Online vs. Land-Based Casino: Complete Comparison
For the last couple of decades, people around the world have had the option to play their casino games online or in a land-based casino. In both instances, if with reputable brands, the player gets fair odds, can bet with real money, and take away their winnings. Yet, there are still distinct differences between the two.
One is digital gambling while the other is done on physical tables. To bridge this gap, studios have introduced live casino gaming for real-time play.
Table of Content:
- Key Differences Between Online and Land-Based Casinos
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Land-Based Casinos
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Casinos
- Which Casino Should You Choose?
- FAQs
For many, the main advantages and disadvantages in the online vs. land-based casino gaming debate centre on a preference for playing real games over convenience and easy game selection. However, there’s a lot more to this debate than that.
Key Differences Between Online and Land-Based Casinos
Here’s a look at the key differences to explore when weighing online vs. land-based casinos.
Convenience
Unless you live right next to a land-based casino and are happy to have those neon lights blaring through your windows at night, online casinos will always be more convenient than land-based venues. Being playable after booting up a computer was one thing. Now, you can just flip your smartphone from your pocket, use face recognition, tap an app, and you’re playing casino games.
Game Selection
Most major land-based casinos boast over 50 tables and hundreds of slot machines, but they’ll always be limited by floor space and selecting games proven to be popular. At online casinos, the game selection can be as vast as the provider wants, featuring thousands of slots and hundreds of table games and variants.
Atmosphere
You’ll never be able to match the atmosphere of a popular land-based casino online. The sound of the slots paying out, people cheering when their numbers land on the roulette table, and crowds gathering around a hot craps shooter make the live casino experience extra special. Then again, some prefer a quiet environment while betting over the crowds and cheers.
Bonuses and Promotions
Land-based casinos often offer loyalty rewards and even some new player perks, but few match that of the online casinos. The current promotions at top online casinos are always loaded with ways to get bonus funds, free spins, and even crossover promos into sports betting.
Plus, welcome bonuses are one of the main points of competition online, forcing platforms to make them bigger and better than ever.
Payment Options
Generally speaking, land-based and online casinos tend to be quite well-matched for payment options these days. Mobile, contactless cards, and cash are the main options at land casinos. Online, it’s more a case of debit cards, prepaid cards, and eWallets.
Social Interaction
There are chat features in live casino games, however, it’s nearly impossible to replicate the social interactions enjoyed when you visit a land-based casino with friends, in an online game.
Customer Support and Service
If you need help at a land-based casino, you can simply go to the Guest Services main desk. Online, you press a button for live support, or you can consult the Help Centre for quicker answers. Both land and online options work well.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Land-Based Casinos
Pros
The main advantages of land-based casinos are the atmosphere and social interactions that come from attending a real live, brick and mortar venue. In a casino, you get wrapped up in the excitement and occasion, and there is something to be said for watching a game unfold through your own eyes without any filters – or perhaps just your glasses as filters!
Cons
Land-based casinos are inherently inconvenient and hamstrung in their game selections compared to online options. Still, that doesn’t stop the best casinos from offering a huge range of modern and classic games.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Casinos
Pros
The digital space has allowed creative studios to expand the selection of gambling games tremendously. The most recent hit expansion comes in the form of crash and mine games, but before that innovation it was live game shows. In the modern world, convenience is king, and online casino gaming is the most convenient way to play.
Cons
Even while playing in real-time on a live casino game, you can’t quite get the same experience as being at a casino in person. The gameplay is authentic and immersive, but you’ll still be on your sofa without the glittering lights and atmosphere.
Which Casino Should You Choose?
If you want a selection of the latest games to play at your convenience, choose an online casino. Should you want to make an occasion of your gambling and feel the felt of the tables, make your way to a land-based casino near you.
FAQs
What is the difference between online casinos and land-based casinos?
The main difference between online casinos and land-based casinos is digital gaming and physical gaming. At online casinos, you can play thousands of games through any of your screens. At a land-based casino, you move between games, place physical chips on the tables, and see the games unfold in person.
Is it better to gamble online or at a casino?
Whether it’s better to gamble online or at a land-based casino is a matter of personal preference. If you want to be in an entertainment venue and enjoy betting real chips, land-based casinos are best for you. If you’d rather play games in the comfort of your own home at your own pace, online casino gaming will be your choice.
What is the difference between an online casino and a real casino?
The difference between an online casino and a real casino is that you can play the games of online casinos via your tablet, smartphone, or desktop, while you have to physically go to a real land-based casino in person, to play the games. There are many other smaller differences, but the main one is playing on a screen as opposed to playing in person.
What is the difference between online and live casinos?
Live casinos are housed within online casinos. Live casino games allow you to interact and play in real-time against a human dealer through state-of-the-art cameras and live streaming.
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