While gambling has existed for hundreds, if not thousands of years, online gambling is a relatively new variation. Gambling has taken different forms throughout the centuries — everything from wagering on wartime battles to sports betting and table games. Early casinos were generally considered elegant establishments offering glamour and glitz to players.

With the advent of the Internet and technology, the face of gambling changed. Once introduced, its popularity grew rapidly. Sites such as X-Bingo soon became popular.

Many consider the tiny country of Antigua-Barbuda was the birthplace of online gaming. In 1994 Antigua created laws that provided gambling licenses. Online gaming software such as Microgaming was being developed even before the first online gaming site started. Many other gaming and security software developments followed. New online options such as bingo games and roulette also became popular.

However, the online gaming industry’s start was not without obstacles, including legal issues. The idea of online gambling was met with much resistance. This resistance included several attempts by members of the U.S. Congress to pass anti-gambling laws.

The online gaming industry continued to grow in areas where it was not prohibited by local laws. According to statistics, the industry was predicted to make more than $25 billion in 2010, although this figure may be affected by changes in laws.

One of the major laws includes one passed by the U.S. Congress making it illegal for credit card companies and other financial institutions to process payments from Americans to online gaming sites. While this is considered an industry setback, the industry considers it an interesting time and many insiders are watching to see if the major sites will grow into even stronger ventures.