Time Warner Cable has several funny TV ads for its Road Runner Internet service.
Comedian and actor, Mike O’Malley appears in many of them.
He’s on the left picture holding a happy monkey.
In one TV ad for Road Runner Internet service, Mike uses his high speed Internet service to explore the true potential of the Web including different people, cultures and online relationships…
BLACKJACK!
Suddenly we realize that he has been playing online blackjack this whole time.
There are several Paid and Free Online Casino options all around the Internet. Let’s take a closer look at the online casino industry to understand what is all about.
Background
Established in early 1996, the online gambling industry has experienced explosive growth all around the world. Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of traditional brick-and-mortar casinos. Online casinos allow gamblers to play and wager on casino games through the Internet. This business currently spans the globe and generates billions of dollars per year.
Online gambling has come a long way since 1996. The two main reasons why people like gambling online are: 1) the convenience to access games anytime and anywhere, and 2) the similarity of odds and percentage paybacks to physical casinos.
Types of Online Casinos
Online casinos can be divided into two main groups based on their interface: web-based and download-only casinos. Some casinos offer both interfaces.
Web based online casinos require players to download certain browser plugins such as Macromedia Flash, Macromedia Shockwave, or Java. Very few casino offer online version on just a HTML interphase.
Download-based online casinos require the download of the software client in order to play and wager on the casino games offered. The online casino software connects to the casino service provider and handles contact without browser support. Download-based online casinos generally run faster than web-based online casinos since the graphics and sound programs are located within the software client, rather than having to be loaded from the Internet.
Demand of Online Casinos from 2004 to 2010
Using Google Trends, here is the Search Volume Index of the keywords “online casino” (in blue) from 2004 to 2009 at the Google search engine:
The numbers you see on the vertical axis of the Search Volume Index (graph above) aren’t absolute search traffic numbers. Instead, Google Trends scales the first term you’ve entered so that its average search traffic in the chosen time period is 1.0; subsequent terms are then scaled relative to the first term.
In plain English: the graph above indicates that from 2004 to early 2010 there has been a constant demand by people of online casino options (just like Mike O’Malley). Most likely looking for the Best Online Casino, according to Internet users and fellow players in online forums.
Also, notice from the graph that the months of November and December are the months when most people are looking for online casino and online gambling options on Google.
How to Choose the Right Online Casino
If you’re planning to give online gambling a try, it is a good idea to read as many Online Casino Reviews as you can before given it a try. Fraudulent behavior on the part of online casinos has been documented. The online casino community is good at documenting fraudulent activities. The most commonly reported behaviors are refusal to pay withdrawals or cheating software with rigged payouts. An online casino with multiple confirmed cases of fraudulent behavior is often called a rogue casino by the online casino player community.
When selecting a casino, the key element is to have uninterrupted customer support at all times.
Conclusion
Online casinos are a way of entertainment that has been around for a while. Depending on your preference and computer, there are platforms that can run on your desktop or your Internet browser. Do your research and find an online casino that has a reputable customer support service and a well established network of online forums that keep a watchful eye for any fraudulent activity. Avoid rogue casinos.
