microgaming developed what they claim to be the first online casino software in the world. Later, Microgaming released the first ever online casino, from which the online gambling industry was born. Since its humble beginnings, the industry has grown exponentially, and online casino technology has evolved with it.

In the past, the App Store and Google Play Store banned real money casino apps. As online casino sites pivoted to HTML5, allowing mobile users to access responsive sites, Apple and Google loosened regulation in their respective app stores and started to feature gambling apps. There are hundreds of different Android casino games. Most of the mobile casino apps for Android have the most popular gambling and card games, such as slots, blackjack, roulette and poker.

The dawn of an industry

While other companies besides Microgaming might claim to have been the first to create an online casino game, none of them would have been able to without the Free Trade and Processing Act, which allowed licensing for online gambling sites. The bill was passed in Antigua and Barbuda in 1994, and later that same year The Gaming Club was released — the first true online gambling website (if you believe Microgaming was indeed first). Microgaming had the first foot in the door, but InterCasino were quick to follow with a website of their own, which launched in 1996.

By 1998 the online casino industry had already started becoming quite crowded, and online casino game developers around the world were releasing new content at a frenzied rate. Microgaming stepped it up again, leaving their competitors behind, and hit on another industry first – the progressive jackpot. Maybe they knew, maybe they didn’t, but the release of their online slot game Cash Splash, would change the new-found industry forever.

Their progressive jackpot meant that a portion of every spin would be pooled together to form the jackpot, which would grow as more spins were played on the online slot game. The jackpot could only be triggered if a specific combination of symbols was scored on the game. Having started the industry all those years ago, Microgaming is still one of the biggest companies in online casino software development.

While there were many online games being developed at this time, development of new online casino sites was slow because of the relatively simple nature of the internet in the 90s. Back then, it was still uncommon to have the internet in your home.

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Still, some companies recognized the potential growth and popularity of online gambling and couldn’t wait to get on the bandwagon. Intertops was one of the earliest to strike – as a sports betting company that had taken bets over the phone since 1983, they were now poised to adapt to the fast-growing phenomenon that was the internet.

While online casino games like slots were the first form of real money gambling, the game that would properly bring the online gambling industry to the masses, was online poker.

Poker puts the spotlight on online gambling

By 1998 online casinos were starting to gain more popularity, and the industry was blown open by yet another newcomer to the scene – a little online poker site called Planet Poker.

For almost a year after Planet Poker went up, it was the only game in town. But their success and exclusivity were short-lived, as they had only spurred on all of their competition. By 1999 other poker sites like Party Poker, Paradise Poker and PokerStars started cropping up, all aiming to cash in on Planet Poker’s innovation. Party Poker would go on to become one of the most popular online gambling sites in the world.

By the turn of the century the popularity of online gambling sites had skyrocketed. As the internet became a staple in people’s households, more players were joining the world-wide community of online gamblers.

In 2005, the USA became acutely aware of the popularity of online casinos and sought to prohibit US citizens from playing on gambling sites from abroad. The law was not successfully passed, but the attempt at localizing their citizen’s online gambling did leave an impression on foreign casino owners, who began to close their sites to American players – this scare soon passed.

Modern Online Gambling

In the years following the initial boom in the popularity of online casinos, massive numbers of new online casinos and games were released. As online casino game developers refined their designs and brought out more and more exciting games, technology moved forward at an alarming rate.

There were now hundreds of online casinos with new, beautifully designed games on offer. Whether you wanted to play online poker, blackjack, slots, or even baccarat, you were sure to find what you wanted.

As their popularity grew, the classic casino games were evolving and being retrofitted for this new online environment. Free spins, bonus games, and many more enhancements were made possible by the progress in technology and the developer’s ability to implement it.

These days 3D and video slots have all but sidelined their classic ancestors, and the introduction of virtual and augmented reality to online poker and blackjack have done the same. New games and software are being released constantly, and big gambling software companies are always trying to outdo each other.

The online gambling industry is constantly evolving and transforming to remain as relevant as possible – to the point of fitting in players’ pockets.

Online goes mobile

By the early 2000’s, new innovations such as smartphones and tablets were starting to change the way we lived our lives and, indeed, the way we wanted to play our online casino games. Mobile gaming had entered the scene, and the online gambling industry was about to realize its true potential.

