We started this project because we noticed that nobody was really keeping track of how online gambling developed in the UK. The industry changed so fast over the past few decades and a lot of important history was getting lost. So we decided to do something about it.
Our platform documents everything from the early days when the first online casinos appeared in the mid 1990s to the huge changes brought by the Gambling Act of 2005. We look at how regulations evolved, how technology transformed the way people bet, and how the industry became what it is today. It is not just about numbers and laws though. We try to capture the real story of how gambling went from high street bookies to mobile apps that millions of people use.
We are not connected to any gambling operators and we do not promote gambling. Our goal is purely educational. We want to preserve this history for researchers students and anyone curious about how one of the UK biggest industries developed. The gambling sector employs thousands of people and generates billions in revenue but its story is often misunderstood or oversimplified.
What makes the UK story unique is how the country balanced commercial freedom with consumer protection. British regulations became a model that other countries looked at when creating their own laws. We document both the successes and the controversies because understanding the full picture is important.
Our team includes researchers who dig through old archives, legal experts who track regulatory changes, and tech contributors who understand how platforms evolved. We are always looking for more information and welcome anyone who wants to share their knowledge or experiences from working in the industry.
The gambling landscape keeps changing with new technologies like cryptocurrency and virtual reality creating fresh challenges for regulators. By understanding where the industry came from we can better understand where it might be going. That is why we think this work matters and why we will keep adding to our archive as the story continues to unfold.