First Win Online Casino

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Online casinos work just like brick-and-mortar casinos. They have the same types of games: slots, table games, and even live dealer games. The only difference is that you’re playing through a.

Online casinos first appeared some time in the mid-1990’s, and a number of brands have tried to lay claim that they were the first. We did some digging in an attempt to answer the question “who or what was the first online casino”.

Developing The First Casino Software

To run an online casino, you need online casino software – which is where we will begin.

1994: Microgaming Develop the First Casino Platform

According to their company history, Microgaming developed the first online casino software in 1994. However, the casino management tools and player tracking systems were not launched until 1995 implying that a fully functioning commercial online casino product was not, in fact, around in 1994.

1995: Cryptologic Join the Race

Nipping at their heels were brothers Andrew and Mark Rivkin who, in 1995, developed a secure online financial transaction system and founded a company now known as Cryptologic (formally Inter.tain.net Inc). Seeking a real world application of their brainchild, they set about developing some online casino software. A subsidiary, known as Wagerlogic, was set up to licence the software, and to also handle player support. Financial transactions were carried out by the companies payment processor, Ecash.

The First Casinos: InterCasino and Casino.co.za

With both companies now having a viable platform to run an online casino, the first branded online casinos made their appearance. For Cryptologic Software, the brand was InterCasino whilst Microgaming launched The Gaming Club. But who came first?

Microgaming: The Gaming Club (via Casino.co.za) – Sometime Between 1994 and 1998

On their website, The Gaming Club carries the tag line “established in 1994” – the same year that Microgaming had developed their software. However, according to Microgaming, The Gaming Club was not launched until 1998.

In addition to Microgamings claim, the ICANN record for gamingclub.com lists the domain being first registered on 1997-04-17 so if it existed it couldn’t have been on the domain that is currently in use.

Casino.co.za was the Precursor to The Gaming Club (1996 or Earlier)

It should be noted that Microgaming chose their words carefully, referring to The Gaming Club as “the first online casino to launch in collaboration with Microgaming software”. During our investigation we found another online casino that offered games provided by Microgaming which was around back in 1996 (archive) – we can’t say for sure when the site launched as archive.org only started keeping records in 1996.

The casino was exclusively for South African players and simply called casino.co.za (the website has long since gone and been replaced by an online gambling portal). Players who wanted to wager real money had to phone the casino to get an account number and password, and deposits were taken via credit card over the phone. You can see a snapshot of the site below or by using the way back machine.

Although as yet unconfirmed, it appears as though casino.co.za became The Gaming Club, and there is evidence on the casino.co.za website from 1997 to support this. The acquisition or renaming of casino.co.za may explain the claim made by The Gaming Club that they were established in 1994.

* This screenshot was taken from the archive of casino.co.za in 1997. Note the logo and copyright notice both refer to The Gaming Club.

Cryptologic: Intercasino Launches in 1996

Cryptologic announced completion of Intercasino Beta 1.00 (archive) on their company website (archive) on 4th July of 1996 (our american friends may see the irony in this date given the recent events surrounding online gambling in the USA). In the statement they claim:

“InterCasino is a client server application which allows users to connect from anywhere around the world, via the Internet, and gamble for real money. InterCasino is the first application of its kind.”

So What Was the First Online Casino?

Clearly the two contenders for first online casino are InterCasino and The Gaming Club, and both companies lay claim to this title – but who is correct? The answer actually comes down to how you define an online casino.

How the Intercasino and Gaming Club websites looked back in 1996/1997

We do not have the exact date that casino.co.za launched, but we have been able to find footprints going as far back as March 1996. Unfortunately we are unable to check when the domain was first registered as it has since dropped and been re-registered and thus has a much more recent registration date.

It is feasible that the site was launched in 1994 making this is the website that Microgaming are referring to when they make reference to their first casino being established in 1994. As there is also evidence that casino.co.za became gamingclub.com it supports their statement that The Gaming Club was established in 1994, albeit under a different name.

This means that The Gaming Club was likely the first site to offer online casino games for money (under the name casino.co.za and only in South Africa), although payments were not done online and had to be manually processed. Some could argued, therefore, that it wasn’t a fully fledged online casino.

We can’t say for certain when The Gaming Club went live with online payments, but as late as 1997 their website was still making reference to setting up accounts and submitting payments over the telephone:

Because we known Intercasino launched in 1996 and used the ecash system from day one, we can confidently say that Intercasino offered online account management and payments before Casino.co.za.

