Casinos and other forms of gambling have always been popular pastimes and they have taken on a new lease of life in the age of Information Technology.

Exponential improvements in download times and sophistication of software and hardware have enabled online gambling sites to offer all the excitement of the real thing in the privacy and comfort of the home.

All you need is an average PC and an Internet connection to get started on any one of the online gambling sites such as 888, Bet365, Jackpot City and William Hill.

The user interfaces have been carefully designed to make the customer experience as straightforward and enjoyable as possible. The Casino style games such as Blackjack and Roulette are usually grouped together as they often require downloads of special software, whilst a range of online slots – the Internet equivalents of fruit machines – occupies the lower half of the screen, and these can be played for as little as a penny.

To get started on any of these, you need firstly to set up an account and make a small deposit through any of the secure payment systems on offer. Games may be played simply for practice (with no real stakes), and when you’re ready to really start playing, you have the options of going solo or competing against other players in real time.

Games can also be played on a mobile phone where prizes typically range from a few pounds to many thousands if you manage to hit the jackpot.