European Roulette is believed by many to be the most popular game in both land-based casinos and their online counterparts. When you think of a casino, the roulette table is probably the first thing that comes to mind, along with neon lights and stacks of chips. It’s such an intriguing and uncomplicated game that, for many, it will be the number one destination for a first and hopefully memorable initial step into the world of gambling.

A few years ago, some predicted the death of roulette. As more and more people selected online casinos as their preferred method of having a flutter, it was alleged that the online experience would lack the spectacle and social elements that make it such a beloved game. That however, hasn’t been the case. There are still a few reasons why online roulette and particularly the European variant is still the king of casino gaming.

Europe Reigns

Players are smart, so most are aware that the green segment spinning around on the roulette wheel – the number zero – is kryptonite to winning. In American variations of roulette, there are two zeroes on the wheel, a feature that makes it harder for players to win; in Europe though, there’s just a single zero, ensuring that the latter remains by far the most popular choice for online gamers in particular.

For example, European roulette is the only version of the game carried by iGaming brand mFortune, making it easy for players to avoid unfavorable odds. Created in-house by the UK company, this title is a good example of why roulette has a bright future online, as mFortune’s European Roulette offers simplicity and free spins.

Along with innovative deposit by phone bill options and ensuring their games are compatible with 99% of smartphones, they’ve created a popular destination for roulette fans. Coupled with the usual advantages of online gaming, such as the ability to gamble when and where you want and the use of multiple fast, efficient and cheap transaction methods, it’s clear that the European version of roulette isn’t going anywhere.

What’s next?

There have been many tweaks to the classic roulette game, including some decidely strange ones: water or vodka roulette are great fun for example. With the game now firmly making its home online, the possibilities for modifying roulette become plentiful, with a multitude of live dealer options and multi-wheel roulette already available on some sites.

There is little doubt that smartphone gaming is preferable for today’s gambler, and the creation of more mobile optimized roulette games appears to be inevitable as the demand to gamble while we’re out and about with our phones is what people desire from their online casino. Interfaces and transactions on mobile devices will need to be polished to perfection for providers to survive and promotions are obviously still a major incentive to play.

Virtual reality seems destined to become a major aspect of online gaming and a technology particularly applicable for classic casino games such as roulette. Much will depend on the ability of the game developers to create imaginative and immersive virtual locations for players to spin the wheels and win though.

Rather than dying a slow death online, this all-time classic casino game has a fresh impetus and a secure future amongst fellow classics like poker and blackjack.