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Article 13
The Industry Creates Itself
by Ian Sherrington
February 2026
Series – The Online Gambling Industry
I was inspired by a George Bernard Shaw quote: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” Although I’m not entirely sure that the quote entirely applies to me, the question arose in my mind – did the online gambling industry create itself?
In this article, I argue that the online gambling industry did exactly that as opposed to passively evolve — it actively constructed its own legitimacy, visibility and global presence during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Drawing on the idea, as attributed to George Bernard Shaw, identity is created rather than discovered, my article shows how operators engineered trust in a sceptical and unregulated digital environment.
A symbolic moment came at the 2001 World Snooker Championship final, where Intertops sponsored both Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins. That sponsorship reflected a broader strategy: embedding online gambling brands directly into elite sport to normalise and legitimise the sector.
Beyond sponsorship, the industry built structural foundations. Operators clustered in jurisdictions such as Gibraltar to signal regulatory credibility. Payment platforms like Neteller reduced consumer risk and enabled secure online transactions. Affiliate marketing networks decentralised promotion, turning thousands of independent websites into long-term brand advocates.
At the same time, innovation shaped identity. Bet365 advanced in-play betting technology, while Betfair reframed wagering as a peer-to-peer exchange model. The poker boom of the early 2000s, amplified by televised tournaments and online qualifiers, reinforced the narrative that digital platforms could democratise opportunity.
The article concludes that online gambling did not wait for mainstream approval. It sponsored sport, developed payment infrastructure, built marketing ecosystems and embraced new technologies — including blockchain in later years. In doing so, it authored its own growth story and effectively created itself as a global industry.
So, thanks for indulging me with this one. Read on and enjoy my optimistic reasoning!
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Series Introduction
The Online Gambling Industry
A Series of Articles
Ian Sherrington, July 2024
In 1996, a small sportsbook in Austria accepted the world’s first online sports bet: a $50 gamble that Tottenham Hotspur would beat Hereford United in a third round FA Cup replay.
Since then, the rise of the online gaming industry has been meteoric. From humble beginnings, in seedy apartments and dimly lit basements, visionaries and programmers created computer systems that would form the foundations of a remarkable industry.
This transformation has extended gambling opportunities in unprecedented ways. As each new system or service came online, it gained popularity and momentum, leading to rapid growth.
Today, the industry is worth a fortune, with a turnover calculated in the trillions of dollars. It pays significant taxes, contributes to worthy causes, offers investment opportunities, and provides employment to many.
This first article in the series “The Online Gambling Industry” outlines the origins of the industry; looking at the key innovations that contributed to the beginnings of the online gambling industry.
We will explore how these early developments set the stage for the thriving online gambling landscape we see today.
The following articles in this series will delve deeper into the evolution of the industry, revealing the pioneers and their ground-breaking contributions. Join us, as we uncover the fascinating history of online gambling!
A Note from the Author
Dear Reader,
I’m Ian Sherrington and thank you for your interest in this fascinating topic. As a programmer, I played a key role in the early days of the Online Gambling Industry. On January 17th, 1996 the first online sports bet was accepted by the new Intertops website which I had conceived and created. Intertops has been online and accepting bets ever since.
I’ve stayed in the industry and continue to innovate and contribute in various ways, not just technically. During my time I’ve witnessed the evolution of the industry first-hand.
I always wanted to write about the industry and how it came to be and uncover the innovations and the innovators, many of whom I have met, and their invaluable contributions.
Now I have the chance to do it so now I’m investigating .. Who did what, when and.. why?
Huge thanks to Paul and all for your patient editing!
Let the Series begin!
Ian Sherrington, July 2024
