5 Key Differences Between Online and Land-Based Casinos

The Convenience of Online Casinos

Online casinos are super convenient. People can access them at a time to suit them and it doesn’t matter when they want to play or on what device. This industry has evolved in a way that allows people to access content 24/7 and play games. It does not matter whether a player would rather play poker or slots, there is content available to players.

Playing in a poker tournament, for example, may not mean signing up weeks in advance and making sure you are at a specific location. It is possible to log in and find a tournament that is starting in the next 10 minutes.

This sort of convenience is a big appeal for a lot of players who are casual and would perhaps not plan a trip to Vegas but enjoy playing the occasional casino game.

The Atmosphere of Land Based Casinos

This is a matter of personal preference. Some people would rather play a game on their phone while they watch their favourite television show (or even while they are on the train or in the bath). Modern devices make this possible but the land-based options definitely have a very different atmosphere and one that some people are very keen on, meaning there is a cohort of people who would always rather play in person.

Land based or ‘retail’ casinos are designed to have a certain feel and atmosphere to them. As well as providing a wide selection of games, there are often added extras that can turn the experience into a full night out. Casinos often have extravagant restaurants and bars within as well as other facilities for people to go along with their gaming. Casinos have a certain allure to them. There is a reason why they are often included in movies as a dramatic setting. For a night out with friends, some people will organise nights out to casinos with their friends and it is more unusual to organise online gaming sessions with buddies on casino games, of course.

In recent years, we have seen an increase in live dealer casino games as these provide an experience that is a little closer to the in-person casino experience with an actual human dealing the cards, for instance.

Bonuses and Promotions are More Prevalent Online

The casino industry is so competitive now that there are a wide variety of ways that people take advantage of bonus rates and promotions. For instance, a huge number of online casinos now provide signup bonuses for players which means that they can access more funds to bet with when they sign up or other bonuses such as free spins.

Some casino bonuses and promotions are available in person, but they are usually very different. Some of the biggest casinos are known for providing people with things like free food and drink or even free stays, but these tend to be reserved for the highest rollers and those who regularly attend.

There are people who keep a close eye on the bonuses that are available online and sites dedicated to comparisons. The fact that so many casino brands now operate online means that there are often bonuses available as different platforms try to improve their offering and get new players to sign up.

The Different Games on Offer

This is a difficult one as the games played do tend to become closer in the way people engage with them. For instance, most casinos now have terminals for slot games that load up the same sorts of games that are playable online. But there are also some key differences.

One such way that the games still vary is the fact that there may be more choices in online gaming platforms. People can access the very latest games and online sites are not limited to terminals or physical space and can continually add to the site.

As we’ve already briefly mentioned, the difference between playing some games in person is also significant. Some people would always rather play poker at an in-person casino where they can make eye contact with the other players and try to work out if they have a “poker face”.

Payment Methods May Vary Between the Two

This is an area that is converging, and the casino payment methods that we are used to using online may have become more common at in-person and land-based casinos, too.

Obviously, there aren’t any ways that people can pay with cash if they want to play at an online casino, but at in-person casinos, this may still be an option (though many machines and terminals have shifted to digital systems).

Payments, in general, are going to a more digital and online method. Lots of in-person casinos allow people to tap to pay rather than using cash, and things have definitely changed over the last 10 or 20 years, but there are still some subtle differences between the two. This may impact peoples’ decisions on whether or not they want to play at a land-based casino or play in person. For example, as decentralised currencies continue to become more widespread and popular, like Ripple, players who want to primarily bet with these crypto coins will certainly favour the online sites that offer these payment methods. However, using crypto at casinos in the UK is still a grey area for now.