Online casinos, also known as virtual casinos or Internet casinos, are online versions of traditional casinos. Online casinos allow players to play and bet on casino games via the internet. This is a very common form of online gambling.

Some online casinos claim higher payout rates for slots, and some publish payout rates on their website. Assuming the online casino uses a well-programmed random number generator, table games such as blackjack have a fixed house edge. The payout percentage for these games is defined in the game rules.

There are many gambling sites on the internet today. Some of them have been around since the early days of online gambling and have become household names. Others entered the market later but still built a good reputation. Over time, many sites did not last and eventually went out of business for one reason or another.

The online gambling industry generates billions of dollars every year, but some countries are reluctant to regulate it, mainly because lawmakers are closely linked to high-street casinos.