Human beings have engaged in betting since antiquity. For a long time gambling was an activity that took place only in exclusive casinos. Not everybody could afford or access these places. Online gambling, which became a reality around 1995, allowed gambling to be a past time for many lots of individuals. Software that simulates games of chance had been in existence for a while. The utilization of internet became common place and low-cost and was critical to the establishment of gambling websites. Another necessary factor was the mechanism to make and receive payments trusted online gambling site 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 online gambling industry. This is only because online gambling offers advantages over land based gambling.