The history of online poker

Online poker is a relatively recent development, which only became available during the last decade. Its short history is what makes the online poker game even more remarkable, having grown to incorporate over 2000 online gaming sites, and counting, in just a few years.

The first incarnation of online poker began just over a decade ago, but was not available to regular online players. Just a select few computer programmers were privy to the games, which in those days were all played via Internet Relay Chat. This means that all of the games were in a text format, and had no graphics to speak of – a world away from the graphic-heavy online gaming world we know now.

The first real online poker game was Planet Poker, which launched in 1998. It took the site a good six months before players began to really flood to its tables. Gradually a handful more online poker sites launched over the next year or two, with the stock exchanges of London and Wall Street beginning to sit up and take notice of what could potentially be a lucrative multinational money market.

The online game received a real boost in popularity in 2001, when the first televised poker games began to be shown. An instant hit, these televised games allowed audiences to view all of the players cards. This gave both beginners and experienced players the chance to get to know the game and improve their own skills.

By now the online sites were beginning to make huge profits. Reports of these vast profits soon spread, leading to a massive boom in the number of online casinos and bingo sites. Gradually the weaker, and more disreputable, sites were weeded out, while successful sites continued to grow and expand.

Thanks to online sites, there are now more poker players out there enjoying the game in some form than ever before. The online sites are a great way of encouraging new poker players, who may be a little daunted by real life poker halls. The anonymity afforded by online poker sites helps new players to try out their game and build their confidence under less pressure.

Today there are more than 2000 online gaming sites to choose from. Many sites that started as successful casinos, like 32 Red, have now expanded to incorporate bingo, slots, fun games as well as sports betting.