Online gambling has been around for almost two decades. Its roots can be traced back to 1994, when new gambling laws introduced in Antigua and Barbuda allowed local companies to offer gambling services over the internet. The world’s first online casino opened within a year. By 1997, the global online gambling industry was already producing revenues of $1 billion annually. Today, the figure is closer to $20 billion, and the industry continues to grow with every passing year.

The success and popularity of online gambling can be attributed to the convenience it offers players. Gamblers no longer have to travel to a casino, bingo hall, poker room, or bookmaker if they want play their favorite games. Instead, players can enjoy all these games from the comfort of their own home. Anyone interested in gambling online just needs to consult an online gambling directory to find the kind of games they are looking for, and then sign up to begin playing. Most online gambling sites provide strong incentives for players, including bonuses, tournaments, prize drawings, loyalty programs, VIP clubs, and more.

One stumbling block that players face when trying to gamble online is that every country around the world has its own gambling laws. In some places online gambling is fully legal, while in other places the laws are less favorable. But even in countries where local gambling laws do not allow companies set up internet gambling websites, players can just consult an online gambling directory to find websites in other countries where they can sign up and play. While local gambling laws can’t cross international borders, the internet is borderless, so gamblers find they have much more freedom online than offline.

The future of the online gambling industry is bright. Gambling laws are constantly changing, and as governments begin to realize that internet gambling can be controlled and taxed, more and more countries are opening their borders to many online gambling sites that are out there. There are hundreds of gambling sites on the internet today, and online gambling directories like this one help players the ones that are right for them.