On the internet, everyone can find entertainment that suits them best; some prefer playing games fighting monsters and going on quests, others prefer intelligent puzzles. Some try their luck at online casinos. The gross gaming yield was forecasted to reach $130 billion in 2019 for casinos across the globe. If you’re new to online gambling and want to know what it’s all about, carry on reading to get the inside scoop with these six interesting facts:
- Men gamble more than women
According to research, around 84% of gamblers are male, making them the majority. However, BingoSites.bet can confirm the reverse is true (75% female) for those playing on mobile bingo sites and apps — Android and iOS. Interestingly enough, the very first legal casino license issued in Las Vegas was given to a woman named Mayme Stocker back in 1920 for the opening of her Northern Club venue.
With regards to the ages of gamblers, those 30 and older are more inclined to gamble than those below this age.
- Citizens of Monaco are not allowed to gamble
Monaco is a sovereign city-state, country and microstate on the French Riviera famous for Formula 1 races, Grace Kelly and, of course, gambling — note the Monte Carlo Casino (Casino de Monte-Carlo). However, since the 1800s citizens of Monaco have not been allowed to gamble in Monte Carlo Casino. The motivation behind Monaco’s first casino was to avoid bankruptcy with the help of the money spent in the casinos, but they didn’t want that to be fluttered away by locals with a gambling addiction.
Because of this law, visitors must show their passport at the door before entering any casinos in the famous Monte Carlo complex in order to prove they’re not citizens of Monaco.
- You can’t count cards playing online blackjack
Everyone knows that many experienced blackjack players count the cards in an attempt to give themselves an advantage, i.e. to decrease the house edge. Although, the practice isn’t explicitly prohibited, many land-based casinos sanction this type of behaviour. Card counting isn’t that difficult – you just assign different values to low and high cards in the deck and keep count as the cards are dealt.
However, this only works in land-based casinos where the deck doesn’t get shuffled before every hand. In online blackjack, the Random Number Generator always starts with a simulated shuffle of the cards, making card counting useless and essentially impossible.
- You can play for free
It takes some time to get used to gambling and learn the types of games you wish to play. Regardless of whether you go for slots, bingo, roulette, blackjack or something else, you’ll need to learn the rules and the basics of the game you’re playing. That’s why nowadays most online casinos offer players a chance to play without having to make real money wagers. This is a great opportunity for both new players as well as for those that enjoy the games but don’t want to risk any funds. Demo versions or free play versions are the perfect option for spending-free fun.
- The first game of bingo was played in Italy in 1530
The first ever bingo game was believed to appear in Italy in 1530. It was called “Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia” and is still being played. Today the Italian state lottery contributes to the state budget with more than 75 million dollars.
Now, with the widespread use of the internet, more and more people are transferring from the crowded bingo halls to online bingo sites. Online bingo is highly popular with players in the UK who prefer to match the numbers from the comfort of their homes. Also, thanks to the chat feature available on online bingo sites, many of them are able to join communities of sorts, just like in traditional bingo halls.
- The Random Number Generator is everything
The first thing you need to learn when you enter the gambling community is what a random number generator (RNG) is.
Basically, the RNG is the brains of the slot machine, like a microprocessor similar to the one in the laptops and personal computers that we have in every home. This microprocessor runs a special program called RNG which generates numbers that correspond with what we see as players, such as the symbols of the slot machine.
This isn’t unusual and it’s definitely not limited to online gambling. In fact, all the gambling machines that you see in a traditional land-based casinos use the same kind of software to determine their outcomes too.
The parameters for these programs usually correspond to the game you’re playing, which means you’re getting the same odds you would when playing in a land-based casino. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing poker, bingo, or slots, the computer program works in the same way. Parameters are the only thing that change in this case.
Interesting, isn’t it? People are passionate about gambling, even those who have never been to any casino. Online gambling can be a lot of fun and a good way to supplement finances, but it’s always important to know exactly what you’re getting into. Hopefully, these 6 cool facts about online casinos help you decide whether or not they’re for you!