The History of Scratchcards

In comparison to many casino games, scratchcards are actually relatively new to the world of gambling. There are many games that go back centuries, such as poker, lotteries or even baccarat, but scratchcards have only been around for just over 30 years. Yet despite this, they are hugely popular and have found their place in casinos all over the world.

The very first scratchcard was produced in 1974 and was the project of the Scientific Games Corporation, headed up by John Koza. When the cards were originally produced, they were created by covering the surface with a layer of foil to prevent the numbers or symbols from being visible until scratched off. However, the technology for the cards has improved a lot since then and these days, the most common form of obscuring the numbers is a multilayer resin and pattern application. Confusing patterns are laid over each other, so that even if the card is held up to the light no numbers or symbols are visible.

Scratchcards styles have developed a lot over the years. To begin with they were almost all lottery cards, or referred to as an instant lottery. Instead of waiting for a TV show or national lottery the card revealed numbers immediately that could spell out a winning sum. Since then they have diversified to include games such as monopoly or even hands of poker. Cards are often released with special themes. For example, during the Olympic Games a batch of cards may be released that have various contest themes.

Scratch cards made their way into the world of online casinos pretty quickly, and by 2010 the first games were being played using Flash or Java. The programs that produce them use random number generators just like the ones used for slot machines, ensuring that they are fair for everyone. In fact, a lot of how scratchcards function online is due to the use of programming required to build slots games. While they are generally simpler games than your average slots title, they are equally fun and offer some really great prizes and rewards.

Online scratch cards are not going anywhere any time soon, they have become way too popular with players and are a great way to relax and unwind, and win big quickly. The themes get more creative all the time, and the options for the types of cards that can be played are limitless.