The United Kingdom took the lead in the adoption of mobile gaming into the gambling industry, when in 2003 having a 3G connection enabled you to use “The Betting Site”. Right from your phone, you could place bets with your choice of five different bookmakers. This meant that you could now indulge in your favorite online pastime while you were on the go. After the release of the iPhone in 2007, and the App Store in July of 2008, there was no looking back – the way forward was mobile casino games apps.

During the first year of the App Store’s release, Texas Hold’em was on the list of the most downloaded iPhone apps. These online casino apps took to their new mobile environment even more naturally that they did to computers or laptops. Poker, slots, sportsbooks, anything you wanted to play or bet on could now be carried with you everywhere you went. Public Wi-Fi was not so prevalent yet, but the possibility existed and, as we now know, it caught on.

Technology never waits

With the increasing popularity and availability of virtual and augmented reality, as well as other developments in gaming technology and software, online casinos are not done changing yet. You can already experience live casino games, VR poker, and VR blackjack at certain online casinos, and augmented reality games are already widely available on mobile platforms.

As technological advancements continue to shape the world around us, it will continue to shape the world of online gambling too. The most significant of the changes over the lifetime of the industry revolve around the choices available to players. More platforms, more games, more developers, and more players means more change and more development in online casinos and the games they provide.

Try your luck with BetMGM

Technology may change, but our commitment to offering you the best online gambling experience won’t. At BetMGM we feature some of the most cutting-edge and popular online casino games available. From Live poker and blackjack to hundreds of great online slots games, BetMGM delivers one of the best online gambling experiences available. Sign up with us today to put our technology to the test.

Online addictions can take on many forms. Whether you’re losing precious hours on video-streaming sites, social media platforms, or gambling online, there’s a fine line between addiction and responsible use.

A decision to change will get you headed in the right direction. But the realities of our online behavior today – with ubiquitous internet browsing only clicks away from our devices – are challenging for even the most determined users.

What can you do if you’re struggling with gambling online?

In our experience we’ve found it helpful to use tools and resources to alter your environment. These tweaks will help you during those times when your willpower runs low.

Let’s talk about how to do it.

Understanding Online Gambling Addiction

The first step to curbing an online gambling problem is to thoroughly understand the challenge.

Heavy gamblers have a tendency to blame themselves when they can’t stop. They tell themselves that they just aren’t disciplined enough, that if only they could be like their non-gambler friends, that things would work out.

This couldn’t be further from the truth!

The real culprit: online gambling’s effect on brain chemistry. Every little win triggers a burst of dopamine, our natural reward chemical. Gambling addiction isn’t unique in this regard. You’ll experience similar dopamine spikes whenever you level up in that online game or get a “like” on your Facebook post.

We also have to consider how much easier it is to gamble online. Instead of driving to a casino, our devices allow us to bring the casinos to us. You’re managing virtual chips or credits instead of watching a stack of chips shrink and expand in front of you. Online gambling also allows us to play multiple games at once. Professional Texas Hold ‘Em players often use multiple monitors and play dozens of hands at a time.

Ease of access, the accelerated pace of the games, and dopamine rushes make it completely understandable why this can become a struggle.

Neurological research has even connected non-drug behavioral addictions (including gambling) to changes in the brain – and all the associated cravings, impaired control, withdrawal – to those found in people who abuse drugs.

How to Use Freedom to Stop Gambling Online

Now that we understand the severity of the online gambling issue, let’s explore practical solutions.

This isn’t a matter of willpower or lack of effort. Some dopamine reward circuits get ingrained so deeply that you might find yourself on gambling websites before you even realize what’s happening. The craving, behavior, and response happen unconsciously.

One of the best ways to eliminate this?

Place more barriers between yourself and the addictive behavior. The pattern right now is probably to sit down at your computer or whip out your phone and navigate to a gambling website a few seconds later. So let’s disrupt this cycle!

The Freedom App can help you do just that. It’s an app that allows you to block dangerous websites for as long as you choose. Instead of using willpower to stop yourself every time you feel an urge to gamble, which is unsustainable and exhausting, make a decision once and schedule your blocks beforehand.

Not only does this keep you from visiting dangerous websites. It also raises awareness of how often you’re trying to do so. Freedom works on Windows, Mac, and iOS devices. Apply your settings once, then get protection across multiple platforms and devices.

