The evolution of scratch cards: Where did it all begin?

In this age of the internet, almost every business has an address online. Online businesses are so popular today that there are businesses that are successful without the requirement of a physical location. In fact, even the most famous corporations and brands are being forced to own and run their websites online. The casino industry has realized the power of the internet at the age of its inception itself. A lot of individual players and big casinos have come together to provide gaming and gambling services online. And today we are able to enjoy all casino games including online scratch cards and betting services online!

The last of casino games to come online

As we have mentioned earlier, online casinos had made an appearance right at the time when the internet started to become popular. Most of the popular casino games like poker, bingo, blackjack, roulette, etc. made an appearance online right in the beginning. In fact, games like online bingo have become so popular that there was a negative effect on the conventional form of the game. An increase in the popularity of online bingo resulted in the closure and shut down of a number of conventional brick-and-mortar bingo halls.

So, while most of the casino games have been up and about from the time the internet was a thing, the same cannot be said about scratch cards. The concept of online scratch cards is a very recent one with the first being made available in the year 2005. But from the time of their introduction, there is no denying that the concept of online scratch cards enjoys immense popularity! So, why did online casinos take so much time to provide players with the convenience of online scratch cards?

The commerce behind scratch cards

If there is one big difference between scratch cards and other casino games, it is with the commerce behind the games. While other casino games have a definite house advantage, it isn’t the case with online scratch cards. Basically, the concept of a house advantage is what makes money for the casinos, both conventional as well as online. The basic idea is that whatever the casino games you are playing the amount people lose is a lot more than what one wins, which is obviously profitable for the casinos, especially in the long run. But the same isn’t valid with online scratch cards.

For the companies operating them, scratch cards have very low profitability, especially when compared to other casino games. The amount you have to pay for purchasing the scratch card is meagre and the payouts have to be high (to make them accessible). Moreover, online casinos have to provide frequent payouts to ensure that people come and try their games. And finally, the conventional scratch card companies posed stiff competition to online players. Taking all these aspects into account, most of the casino game developers weren’t interested in developing online scratch cards, especially in the beginning.

The current situation with respect to online scratch cards

Currently, most UK online casinos offer some or the other form of online scratch cards. In fact, the scratch cards games that are now available are more exciting and more engaging compared to the conventional ones. The scratch cards that you purchase at lottery stands and kiosks are just one time affairs. You buy the card and scratch it; if you win you are happy but if you don’t that’s that. But when it comes to scratch cards purchased online, there is a huge play on the entertainment aspect.

Just like slots and jackpot games, scratch cards are also much more engaging and entertaining online. There are actual games created around the scratch card games have engaging visuals and exciting gameplay which means that you are provided with heaps of entertainment even before you actually get to know whether you won or not.

A welcome change

These days, online scratch cards are highly sought after and hence are widely available online. Most of the casino websites have numerous options when it comes to scratch card games too. Some of the most prominent developers of casino games are providing exciting and engaging scratch card games today. It isn’t just with casino websites these games are now available with mobile gaming platforms too. Thus, if you are someone who is into scratch cards games you can easily find a wide variety of games online. The added advantage of increased accessibility and convenience with engaging gameplay makes online scratch cards a great choice to enjoy casino games online.