Thirty years ago, there was no such thing as an online casino. If you wanted to play casino games, you had to dress up, head downtown, and play in a real casino or bingo hall surrounded by real people. For many young people, their first visit to a casino was a rite of passage, much like their first real alcoholic drink – it was a sign that they were growing up. Both your first drink and their first casino experience might have made a fool out of you, but you never forget the first time!
It’s not thirty years ago anymore, though. It’s 2020, and people don’t have to go outside to enjoy casino thrills. We live in the age of the internet, and virtual casinos and online slots websites are everywhere. You don’t have to head out in the wind or the rain to place your bets these days – you can play online slots from the comfort of your own bedroom. You can even log on to your favorite online slots website like Amigo Slots while you’re in the bath if you like – we won’t judge you! Should that be the way you engage with the hobby, though? Is there still something to be said for getting dressed up and visiting a real casino in the real world? Let’s look at what each type of gambling has in its favor.
The Upside Of Going Out To Gamble
There are no two ways about it – visiting a high-end casino is still seen as a glamorous activity. A good casino is like a good restaurant – it exudes class, and it makes you feel like a successful individual just to be inside it and taking part in what it has to offer. The same can’t be said for sitting at home playing casino games through your phone, in your underwear. There are also a few advantages to doing your gambling in the flesh.
The biggest plus to gambling in person is that you receive your winnings immediately. The moment the roulette wheel stops spinning, the final card is laid on the table, or your symbols come up on a slots game, you’re free to cash out and walk away with your money in your pocket. The same can’t be said of online casinos, where you generally have to wait at least twenty-four hours to receive your winnings after you’ve struck lucky.
There’s also something to be said for gaining gambling experience in the flesh if you’re new to the hobby. Many casinos offer tables based on experience or ability, and you can even speak to the person next to you if you want strategy advice. That isn’t true of an internet-based casino, where you’re on your own. There’s a lot to be said for the sociable side of gambling – hitting the town with a group of friends for a night at the casino is an exciting and memorable occasion.
The Upside Of Staying At Home
Despite the positive points we just made about going out to gamble, there’s little doubt that the industry is trending in the direction of the people who choose to stay at home to make their bets. The most recent statistics available say that the global internet gambling market was worth $94bn in 2019, and it’s a safe bet (if you’ll excuse the pun) that it will pass the $100bn threshold in 2020. What is it about gambling from home that’s persuading so many people to spend so much money? Let’s take a closer look.
One thing that the offline world of gambling will never be able to compete with the online world about is the range and diversity of games. You can pack an almost infinite number of games into an online casino or an online slots website. A well-supplied casino website will have at least five hundred games available, and some have even more than that. A bricks-and-mortar casino just doesn’t have that much floor space, and so it can’t even try to compete. If you like variety, you’ll prefer the online environment by default.
In the majority of cases, you’ll also get a better deal in terms of odds if you pay online. The amount you can win on a game of poker or roulette is determined by the amount you bet on it, but with slots, things are a little different. All slots have something called a house edge, which makes it more likely that they’ll take money from you than you’ll win anything back from them. With a physical casino, this house edge is often more than ten percent. That’s because the physical casino has certain costs to cover, including staff, rent, power, and everything else that goes into keeping a premises running. Online casinos don’t have these restrictions. The house edge of an online slots game is frequently less than five percent. That doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed to win, but it does mean your chances are better.
Given the sheer number of online casinos and online slots websites that exist, there’s fierce competition between them when it comes to persuading you to spend your money there. That spirit of competition has led to the creation of some almost unbelievable incentives and offers. From free spins of the reels to double-your-money and cashback offers and loyalty schemes, most respectable online casinos reward their players in ways that a physical casino cannot afford to match.
To boil this down into the basics, going to a real-life casino is a more sociable activity and offers you easier access to your winnings, but you’re more likely to win and/or get a great deal if you’re playing online – and that’s not to mention the fact that online casinos work to your convenience. No matter what day it is, what time of day it is, or where in the world you are, an online casino is always open so long as you have an internet connection. Again, due to staffing costs, most physical casinos have to close their doors for at least a few hours every night.
All we can do here is outline the pros and cons – the final decision is up to you! The reason gambling has been around for so long is that it’s a fun, exciting, and sometimes rewarding activity. So long as you engage with it safely and responsibly, it’s a fine form of entertainment and one which you’re free to engage with however you wish.
