There have been comments made recently saying that since the recession is keeping people closer to home and tighter with their funds that more are turning to online gambling for a less expensive form of entertainment. The people making these comments then go on to express that they believe that online gambling will diminish once the economy recovers.

I have to disagree with that premise for several reasons. First of all, online gambling has been on the rise since it's inception in the mid-90s. Every year has seen more players, higher profits and more sites being founded. This boom wasn't started by the recent recession.

Sure, the recession may be spurring some of the growth for the reasons listed above but there are many other factors to take into consideration. One big force driving many from land-based casinos to online casinos is the smoking ban that has been instituted almost universally. Smokers want to continue smoking while they play so they just stay home and play in the comfort of their own homes.

With some players, it's not the travel expenses that deter them from going to land-based casinos but the comfort factor. Some are just not comfortable with lots of strangers being about while others want to be able to play sitting in the pajamas if they choose to. There is no place quite so comfortable as your own home, is there?

While the recession will eventually go away, don't look for any decrease in the popularity of online casinos. People like the freedom they get playing from home and the ease with which you can move from casino to casino. Online gambling will continue to remain popular and even grow in popularity long after this recession is a distant memory.