It’s really hard to imagine how online casinos were about a decade ago. However, if you can, think really hard – do some self hypnosis and remember what the best online casinos of the day were offering. You might recall groundbreaking, cutting-edge online games such as… blackjack. Yeah, that was about the size of it.

Online casino gambling consisted mostly of blackjack, roulette and a few basic video slot machines. This was the very humble beginnings of online gaming, and what we see today is light years ahead of the past. It’s almost impossible to predict where the future will take the industry, but, looking at the logical progression, we all have a pretty basic idea.

What will be the qualifications of the web’s best online casinos in the future? For starters, a minimum of 500 gaming options would be a must. Back when 10 games were the norm, people were happy enough to gamble online. After some of the top dogs boosted up to 100, people were ecstatic.

These days, you can find 300+ games online – and not only are they offered at the respected site, but downloadable mobile versions are also available, for those among us that like to play games on our iPhones and Blackberry devices. Hundreds more high-tech games will be the start.

Online casino gambling will also be far more secure in the future. Security features weren’t up to part a few years ago and, because of this, trust in the industry was abysmal at best. However, today’s security is ironclad. The best online casinos in the business have a plethora of certificates plastered on their sites, showing off their high marks. They use highly advanced software that keeps private date private. Pretty soon, they’ll be able to virtually eliminate things like cheaters and hackers.

Other countries that now strictly prohibit gambling will come around. This seems to be the logical progression due to the tax revenue some countries are able to bring in from their online gambling demographic. With the world in a recession, governments the world over are going crazy trying to free up funding. Taxing gambling money equates to gigantic profits.

Another advance of online casino gambling will be the complete merger of live-time gambling with online gambling. We’re already seeing many Internet casinos employ the use of actual live dealers to keep watch over the respective tables. This benefits both the players and the casinos, and it won’t be long until this is the trend all over. More big-name casino moguls will also get into the online business, offering their unique games to a broader audience. Look for Wynn and Ho to attempt to seize control of this industry, too.

We don’t need to get into the science-fiction aspect of casinos of the future. It’s highly doubtful that any of us will see mind-controlled buttons or retinal scanners for identification in our lifetimes (or in general). Regardless, the best online casinos in the future will offer an enormous selection of innovative games, live dealers and tighter security. Plus they will be available in more areas and on more devices. That’s quite enough for the next two decades or so.