Publications by Inessa R

There is hardly any online casino game as exciting and popular as live dealer poker. This type of live entertainment is a smooth combination of strategy, skill, and some good-old courage required from a player. It’s the essence of any casino experience, combined with the game’s rich history and all the diversity of tables available via modern software creators. Speaking of which, the initial switch from traditional offline poker in land-based venues to online platforms was very basic. Those of you who witnessed the dawn of the online gambling industryremember that it involved playing against the computer at first. Well, these days live poker dealers bring the energy of a real table directly to your screen. Add a sense of community to it, a chance to interact with other...

Live blackjack holds leading positions as the players’ favorite across online casinos. The reasons for such a strong fanbase are very understandable. This game merges all the fun of classic casino experience with all the perks of gambling on the go, whether it is from the comfort of one’s home or on a smartphone or tablet. No matter where you are playing from, live games these days make you feel like you are living an authentic casino experience. Additionally, unlike classic games of chancelike slots or roulette, blackjack is a mix of some luck and some tested strategy. This means that it is rewarding to put in some time to learn the basic rulesas this knowledge can yield some wins as well as positive emotions. Plus, with a live dealer guiding the action, real...

These days, online baccarat’s accessibility and simplicity make it a favorite among live dealer enthusiasts worldwide. Another factor that adds to baccarat’s popularity and turns it into a true casino legacy is its amazing history. This game dates as far back as the 15th century, and understanding how much time has passed since it was introduced truly adds a layer of appreciation to a modern baccarat gaming process. Baccarat roots in Italy, and back then the game was known as "baccara", which means zero — as we dive deeper into the rules of the game and the card counting process you will see that the original name is a nod to the zero value of face cards. With time the game spread from Italy to the neighboring France, becoming popular first in the aristo...

As online casinos become more competitive, they’re rolling out special loyalty programs to keep players coming back. These programs, much like a hotel or airline rewards club, are designed to thank frequent members for their continued gaming with perks like bonus credits, exclusive events, and even tickets to trips and events. With all these tempting offers up for grabs, it’s easy to feel swayed without knowing what’s actually involved. In this guide, we’ll explore the nuts and bolts of a typical loyalty program, covering what they really offer, the potential pitfalls, and how to make these promotions work for you rather than against you. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether a scheme that encourages dedicated members is a good fit for yo...

Live roulette is currently one of the most popular forms of entertainment across online casinos. It owes its success partially to the historic reputation of the game, with its glamorous casino presence, finely dressed ladies and gentlemen, as well as the sophistication and thrill that the game has always exuded. These days, however, it owes an even bigger success to the fact that digital gambling has become so accessible and also high quality that anyone anywhere (with a registered casino account) can enjoy the glitz and glam of live roulette gaming straight from a desktop or a mobile lobby. What’s even better is that this comfort comes with a strong sense of community due to the latest UI features that the majority of live game developersoffer, as well as the robus...

The online gambling industry has seen explosive growth over the past decade, transforming into a multi-billion dollar market that attracts millions of players worldwide to try their luck in games of chance. The convenience of playing from home, coupled with advancements in technology, has made online casinos more accessible and appealing than ever. Popular games of chance such as online slots, blackjack, roulette, and baccarat dominate the virtual gaming industry, each offering unique thrills and challenges. The appeal of these games lies not only in their entertainment value but also in the potential for substantial financial rewards. This blend of excitement and opportunity continues to draw a diverse audience, from casual gamers to seasoned professionals. However, diving int...

It comes as no surprise that a modern online casino or a game can hardly be considered a success if it is not adapted to mobile devices. The growth of gaming across smartphones and tablets has grown significantly in the last decade or so. These days, up to 90% of residents in Europe use smartphones on a daily basis. Out of all the users, up to 40% use their mobile device to play games of chance online. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that in the upcoming years, there will be even more online gamblers opting in to play on the go. This means that the industry will continue shifting and adapting to serve this need. Needless to say, our team is here to explore how mobile devices have transformed the gambling landscape. Join us as we discuss the latest and older trends, key drivers ...

