The progression from offline to online has seen the growth of online casinos across the world. Accessible, safe, pleasant to play in, lucrative and bonus-filled – the benefits are well-known to players who have flocked to these sites.

But surprisingly, the latest market to experience a boom of unprecedented proportions is Georgia. The demand has been driven by the country’s increasing internet access and people who don’t get to visit land-based casinos all that often and therefore prefer the accessibility of online casino games. Market experts also attribute the growth in the industry to the Georgian culture of competitiveness and recklessness. Poker, seen as a game of skill, is by far the most popular.

So strong is the demand that advertising for sites offering various online casino games has doubled in the capital Tbilisi, and several new players have entered the market. It costs just five million GEL – roughly the equivalent of two million pounds – to buy a licence to operate a casino, which is the pre-requisite to run an online casino.

Exactly what regulatory body these casinos would answer to is unclear. Sites like River Belle Casino and Casino King are licensed in Malta and Gibraltar and answer to the relevant regulatory authorities. Georgian players do need to be careful that they are choosing a reputable site.

However, it’s clear that the growing market will provide ample opportunity for expansion in the coming months. It will be interesting to see how the casinos respond.