Where is the public gambling dollar going? Are online casino websites winning the battle against the traditional land-based alternative? It’s hard to tell. Both online casinos and land-based establishments have significant advantages weighing in their favor. At the same time, there are aspects of both that many players consider worth improving.
The iGaming industry has brought a whole new dimension into the casino world and keeps expanding it with new platforms and cutting-edge technologies. Yet, it can hardly mirror the experience of a land-based casino, can it? On the other hand, even though land-based gambling opportunities are more widely available now than before, many people prefer to gamble on the internet.
In the past few years, there has been a heated debate as to whether internet gambling competes with brick and mortar gambling locations. Fueled by statistics and various initiatives to broaden regulatory frameworks to include internet gambling, the debate has us questioning it as well. Let’s take a look at the arguments for and against gambling online and offline.
Online Casinos: Aiming to Take Over
We are living in a digital age and digital casinos have been positioning themselves as a popular form of entertainment since the late 90s. People turn to gambling when they wish to relieve stress and relax, and the digitalization of their favorite gambling games has facilitated that even more.
Imagine having a stressful job that involves lots of human interaction, noise and servicing. It makes sense that, when you come home, you want to load a gambling website where you won’t have to face people, look at flashy lights, follow a dress code and mind working hours. You can simply launch any game you like, sit back in your comfy chair, relax and play for hours without interruptions and distractions.
Convenience and Safety
The combination of convenience and accessibility of online casinos is definitely one of the aspects that make them superior to land-based venues. You don’t have to travel to get to a gambling location, spend money for gas and spend time. The moment you are in front of your computer or you have your mobile device in hand, you have arrived at the casino and you can start playing, any time of day or night.
That’s all fine and dandy, but are online casinos safe? Money attracts scammers, and online gambling environments are particularly attractive for such dishonest operations. Luckily, reputable online casinos know how to deal with this concern. While hackers do pose a threat to the safety of online casinos and their patrons, security technologies like monitoring, encryption, updates and firewalls counter such malicious intents successfully. As long as the casino site you are playing at is licensed and the software audited, with the addition of banking methods being provably safe and trustworthy, you are in no danger.
Playing at a land-based casino several decades ago used to involve a lot of complimentary gifts and perks. Not anymore. Major Las Vegas casinos nowadays require players to spend a lot of moolah to receive some sort of a treat. At online casinos, you just need to register an account and make your first deposit and you are in bonus paradise.
The competition in the web gambling business is huge already – and getting tighter by the day. That’s why online casino gamblers are showered by all sorts of offers, including no deposit bonuses, match percentage bonuses, free slot tournaments, giveaways, refer-a-friend bonuses and more. At traditional casinos, the best you can hope for is usually a free drink after playing for hours. Since drinking and gambling is usually not the best combination, you are typically better of seeking out bonuses online than any land-based freebie.
Potential for higher wins and more games to enjoy
Statistically, game variety and game quantity favor online casinos. Online casino websites can offer thousands of games 24/7, while land-based casino floors usually host dozens of table games and a few hundred machines with the restrictions of operating hours. Moreover, the Return To Player (RTP) of online gambling games are higher than the return rates of traditional games at physical casinos. Overall, betting at traditional casinos is more costly, as it involves travel expenses, as well as spending money on expensive dinners and beverages. Not everyone lives around the corner from the MGM Grand, right?
Land-Based Casinos: Holding Their Ground
Land-based casinos, while definitely being affected by the spread of online casinos, aren’t going anywhere just yet. They made their mark on the world and there are still people who enjoy making a night out of their casino gambling sessions. Physical casinos remain consequential in the minds of the people who are more for a tactile experience, who enjoy mingling with other gamblers, buying chips, and actually spinning the reels of a slot machine. Considering the history of land-based casinos in the USA, it is hard to imagine they could ever be replaced.
Environment and Ambience
There is something very exciting about the casino floor atmosphere. Sure, it involves loud surroundings and flashy lights, with clouds of smoke above the tables, but isn’t that excitement what makes one feel alive? Many people also enjoy the fact that they can dress up for the casino night out. Nowadays, you don’t have to be a high roller to visit a casino establishment. You can be an average Joe with a pair of fancy pants and a jacket and you can stroll into any of the Nevada casinos, feel like a gentleman and have the time of your life at the baccarat table, James Bond-style.
The pressure is undeniably greater at land-based casino venues, as any move can provoke either cheers or jeers from the player’s table-mates. If you can handle it, you will feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins each time the dealer signals your turn. Be careful, though, as some fellow players may call themselves experts offering advice on how you should pay things out. They won’t give you chips for listening to them, so it is probably best to follow your own strategy and money management plan.
The way we see it, anyone who likes gambling should experience the buzz of a land-based casino at least once, but it is understandable why many gambling fans switch over to websites due to their high convenience, cost-effectiveness and privacy guarantees, among other advantages.