The online gambling industry in the European Union grows, and with it, grows the number of players and their interest in games of chance and sports betting. Belgium has weighed in on the trendand stepped forward with a potentially divisive response. Concerned about the increasing exposure of its citizens to the gaming industry, it increased the legal age for gambling from 18 to 21 years. This dramatic decision now separates the country significantly from some of its closest EU neighbors who also embraced and legalized virtual games of chance and sports betting. Sweden: This country reformed its gambling laws and opened the market to licensed online gambling operators on January 1, 2019. The Gambling Act of 2018 regulates online gambling, with licenses granted to domest...

Sweden has implemented significant tax increases on online casinos, a move poised to boost national revenues considerably. While this strategy aims to capitalize on the thriving online gambling industry, it has raised concerns among experts and players alike. The higher taxes could potentially lead to increased costs for gamblers, reduced payout rates, and even drive some players towards unregulated and potentially unsafe gambling platforms. As Sweden navigates this new fiscal landscape, the full impact on both the economy and the gambling community remains to be seen. A tax increase that went into effect, raised the bar from 18% to 22%. In the European Union, the highest official tax rate for online gambling is in France, where it stands at 52%. On the other end of the spectrum, Irelan...

The casino industry post-2020 has changed dramatically. Hundreds of brick-and-mortar gambling venues have closed their doors, temporarily or for good, leaving thousands of fans of table games like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat longing to play and limited only to the virtual space. As more and more players took to live casino lobbies online, the operators came to realize that it is time to become creative and to keep software developing studios to higher standards — the type of diversification that the live dealer industry went through in 2020 has been second to none. From unique titles to exclusive and custom-built studios, pre-recorded clips, and portable gambling — we are taking a look at the 5 trends of the modern live casino developing niche....

The global gambling industry grows and evolves every year, becoming friendlier, more accessible, and diverse. Even countries that used to be cut from the international gaming market due to certain local regulations, now have more options to choose from. The United States of America is definitely among such countries. For the longest time,America’s gambling market— especially the online one — was under heavy regulations, and limited only to a few certain states. Now, however, virtual betting becomes more and more accessible. Players saw the first signs of a thaw after PASPA was overturned and online commercially operated Sportsbook became available in many states. It will take longer for casino games to catch up with what the Sportsbook lobby achieved but we...

The online gambling industry was worth almost US$45 billion in 2019, and according to the pre-pandemic predictions, was headed towards reaching a value of almost US$67 billion by 2025. Out of this global pie of earnings, one of the biggest chunks belongs to online casinos in Australia. For years, players from this country have been very consistent in expressing their interest in the virtual betting industry. In fact, Australia remains in the top-10 countries gambling the most frequently. It finishes 8th on this list but has leadership when it comes to spending and prospects. Reportsfrom H2GCestimate that an Australian adult spends on average US$968 per year on interactive gambling. This not only makes Australia first on the list of the biggest spenders but also places the co...

The team of KTC looks into the prospects of post-COVID online gaming and weighs in on how quickly the industry can recover after the major hit of international lockdowns. While the world is still battling the pandemic and countries of Europe, Asia, Oceania, Africa, North and South Americas brace themselves for the COVID-19 winter wave of 2020-2021, it is time to take a look at how the lockdowns already impacted the online gambling industry. Prior to the virus spreading and paralyzing all aspects of life, many businesses, including online gambling, were riding a fast wave towards major growth. Experts predicted a dramatic jump from USD 53 million documented by the end of 2019 to USD 95 million anticipated by the end of 2025. The major chunk of this pie belonged to Sportsbooks, with...

