A Major contributor to the establishment of an online gambling industry
Online gambling in the Americas is both highly popular and highly successful. What makes the Americas stand out from other countries around the world is their accepting attitude towards online gambling, and the legally permissive environment they have created for industry professionals and online gamblers alike. Since the beginning of online gambling history (1995), the Americas have been contributing in a wide variety of ways to the development of the industry, and have even set some significant milestones along the way.
It all began with Canada - one of the first countries to introduce online casinos. In 1996, only a year after the launch of the world's first online casino, Canada formed a regulatory body for online gambling called the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. It was the first such body designed to ensure fair and transparent gambling standards on the internet, and has since served as a role model for other regulatory bodies around the world.
Online gambling was very quickly legalized in most South American countries, and soon became home to more than half of the online casinos in operation at the time, and even to this day. Much of the Americas' governments were already so used to tolerating casino gambling, that the idea of online gambling did not seem so threatening. Yet it was predominantly the gambling revenues and taxes that they could claim from the industry that allowed them to allow the practice. There were approximately 50 to 60 online casinos in operation in the Americas by 1997, and by the end of the millennium, this number has jumped to about 700 online gambling sites.
In 2002, Cryptologic launched its first Spanish online casino, the Casino Del Norte S.A., in Argentina and Panama, which sparked a massive industry boom for Spanish speakers and the South American market. In 2004, Chile began its first online national lottery. Just as quickly, Costa Rica became the Mecca of online casino licensing by 2005 after Anituga, hosting 474 of the 2095 online casinos in operation around the world. Canada followed right behind it with 401. The United States seemed to be the only country that was backtracking.
Today, the Canadian and South American legislations allowing for online casino gambling constitute one of the largest markets in the international industry, and generate literally tens of billions each year from revenues alone. Industry affiliates highly respect these areas as promoters and supporters of their business, and are quick to look to them first for the highest of online gambling standards.
Online gambling trends in the Americas
The most popular casino game online (and offline) among North and South Americans is Poker, specifically Texas Hold 'Em Poker in the USA. This can easily be attributed to the American way of life and culture, which has included gambling as a prevalent recreation and past-time among its nations. Similarly, national lotteries have always been a favorite in North and South America, and have now been taken to the online platform too. In recent years, sportsbetting in the Americas has experienced massive growth, with NFL betting highly successful in the US and soccer betting even more successful in the South.
What is left to come from the Americas
The online gambling industry in the Americas is still alive and kicking, and it seems as though everyday a new feat is made in the attempt to raise the bar higher. Such an example is the Argentinean Government, whom have recently established new conditions for the software industry of Argentina, granting them tax benefits and legal entities. With such positive support and a strong industry that has been built on since its own birth, the Americas remains one of the world's leading markets and service providers, and only great things can be expected form that!
