Online casinos have had a transformative impact on the gaming world. They’ve changed so much in the short space of 25 years that even the regionality we would usually associate with these types of markets has altered.
For instance, before the internet, casinos were typically successful but localized businesses. They had their locality and customer base, and except for a cluster of high-profile brands, they often stuck to the cities where they originated. However, as soon as the online casino market emerged, the landscape changed forever.
The best casinos were no longer those chosen by half a dozen local providers; they were global operators who had turned this new source and new platform into an avenue to attract an international audience.
While the best online casinos in Ireland in the modern market are a mix of the highest-rated international brands and some brands that are closer to home, there’s no denying that the best online casinos, or those that have made the most significant impact, were able to spot this change ahead of the rest of the market and develop a brand before everybody else got a foot in the door. However, to understand this better, we must return to where it all began.
What Is the History of Online Casinos in Ireland?
The Mid-90s and the Early 00s
It’s hard to believe that the first online casino launched in 1994. Back then, the market was totally different to what it is today.
Smartphone apps and tablets dominate today’s multibillion-pound market, but 30 years ago, the internet was much slower, the levels of computer literacy were lower, and it was an expensive business having a home PC setup. Simply put, the market was not there, and this was just as true in Ireland as it was everywhere else.
The Celtic Tiger period in Irish history was a particularly busy time in the tech world, with some of the biggest tech companies and fintech providers setting up shop in the Emerald Isle.
As house prices soared in the mid-2000s, a level they’ve only just recently surpassed, this ultimately resulted in a raft of new tech companies looking to break into this Irish market, and as technology became cheaper and more accessible, alongside the internet, more Irish people than ever were introduced to the vastness of the online casino gaming world.
However, up until the UK Gambling Act of 2005, there was no real push from countries in the West, including Ireland, to legalize online gambling. It was very much a Wild West, gambling operators were still juggling legislation from 1931 and 1956 and applying it to the rise of online casinos. It was outdated, and it needed a change to get up to speed.
2015 Amendment
As the number of online Irish casino players soared, and some of the biggest gambling conglomerates set up their offices in Dublin, it became clear that the Irish regulations and legislation needed to reflect this transformative change in the gambling market.
The decade preceding the 2015 amendment to the gambling laws saw a surge in the number of offshore operators providing services to Irish customers, but they were not doing so within the confines of the law, up until the 2015 change that meant that online gambling companies could now access the Irish market as long as they abided by the new legislation.
Navigating the New Landscape
Understandably, as soon as this legislation came into force, the number of online casinos in Ireland soared. It was during a time when online casinos were finding a huge audience internationally, but other areas of gambling were also going through a golden period, which included traditional laws in the US being repealed, allowing a gateway for sportsbooks to evolve into the new market.
The same was happening in Ireland, but if one moment is seminal in the timeline of online casinos in Ireland, then it was the change in this legislation, which has led to a range of new payment options, including cryptocurrency payment gateways, a multitude of promotions and bonuses, and more recently, a sharp rise in the number of people who play via their smartphones and tablets.
Final Thoughts
Online casinos in Ireland have a timeline and path that follows a number of other developed nations. If you look at the likes of the UK, Ireland is behind this curve.
However, if you look at most of the US and Canada, then the 2015 amendment puts Ireland ahead of many states and provinces. Given that online casinos are still a small chapter in a casino world that dates back centuries, any history on online casinos is brief.
Fifty years from now, there’ll be a number of different breakdowns and key moments that showcase the rise of online casinos, especially in Ireland, but considering that the legislation has only been in effect for less than a decade, there aren’t too many big moments that have helped to shape the industry.
The rise of online casinos in Ireland has followed the same path as that of other gambling nations, and while some of the biggest gambling companies have set up shop in Ireland due to favourable tax laws, overall, there hasn’t been anything dissimilar about online casinos in Ireland in comparison to the rest of the world.