From a simple fruit slot developed in Brooklyn in 1891 to a modern game loaded with bonuses, stories, and impressive wins - say what you may, butnothing in the gambling industry has transformed and evolved as dramatically as the slot machine. And that’s just the land-based gambling. Things get even more interesting when we move to the virtual sector. WhenMicrogamingstarted testing the waters of the online segment back in 1994, rolling out its first virtual reeled releases, neither of us could predict that by 2020 the industry of online slots would become as competitive. And as popular. Looking at the stats offered by H2GC, it becomes obvious just how quickly players leaped from testing online slots to playing regularly and waiting for thel...

Summer is the hot season for all the content creators. With the slot industry expanding, and with more and more new studios fighting for their spot under the sun, the list of best slot machines to choose from is extremely big. And while it is easy to get lost in all of the newest titles, or what is worse… ...to miss out on something truly noteworthy, our review of top-7 best slot machines of July 2020 is here to keep you in the loop. Topped withcasino recommendations and hints about some of the best welcome bonuses, this publication is your roadmap to the true summer reeled gems.

The value of the online gambling industry across the world is growing at an impressively fast pace. Gross win across the international market is around USD 56 billion, of which only slightly more than half is revenue generated by the white, legal sector. What is more, it is to surpass USD 120 bn by 2016, experts predict. Based on these numbers, the team of KTC could not help but wonder - which are the top 5 nations to contribute the most to the boost of the online gaming industry?

The year 2019 made history as the one to introduce major changes to the regulation of online and offline gambling in the UK. These include fairer and more straightforward bonus policies and closer monitoring of advertising. While our portal reported on all of these changes in a series of news articles, as the calendar year rushes to its end, it is high time to weigh in on what the future holds for UK-based players and the industry as all the new regulations come into effect. This article is written based on facts and numbers from H2GC and the UKGC.

In January of 2019 the Dutch Senate finally passed the Remote Gaming Act. A piece of legislation that has been in limbo for at least two years prior to this decision carries with itself some significant changes to the Dutch online gambling market. KeyToCasino got a hold of data and prognosis as to the future of online operators and players in the area, and is ready to weigh in on a matter. Increased exposure to a rapidly growing online gambling market brings in itself numerous opportunities for local and international businesses, as well as thousands of work places. According to reports fromH2GC, in the year 2018 alone the industry generated around EUR 26bn worth of revenue in Europe. Note: The power of online betting swept away and bent even some of the most conservative...

Now that some of the major winter gaming conferences are over, and both leaders and newbies of the industry made their presentations for the year 2019, it is time for us to roll out a list of top trends for the online gambling industry. On a dailybasisour portal adds more than ten new games, and a slightly smaller amount of software developers and recommended online operators to the KTC database. We also keep a hand on a pulse of market evolution thanks to in-depth research provided to us byH2GC. So, based on all this data, here’s what we believe will be the hot topics for the following several months.

In May of 2018, the Supreme Court of America put an end to a long chain of appeals and legal disputes, by a 6-3 ruling enabling sports betting in 47 states. This decision lifted a 26-year-old ban implemented by The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (this document, also known as PASPA, allowed sports betting only in four states - an exemption as the "grandfather clause", and out of these four, only in Nevada was an individual able to wager on the results of a single game). With it, the ruling also opened the US economy to the biggest shake up in its sports betting history, introducing it to both challenges and opportunities. The battle against PASPA was initiated by the state of New Jersey back in 2012, and as the events unfolded, over ten other states and,...

The United States of America ranks first in the list of Top-30 Nations that contributed to gambling. The country ended the year 2018 with the gross win for the casino industry amounting to USD 107.99 billion, according to the global summary provided by theH2 Gambling Capitalconsultancy. Following America, but not even close to its overall yearly gross win, are China with USD 70.01 billion, and Japan with USD 48.41 billion. The majority of this sum was contributed by money spent in the land-based venues, with the gross win amounting to USD 104.82 billion, while when it comes to interactive gaming, the United States loses their leading position. The country slides down to the fourth place with a total of USD 3.17 billion, allowing the UK with its USD 7.54 billion to lead the c...