Are Classic Table Games Still A Popular Choice at the Casino?

Casino games are more popular than ever. With so many people having access to them via local casinos as well as online on mobile and smart devices — and casinos featuring so much in pop culture like films and music videos — there’s a whole new generation of players loving casino games.

But with the rise of many fun new gaming experiences like video slots, it calls into question: are classic games still a great choice? This article will take you through the history of casino games, the move towards online at places like online blackjack Canada and what we expect to happen in the future.

A Brief History of Casino Games

Casino games have a huge history. There are a huge number of accounts of people playing these games, in one way or another, for as long as we’ve been able to document human activity. There’s been suggestion that people were playing cards and dice rolling as far back as 100 A.D.!
Of course, as an industry casino games occurred much later on.

During the 1790s, Harry Ogden was known to be the first person to make a profit from the activity now known as bookmaking, laying odds on each horse. In 1845, gambling is constrained to the racetrack, with a new law restricting public games of cards with money involved. This brought on the ‘brick and mortar’ style bookmakers to open up the market to more sports.
In 1961, betting shops were legalized which led to almost 10,000 shops opening within the first 6 months of the law in place. In the 1980s, tech in betting stores evolved when legislation allowed shops to provide hot drinks and show the races on televisions. Fruit machines and fixed-odds betting terminals were also added into the mix. 

The 1990s had a huge impact on gaming, with bookmaking firms recognizing the potential in online betting. Betfair and Betdaq opened, as well as other betting exchanges, and online bingo and poker sites became a reality. By 2012, the revenue from online gambling had reached $4 billion. More people were realizing that online gaming was a big industry and wanting to get involved. By the end of 2015 the online gambling industry had reached an estimated $41.4bn and it’s grown ever since. With no real signs of stopping. 

When you first think of casino games, and casinos in general, many of the popular games immediately come to mind. Players sitting around poker tables, the blackjack table, the poker chips and a roulette wheel all are reminiscent of what casinos are about. 

According to the World Casino Index, these games are so popular in land-based casinos not just because they’re some of the most exciting to play, but because of the social aspect of them. Going to a casino and being able to sit around a poker table and interact with friends or strangers is one of the reasons it’s remained such a loved casino game over the year. You just can’t beat the tension and excitement that occurs being at the table and playing alongside others.
But with more and more people moving to smartphones, has that element of socialisation changed? And has it had an effect on the type of games that people like to play?  

The internet, and online casino websites, have certainly had a huge impact on the industry. Where people may have visited casinos before, they’re now playing them from their smartphones, tablets or computers. The accessibility element is key and has definitely fuelled its growth. No longer do you have to leave your house to play your favourite casino games. You can even do it on the go, while at work or at a friends. This has had an effect on the games that people play. 

Playing online is much more of an activity done in isolation, with many people preferring the excitement of a slot games with their interesting themes, colours, sounds. And also, the speed at which they’re played over a long and drawn out table game. The nature of playing while ‘on the go’ means that a quick slot game might be much more appealing to players. With the online casino industry growing in revenue, games publishers and casinos alike are trying to separate from the competition by offering the most entertaining and technologically advanced gaming experiences.

Is it the end for online table games?

Online slots are extremely popular, but providers have managed to save table games by ensuring they’re just as exciting as slots, and even replicating some of the land-based experience. Many online casino websites are now introducing live versions of table games with real life dealers to imitate the atmosphere of being in a casino at around the table and attract more players.
Into the future it’s likely that new technologies will continue to advance the online gaming experience, especially when it comes to table games. You can online imagine the impact that Augmented and Virtual reality will have on online casinos. Many players may never return to land-based casinos again, with so many fantastic and authentic options online!