As huge internet businesses started to thrive in the early 1990s, the brick-and-mortar gambling industry began losing ground among casino players across the world. Shortly after the establishment of the first online casino in 1994, the popularity of land-based gambling destinations started to decline.
However, they still managed to retain some old-school gamblers who kept aloof from recent innovations in the gaming world. Since then the two main branches of a casino enterprise have been striving for supremacy and excellence in the gambling niche.
Both online and land-based gambling destinations have their respective features. In line with this, there are some pros and cons for those who decide to gamble in any of these two types of casinos. This leaves gamblers with a tough choice in terms of deciding on whether to sign-up with a reputable online gambling platform or simply visit a brick-and-mortar casino located just near their homes.
Indeed, by far, the main difference between land-based and online casinos is the location; the reality and the virtual world. However, there’re more ways in which the two types of gambling platforms differ from each other. Aside from this, the choice of gambling venues massively depends on what players are looking for and their respective gaming preferences.
So if you are looking to know the differences that exist between online and land-based casinos, this piece of content is ideal for you. Read on to learn more about both land-based and online casino rating differences. And before you can move closer to the differences, let’s understand each of these two types of gambling venues.
What Is a Land-Based Casino?
Land-based casinos are any gambling premises located in the real world. Notable examples of these gaming premises include Grosvenor Casino in the United Kingdom and Caesar’s Place in Vegas. In simple terms, land-based casinos are any physical buildings in which casino games are played.
These casinos usually offer a massive array of different games, although some of them specialise in one type of game, like roulette or slot machines. Also, many brick-and-mortar casinos have additional services for gamblers, including restaurants, bars and entertainment acts. Sometimes, players will find hotel rooms and suites.
Loyal players at land-based gambling platforms are likely to receive some rewards which they can use on the casino services available. In most cases, land-based casinos are located in cities and towns across Europe. And some cities specialise in hosting large numbers of these venues in one place.
What Is an Online Casino?
The establishment of the internet in the early 1990s opened up a new world for all types of sectors and industries, including gambling. In 1994, Antigua and Barbuda approved the Free Trade and Processing Act that would be used to license all online gambling platforms. Software developers soon recognised a niche in the market and started to create online games.
Other states from across the world followed Antigua and Barbuda’s example and started to take steps to license and regulate the industry. Some like the United Kingdom, Curacao, Gibraltar and Malta, began to license online gambling sites, a node to their exponential growth and international appeal.
Currently, you can play and place wagers on different types of casino games online, including slot machines, roulette, blackjack, keno, bingo, baccarat and more, all at the comfort of your home. If you love interacting with other gamblers, online casinos still provide you with a chance to indulge in social activities.
Online casinos also referred to as internet or virtual casinos, are simply online versions of brick- and-mortar gaming platforms. They allow gamblers to play or wager on different games through the internet.
The Top Differences Between Land-Based and Online Casinos
Accessibility
One of the main reasons why many players prefer online casinos is easy of access. Many individuals always have a busy day, so entertainment needs to be smooth. With online gambling sites, you only need either a smartphone, tablet or desktop with a stable Internet connection to play your favourite games or place wagers. This means that you can access the games as well as the casino from anywhere, anytime.
When it comes to land-based casinos, you’ll need to travel for some hours to the nearest gambling venue, especially if there aren’t gaming halls around. That is quite inconvenient and can only be possible during the weekends or holidays but not daily. Also, there are additional expenses for taxes, parking fees, food and fuel. In short, you will need a big budget.
Bonuses and Promotions
The bonus and promotion systems that online and land-based casinos offer are drastically different. There is a greater chance for gamblers to receive bonuses and rewards at an online gambling platform than at a brick-and-mortar casino. The issue is that online gaming platforms have pretty rigorous play-through requirements.
Online casinos are more likely to offer bonuses regularly due to lower operating costs. Additionally, they generate a bigger income as a result of the fast gameplay. And because of this, they can offer diverse and more attractive casino bonuses and promotions.
Moreover, during live casinos games, some operators often surprise gamblers with unexpected goodies. They’re presented by the croupier in real-time, and they can include free blackjack rounds, bonus roulette spins and much more. Thus gamers can play the games for long and will always want to play again and again, but only at sites with the best online casino rating.
On the other hand, the land-based gambling venues are far behind when it comes to bonuses and promotions. Most commonly, players may only benefit from some progressive jackpot games, lottery draws or VIP rewards. These incentives are also available in every trustworthy online casino.
Payout Time
There is also a startling difference between the internet and real gambling platforms, concerning cashout processing. Brick-and-mortar casinos perform excellently than their internet counterparts in this regard. At land-based casinos, players can have their payouts almost instantly, but with virtual gambling platforms, it can take several days or even weeks to process.
Some online casinos have a withdrawal pending time in their payment systems. Such a peculiarity means that the period your payout will take to process is undefined. However, some provide a pending withdrawal period which ranges anywhere between one and five working days. The good thing is that after the specified period, your funds will be available to you and only a few online casino operators implement the pending withdrawal period.
Game Selection
Virtual casinos provide gamblers with more diversified gaming options. Players can find anything related to gambling from live dealers and table games to hundreds of slot machines, lottery opportunities and sports betting. Also, there are lots of variations in terms of popular titles such as poker, blackjack and roulette. Players can choose any titles based on their preferences, and most importantly, they can do so instantly.
Surprisingly, if you visit the live dealer section of online casinos, it is like the croupier was waiting for your arrival. After funding your account and selecting a certain room, it’ll take just some seconds to get access. Virtual gambling sites provide a massive range of slot machines too. Depending on the software company, players will be able to find lots of titles with different themes. Whether you love horror movies, galaxy voyages, jungle adventures, or anything else, you will have a massive array of options to choose from.
The land-based casinos also offer a huge amount of games. At these venues, you can find some blackjack tables and a few poker variants as well as different versions of roulette and fascinating one-armed bandit games. The variety isn’t that wide when compared to online gambling sites; however, there are still enough options for most gamblers. In some brick-and- mortar gaming destinations, you will need to wait for a seat since most interesting tables and games are always overcrowded not to mention slow gameplay.
Additional Services
There’s at least one main reason to choose brick-and-mortar gambling destinations. And that is the level of service. Everything available inside the venues is organised to help visitors and gamblers feel comfortable.
Dealers, assistants, waiters and cashiers are everywhere not to mention security guards that ensure player safety. Additionally, top brands provide additional amusements such as famous artists, rock-bands, and musicians as well as different shows, comedy clubs and boxing matches.
Internet casinos rely primarily on services that could help gamblers if they have certain problems. Some of these services include customer support and responsible gambling. Equally, you will find a wide array of banking methods at online casinos including crypto, bank and prepaid cards and electronic wallets like Skrill, Neteller PayPal and many others.
Final Thoughts
If you are planning to try out real money gambling, then online casinos have some significant benefits. But the thrill that you could feel in full and crowded land-based casinos in London or your nearest city is incomparable.
However, if you select an online platform based on the top online casino rating, then you will have the best gaming experience. But you should always remember that no matter the type of destination you choose, gambling is risky so, it is better to play responsibly.