How The iGaming Industry Conquered the Web Browsers

iGaming is a shady subject for most people because it encourages gambling which is another addiction that society has to deal with alongside drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Despite the negative side to real money iGaming, you almost have to admire the way the industry conducts itself on a technical level.

Streaming a couple of games to a user’s mobile or PC is one thing, but streaming thousands of casino games and handling thousands of web page requests to process bets is not an easy feat to achieve. Yet, there are more than 1,000 online gambling sites that do just this day in and day out 24/7. With so many operators, betting platforms, and software developers involved in iGaming, the industry is now worth billions worldwide.

According to one of the most reliable statistics sites out there, the online casino industry’s global worth is somewhere in the region of US$90 billion. When you consider the online gaming market's global worth is US$150 billion without including iGaming, and then take the fact that online gaming should appeal to a wider audience, and the figures for online gambling are astounding.

Just how has what many see as an unethical form of entertainment made so much money?

Ingenuity When It Comes to Coding

HTML5 is now the iGaming developer’s go-to system so online casino games are available on all mobile devices regardless of the operating system. HTML5 transports JavaScript into web browsers like Google Chrome and Safari. This makes it possible to play games with high graphic intensity and packed full of animations on a mobile device.

These games have no app download and no quirky processes to deal with. Players can simply open their web browser, click on their favourites tab to take them to their iGaming website, log in, click on the game they want to play and start playing video slots, roulette, poker, blackjack, or placing sports bets immediately.

Without HTML5, these websites would need an iOS, Android, Windows, and Blackberry app to reach the entire mobile market while also design downloads for Windows, Linux, and Mac desktop/laptop operating systems. On top of this, they would need to support each app, maintain them, and roll out regular updates for each.

Diverse Payment Methods

It Probably comes as no surprise that online betting sites offer tons of payment methods. eWallets, pre-paid cards, credit cards, bank transfers, wire transfers, and numerous other ways to top up a betting account are all options at many of today’s online betting sites. However, perhaps the most ingenious introduction to the iGaming scene is cryptocurrency.

Today casino players can not only choose to play using multiple currencies, but they can also use BTC, ETH, XRP, DASH, LTC, USDT, and many other cryptocurrencies with a public ledger.

Trustworthy Game Algorithms

With the emergence of multiple licensing authorities across Europe and the USA, many online casinos and poker websites all make sure that they use what is called a ‘Random Number Generator’ to make sure their games produce fair and random results.

These algorithms come under scrutiny at random at the say-so of remote gambling licensing authorities like the UK Gambling Commission.

In the crypto space, there is an even more ingenious solution to creating random results; one that players can go back and check themselves. This is known as a Provably Fair system which does the same job as a random number generator.

Without going into too much detail, instead of players relying on a licensing authority sending an algorithm testing firm to check games are fair, players can also check the results using free online software.

Either way, both these game results algorithms produce an outcome that entirely random and as close to the probability of the outcome a real-life dealer or croupier would produce. I

t is these computer-generated codes, testing, monitoring, and licensing authorities ensuring iGaming firms use these codes that instil trust into what is a mistrusted industry. All web browser games use these algorithms which is another reason the web browser iGaming segment is so successful.

Live Dealer Games

To finalise our journey into why this industry is worth billions of dollars and why it has conquered the web browser gaming market we will briefly touch on live dealer gaming. Above we mentioned computer-generated algorithms that are responsible for the results of a web browser operated virtual casino game.

Live dealer games are quite different and do not need an algorithm. These games operate using HTML5 tech for the betting system i.e. placing bets on the table, but the game itself is a physical table inside a casino studio hosted by a real-life dealer or croupier.

The entire experience is streamed via high-tech webcams, so players get to see the results unfold in front of their eyes.

Real roulette wheels, real dice, real cards, and real game hosts! The only thing that is virtual about these games is the chips used to place bets. This way of playing casino games is now the latest craze in the iGaming industry and what’s more is some of the games are inside brick and mortar casinos in London, Malta, New Jersey USA, and Nevada.

The Future of Web Browser Gaming

Web browser gaming has taken apps out of the picture and replaced them with the ability to play games without the need to download software. At a few clicks of a button, players pretty much have access to web browser gaming at their fingertips.

Whether this is a virtual game, a real-life table game streamed via webcam, a multi-player poker table, or sports betting site, players can use Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox or any other web browser from their mobile or desktop device to access iGaming platforms.

With internet speeds constantly improving, these games continue to be enhanced offering more engaging experiences and we can soon expect to see Virtual Reality take its place in the iGaming market. In the meantime, the industry is set to break through the $100 billion marks within the next half a decade.