Human beings have engaged in betting since antiquity. For a long period gambling was an activity that took place only in exclusive casinos. Not everyone could afford or access these places. Online gambling, which became a reality around 1995, allowed gambling to be a past time for description here many more individuals. Software that simulates games of chance had been in existence for a while. The usage of internet became common place and affordable and was crucial to the establishment of gambling web sites. Another necessary factor was the mechanism to make and receive payments online in a safe and secure manner. The final piece of the jigsaw puzzle was the creation of authorities that licensed and regulated gambling operators.

Once gambling sites were established around 1995 they began to proliferate quickly. The period 2000 to 2006 was a boom time for the on-line gambling industry.