Or to put it another way, Microgaming were the first company to offer real money gaming on the internet (possibly as early as 1994), but Cryptologic were the first company to offer both casino games and an integrated online payment system (in 1996).

You’re spending some time browsing online because you don’t have anything else to do. Maybe you’re home, bored. Maybe you’re at work, but you completed your tasks and now you’re filling in the time left. Suddenly, an idea hits you: “Maybe I can try an online casino!”

Yes; you could. As long as you’re of legal age to gamble and you choose a good gambling site, you have great chances of winning money.

Online casinos work just like brick-and-mortar casinos. They have the same types of games: slots, table games, and even live dealer games. The only difference is that you’re playing through a computer, and the games from the Table category are powered by software. Other than that, you’re getting the same thrill and chances to win.

Win Casino Slots

However, you can’t just pick a website, make a deposit and start playing if you don’t know what you’re doing. If you lack experience, you need a basic gambling strategy that will help you win.

We have some tips for you!

Beginner’s Guide: How to Win at the Casino Online

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1. Choose a Reputable Gambling Website

You need a legitimate, safe casino to play in. It has to be licensed by a well-known authority, such as the New Zealand Gambling Commission, Malta Gambling Authority, or the UK Gambling Commission. Online casinos should also be audited by an independent body, such as eCOGRA.

It’s not easy to know if it’s a good site by your first impression. We recommend all gamblers to read several iCasinoReviews, so they will narrow down their list of reputable sites. Then, they will make their choice based on the benefits they get at these sites. Speaking of benefits, let’s go to the second point:

2. Benefit from Bonus Offers

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As you browse through different gambling sites, you’ll notice they give you free money. This is a strategy that attracts new players and keeps loyal ones gambling at the same site. They want you to play more games, so you’ll get used to the website and you won’t go to any competitor.

Now; it’s important to understand that bonuses come with playthrough requirements. When you make a deposit and get additional free money to your balance, you must wager that welcome bonus for 30, 50, 60, or any set number of times before you’re able to withdraw any winnings.

Experienced players aren’t that interested in these bonuses, since they play big and want their money right away. But for beginners who like to make small deposits of $10, bonuses are the real deal. Some casinos will even give you no-deposit bonuses with a chance to win real money. Who wouldn’t want that?

First Win Online Casinos

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3. Read the Terms

Wait; wasn’t this going to be a beginner’s guide on how to win money through online gambling? Why are we going through this boring step when you could just deposit some money and start playing?

If you don’t understand the terms, it’s easy to make mistakes that will get your account blocked. You can’t have multiple profiles. Be careful; read the terms so you’ll start playing safely, knowing that you can withdraw any money you win. No matter is it a top online casino with ecoPayz deposits or the most popular casino with your favorite slots – knowing terms and conditions is a MUST.

It’s also important to consider the banking methods. Choose a method that’s available for both deposits and withdrawals. Pay attention to the waiting time. E-wallets are usually faster than cards and bank wires.

4. Play Your Favorite Games

Beginners usually go with slots, since these games don’t have a learning curve. You’re entirely dependent on software. You just make bets and click to play. Slots give you a chance for huge jackpot wins. This is called a progressive jackpot, which accumulates the money that each gambler bets. However, the odds are small. The house has a higher edge on these games. But they are fun for beginners so if you enjoy playing with small amounts, go ahead!

If you know how to play blackjack, it would be best to build your gambling strategy around it. It’s the casino game with the lowest house edge (around 1% in most casinos). Blackjack is easier to learn, since you’re not playing against professional players. It’s just the dealer and your luck.

There are detailed online guides on how to play blackjack well, so check them out if you’re willing to learn.

5. Stay Within Your Comfort Zone

Gambling and comfort zone? Is there such a combination, really? There is. This is the golden rule to follow when you engage in casino games: never bet more than you feel comfortable losing. Do not play with your entire savings. Do not deposit your entire salary. Deposit small amounts of money that you invest in having fun. If you lose it, it’s no big deal.

You’re not a professional gambler. You’re just a beginner and you should stand your ground. Set a monthly budget for gambling. It may be $50, $100, or whatever other amount that you don’t mind spending. You may win a lot of money with this amount. But if that doesn’t happen, you won’t get broke.

Go with the Flow!

Gambling strategies are pretty simple:

  • You choose a good casino
  • You get the welcome bonus
  • Read the terms
  • Choose a game to play (but you learn it well first)
  • Stay safe with your bets

First Win Online Casino Real Money

Your strategy should be simple, based on a few important rules. They still let you have a lot of fun and go with the flow.

First Win Online Casino No Deposit

Did you choose your favorite online casino yet?