The internet has changed a lot of markets and industries. Shopping, for example, is easier now than ever, in large part thanks to the developing e-commerce companies. Entertainment, information, travel, and communications are all much simpler as well, thanks to the digital revolution. But, what many people did not anticipate, is that the gambling industry would thrive thanks to the internet.
Online casinos have taken the world by storm. A lot of platforms have gotten overnight success, and many are still building a fan base. With websites like the PointsBet online casino getting to explore the gambling industry is easier than ever now. But, there are a lot of things that people need to understand about the iGaming market in 2025. That is why, in this article, we are going to delve into the nitty gritty.
Legality and Legitimacy
The first topic we need to discuss is legality, and whether online casinos are regulated by law. However, that is a difficult topic to tackle, as it isn’t really a simple yes or no question. As is the case with land-based gambling, online gambling is subjected to different laws, depending on the country. For example, there are places where it is tightly regulated, and there are also nations that have outright banned it.
However, the real issue comes when the books don’t have any laws regarding online casinos. As iGaming is a relatively new, and developing industry, a lot of countries simply have not implemented any laws relating to gambling online. There are, for example, places where it is illegal to operate an online casino, but it isn’t illegal to play at an online casino.
Some may wonder how it is possible to gamble online, if operating an online gambling business is illegal. Well, the truth is there are plenty of offshore websites, that can be accessed worldwide. Many have their doubts about offshore casinos. However, the truth is that, as long as they are licensed, offshore online casinos are likely just as safe as domestic or land-based counterparts.
For those who don’t know, licenses are a sort of stamp of approval, issued by a gambling commission backed by a government. The most successful and most trusted gambling commissions operate out of European countries, like Malta, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom, or from Caribbean countries, like Curacao. So, if you spot a website licensed by these nations, you can bet that it is legitimate.
Casinos and Sportsbooks
The one thing that often leads to a discussion on gambling-related forums is whether sports betting should fall under the umbrella of iGaming. For as long as sports have been around, there have been those who’ve shown an interest in betting on them. From world baseball to boxing, horse races, car chases, and of course, football, the sports betting market is now bigger than ever.
We largely have online sportsbooks to thank for that. But, the question is, are betting sites and casinos a part of one greater whole? There is no easy answer to this question. Obviously, there is a correlation between sports betting and gambling. Often, we can find casinos that offer odds on popular sports. There are also plenty of slot games inspired by sports like baseball and soccer.
On the other hand, enjoying one hobby, doesn’t necessarily mean you will like the other. A lot of sports betting fans only like to wager as a secondary form of entertainment, next to actually watching the sport. For casino goers, the games themselves are the primary reason they attend. In other words, it would seem like enjoying sports is a prerequisite for sports betting (for the most part).
Certainly, we can see an argument in favor of including sports betting under the umbrella of iGaming. However, we would also like to mention a caveat that, just because one enjoys sports betting, does not mean that they will enjoy online casino games, or vice versa. That being said, the two industries are definitely intertwined, and influence each other in multiple ways.
Cryptocurrency and Casinos
Cryptocurrency has been one of the main topics discussed on the internet in the past decade. Since Satoshi Nakamoto famously mined the very first Bitcoin in 2009, debates about the future of digital and decentralized currency have raged on. Recently, however, crypto has also become a hot button issue in mainstream media and pop culture.
As interest in the market grows, more businesses are becoming interested in finding ways to profit from crypto. Online casinos, for example, were among the first to fully embrace this new and exciting trend. Today, a lot of gambling sites offer a variety of transaction methods for gamblers who want to keep their credit card information off of the internet. Cryptocurrency is among the most popular deposit options.
In fact, digital coins have become such a popular transaction method that there are websites dedicated entirely to crypto-based gambling. These “crypto-casinos,” as they’ve come to be called, became quite a huge hit for a long while. However, recently, their popularity is veining. But, don’t worry, it isn’t because crypto has lost favor. In fact, quite the opposite.
The reason crypto casinos are no longer such a hit is because there is really no need for them. Crypto-based deposits have become standard practice at online casinos, and many websites have diversified beyond just Bitcoin. Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and Ripple are all very popular choices for fans who want to place a wager or two on their favorite game.
Key Notes
The iGaming industry is here to stay. Online casinos make gambling a lot more accessible, and in some ways, even safer than ever before. On top of that, they offer opportunities for wagering using alternative methods, including cryptocurrency, which seems to be a huge hit. That being said, the industry is still relatively new, so many governments around the world simply don’t know how to regulate it yet. Fans might find it difficult to access any online casinos in their area, especially if their government has created laws against that type of thing.