Two of Freedom’s most useful features for those struggling with online gambling are recurring block sessions and Locked mode. Let’s discuss those in turn:

Tools and Features to Quit Online Gambling

Recurring Block Sessions

A recurring block session is simply a way for you to schedule when you won’t be allowed to access certain websites. Think of it like adding an event to a calendar app; you set it up once, and it repeats as often as you choose. You get to customize how long block sessions run, whether it’s only during times when you’re most susceptible to gambling or even all the time.

How do you do it?

If you’re using Mac or Windows, start by launching the Freedom app and logging in. Choose Recurring session on the dashboard.

Next, you’ll create a name for your recurring block session (you could even call it something like “Gambling Distractions”), as well as select start and end times when you want the block to run:

In the example above, the recurring block is set to only on weekdays. If you’re serious about avoiding gambling websites, you could check every day.

Once you have your timing set up, you’ll choose which websites to block and the devices you’ll block them on.

Blocklists are simply groups of websites you’d like to avoid. You can make your own by adding specific websites, or choose from our pre-made filters.

To make things even more user-friendly, we recently added category filters. Applying the gambling filter makes it easier to block a group of some of the most popular websites within the gambling category.

When building your blocklist, all you have to do is click the plus button beside the category marked gambling.

Setting up recurring block sessions is similar if you’re using Freedom on an iOS device.

Start by launching the app, logging in, and then selecting the sessions tab at the bottom of the screen:

Choose select a session, and you’ll be taken to a menu where you name the recurring session and select when the session starts and ends.

Now it’s time to choose which days you want your block session to repeat. Just check the arrows for every day you want.

Finally, choose which blocklists you’ll include and the devices to block. Hit save and you’re done.

Locked Mode

Recurring block sessions run automatically once they are set up. The Freedom app gives users multiple ways to overrule them: quitting the Freedom app on your desktop computer, or deleting a blocked device from your Freedom dashboard (works with both desktops and iOS devices).

We want to give our users as much flexibility and ownership of their web browsing experience as possible. For some people, simply running into the block during a recurring session is enough to get them to change their minds and get back to work.

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But what about those truly overwhelming cravings?

Enter Locked Mode.

Locked Mode makes it impossible for you to quit block sessions, delete blocklists, or access blocked devices while in a session. Whenever you’re feeling an urge strong enough to overrule the block, just activate locked mode to force yourself to stick to the program.

Enabling Locked Mode is simple. Just go to your Freedom dashboard, then check Locked Mode under options

Once Locked mode is enabled, you can’t disable it while a block session is active.

Other Recommended Resources for Those Who Believe They Have a Gambling Addiction

We aren’t healthcare professionals. With that said, here at Freedom we believe that using our software to change your environment is a great first step to avoid the destructive impact of online gambling addictions.

Here are a few more great resources to explore that go beyond the behavior itself, helping you more fully understand the root of addiction and how to overcome it:

• The National Council on Problem Gambling Resources page. The NCPG’s mission is to serve as an advocate for programs and services to assist problem gamblers, as well as their loved ones. Their massive resources page compiles awareness tools and materials, links to other gambling-related websites and organizations, and even a 24-hour confidential hotline. Although the NCPG is based in the U.S., the resources page includes links to problem gambling resources worldwide.
• The Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario online tools page. Visitors can take quizzes to determine the scope of their gambling problem, monitor urges, and connect with others in a community forum. Also includes resources for family and friends.
• GamCare’s support and treatment page. This UK-based charitable organization offers free gambling self-assessment tools, financial management help, and free helplines.
• Lifeline’s Problem Gambling page. This national charity offers all Australians free resources ranging from fact sheets and symptom guides, to support chats and 24/7 phone hotlines.
• The Nevada Council on Problem Gambling. This nonprofit focuses on raising awareness and education about gambling addiction while advocating for quality treatment. The website is full of resources to understand the nature of problem gambling and get help – even if you live outside of Nevada.

Your Turn

Figuring out how to stop gambling online can seem overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.

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Yes, overcoming this challenge takes time and determination. Understanding the psychological triggers behind the issue while empowering yourself with cutting-edge tools that change your behavior will increase your chances of success.

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The Freedom app can help. By using features like recurring block sessions and Locked mode, you can bring awareness to unconscious addictive behaviors – and put one more obstacle between yourself and dangerous gambling websites.