The advent of online casinos revolutionized the gambling industry tremendously, making it a fun and socially acceptable activity. It enabled the previously restricted hidden population of gamblers to enjoy their favorite activity in the comforts of their homes, cars, offices, and even public trains. The initial stigma associated with walking into a casino was cut off due to this casino. Now people can simply use their computers and tablets to play.
Online gambling dates back to the late 90s. At around this period, the Internet was gradually changing people’s ways of life. It was creeping into the financial sector, the communication sector, and inevitably the betting industry.
The vibrancy of this industry has remained unquestionable; therefore, this transformation was definitely expected. Right now, the online casino industry has grown to a multi-billion dollar industry that offers great services to gamblers and employment to millions of people.
The initial internet casinos were committed to offering the games that were already available in the brick and mortar gaming houses. They did this successfully but were heavily criticized by the classical gamblers because they could not provide the atmosphere associated with real gambling. The sceptical ones even questioned the outcomes.
Nevertheless, the developers and online casinos worked tirelessly and were able to shun the criticism and prove that online gaming is genuine, fun, and entertaining. Currently, the millions of people from across the continents embrace it.
The Key Differences
Online gambling websites have not replaced the land casinos. They seem to be complementary or rather alternative options for gamers. You can play your favourite games online at Grosvenor casino and have a fantastic experience or choose to go to their land casino for an equally exciting time. Your choice depends on your preference. Here are the key differences between land-based and online casinos:
- Convenience
While land gaming houses will pull you out of your comfort zone, online casinos will enable you to gamble at the comfort of your house. All you need to have is good internet connectivity, and your experience will be complete. This convenience has been further enhanced by the portability of mobile casinos. You can now play your favourite games through a range of smartphones and tablets, giving you an amazing experience on the go.
Land casinos, on the other hand, require you to use transport to the place and experience various hustles associated with being outdoors. All this can be very inconveniencing compared to staying at home.
- Gaming Atmosphere
Despite the advancements that have been made in the online gambling industry, the experience is not comparable to the real gambling experience. The introduction of Virtual Reality Casinos and live dealer casinos have closed the gap, but the real experience is still better. The casino noises, people moving, and the actual interaction with croupiers is certainly breathtaking for real gamblers.
- Interaction
Gambling is a social activity. Actually, many players derive lots of fun and excitement from interacting with other players. It provides a great opportunity for networking and hanging out with friends after long hours of work. It is unsurprising to find players whose primary goal is the interaction and not the gambling games. The interaction part is awesome in land casinos but absent in the online gaming entity, making this a major disadvantage.
However, this is only true when you meet friendly players. Sometimes, you can meet the bullies who can lead to a regrettable experience, especially for new players. Moreover, the presence of many people can be undesirable when you are in a bad mood and simply an introvert. Hence, online gambling is significantly less interactive compared to land casino gambling. However, it can be a pro or a con depending on the individual.
Nevertheless, some live casinos are enabling players to interact with each other and with the dealer through live chat. Others have gone a notch higher by allowing players to tip the live dealer. These features have improved the interactive bit of online casinos.
- Restrictions
Online casinos have more restrictions for players compared to land-based casinos. Many countries have strict regulations controlling offshore online gambling. Hence, players from these countries will be unable to sign up on these betting sites and play their favourite games. The greatest victims of these restrictions are the residents of the USA.
The United Kingdom only allows gamers to gamble in internet casinos with licenses from the UK Gambling Commission. A recognized regulatory authority must license an online casino in order for it to operate in most countries. You will find a list of allowed and restricted countries in most establishments online.
Land casinos, on the other hand, have fewer restrictions. As long as it is legally present in an area, it can serve everyone regardless of his or her nationalities. However, only the persons who have attained the legal gambling age are allowed. Players may be asked to provide their identification documents to confirm their age if it is in question.
- Casino Bonuses
The land casino and online casino bonuses are very different. The land gaming houses have perks ranging from free cocktails, free meals, gifts, free hotel rooms, bonus cash, or even free vacations. These are usually reserved for loyal players. They are meant to encourage you to make you visit the casino more.
The online casinos offer bonuses in form of deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses, free spins, free chips, and cash-backs. These bonuses are usually offered to new and existing players upon meeting various requirements. They may also be restricted to players from certain countries.
The online casino bonuses have several terms and conditions that tend to govern their usage. This factor makes them less lucrative compared to land casino bonuses. The most dreaded condition is the wagering requirements that determine how many times you need to wager the bonus before cashing out. Some bonuses have high requirements that make them virtually worthless. Hence, you should be keen to go for the biggest bonuses with favourable terms when bonus hunting.
- Privacy
Privacy is a key consideration for gamblers. For land casino players, unless they are playing in a foreign land, they are likely to meet people they know. There is no privacy associated with walking into a casino that is flooded with people. The only advantage is that you may not need to register your name anywhere. Therefore, your identity is secure if you do not meet anyone you know.
Online casinos enable you to play your own comfort, thus making betting a private affair. However, the fact that you register your name and probably your credit or debit card details can potentially jeopardize absolute privacy and confidentiality. Luckily, casinos have a privacy policy that ensures that your information is not divulged to anyone.
In addition, the use of VPN and cryptocurrencies have enabled players to gamble anonymously. They have even allowed players from restricted countries like the US to play online despite the regulations.
Online casinos and land casinos are both quite popular, but they have distinct differences. These differences exist in the interaction, privacy, conveniences, gaming atmosphere, and types of bonuses. Online casinos are ideal for players who want to play conveniently at the comfort of their homes, while land casinos are the best for those who value the original gambling atmosphere. Nonetheless, each of them can result in a superb gaming experience.
