With this article we take a look back at the start of the online poker industry. The legislation passed last year has changed the landscape of online poker but the question remains what started the online poker phenomenon?

Back several years ago, before the WSOP become a household name and no one knew who Chris Moneymaker was; simply watching poker relied on instincts, observation, and skill. Not knowing what cards were held by a player meant you were the same as his opponent – watching his every move, trying to pick up a tell or a sign, becoming Ms. Cleo and deducing he had the 8 of clubs and Ace of hearts.

Obviously, for newcomers, watching wasn't exactly the most exciting of events. Trying to follow the game, rationalize plays, calculate odds, and figure out what someone else was thinking; let alone conclude what they were holding – made poker a tough game to follow. Sometimes, watching a player take his time is like watching paint dry; if you don't know what he's holding or why he's taking so long to act.

That all changed in 1995, with the introduction of the hole card camera. Invented and patented by Henry Orenstein, the 1996 WSOP 7-card Stud tournament winner; the hole card camera sits in or on the poker table, allowing viewers or audiences to see the 'hole' (player only) cards.

The hole card camera revolutionized poker (particularly No-Limit Texas Hold'em) overnight and catapulted a game that had existed for decades into the spotlight. Within 5 years, poker had become a dominant game known around the world and accessible to millions who would previously have overlooked it or not known where to start. It added visibility to players and the game and gave an insider's view into how the top players played the game.

With the display of a player's cards, poker moved away from being just a game and into the realm of a spectator sport. Cards could be displayed on monitors and televisions, with color commentators providing insights; along with graphical notations of odds and statistics. People unfamiliar with the game could easy watch players and be provided with simplified information, allowing them to gain understanding of a player's thought processes and the nuances of the various poker games. This garnered interest from people around the country and the globe; propelling poker fully into the international spotlight.

The hole card camera is not without it's detractors however. Although it has brought about a poker revolution and heightened the appeal of the game, it has also provided information on players that can be used against them. Prior to the use of the hole card camera, the only time you knew EXACTLY what someone held was when they won a hand or showed as they mucked.

Much like a pro football team watching game tape, the hole card camera allows a professional or dedicated player the ability to watch and analyze the way prominent players play specific hands. This gives them a slight advantage, but is not entirely unfair, as everyone could review previous tournaments as well.

However, the hole card camera has almost single handedly brought poker into households across the nation and the globe. Without it, the World Series of Poker might still have less than a 1,000 players and the majority of people reading this would never have played online or possibly at all. So if you're given the chance, thank Mr. Orenstein for his wonderful idea and invention and the possibilities it has given us all.