We’re living in the 21st Century which means everything around us has already gone digital or is at least on it’s way there. When it comes to online gambling, well, this industry embraced the internet in the late 90s and it has grown to become highly competitive and diverse.
It’s not all sunshine and roses though. Online gambling has plenty of advantages but there are also a few disadvantages you need to be aware of. Below we take a closer look at what both sides have to offer.
Advantages of playing at online casinos
Availability of bonuses and promotions
The greatest advantage of gambling online is that you’ll get to claim various bonuses and promotions. Although sometimes you can receive coupons and comps, land-based casinos don’t offer bonuses. This makes gambling online more lucrative and exciting.
The most popular bonus you can get when playing online is the welcome bonus. This bonus is given to all new players and it carries wagering requirements just like other bonuses offered by online casinos.
Speaking of other bonuses, you can also claim reloads, cashbacks and free spins. All these bonuses are offered throughout the year, so you can rest assured that there will always be something fresh to claim.
Play at your own schedule
In land-based casinos, there’s usually a preset schedule for most table games. This is not the case when it comes to online gambling. Everything matches your schedule when playing online.
You can access the games at any time you want, regardless of your location and this will give you more time to attend to your daily chores and finally enjoy the game during your free time.
Online casinos are globally available
Online casinos operate in numerous countries which means you can travel and still be able to access your account and play as many games as possible. This is unlike land-based casinos that have one location and one location only.
Great for Newbies
Gambling maybe fun, but at the end of the day you are risking real money. Luckily for you, online casinos offer a calmer environment. A place where you can take your time to explore the games, be familiar with how they work and finally place good bets.
The same can’t be said about brick-and-mortar casinos. Here, there are crowds, noise and other unavoidable distractions such as alcohol that may impair your judgment and ultimately result in bad bets.
Wide variety of games
No one can deny the fact that land-based casinos are large and brilliant. However, slot machines and table games are also quite large and they take up a considerable amount of floor space. Due to this, land-based casinos end up hosting just a few popular games.
On the flip side, online casinos don’t have a space problem, so they are able to host as many games as possible. As we write this there are online casinos hosting over 700 games with others having around 1000 games. These games are separated into slots, table games and live dealer events to cater to different types of gamblers.
Availability of demo games
Online casinos have demo games and this is something brick-and-mortar casinos will never offer. When you visit a land-based casino, you’re expected to know how the games are played and immediately begin betting.
This is completely different in online gambling. Here, you can find a demo game and play with fake money as much as you want. These demo games have the same designs as real money games and as you practice, you’ll learn how everything works and later on place successful bets.
Compatible with mobile devices
Your computer isn’t the only device you can use to gamble online. Nowadays you can find mobile casino websites and applications that function just as good as the PC versions. Mobile casinos are more flexible and they will make it easier for you to place your bets, deposit funds and claim bonuses.
This convenience is one of the main reasons why should try signing up at an online casino rather than going to a brick-and-mortar operator.
What are the disadvantages?
Not all online casinos can be trusted
Although most online casinos are safe and trustworthy, there are still some fraudulent sites that exist. Finding these dishonest casinos isn’t the easiest thing to do. However, there are a few red flags you can look out for.
First, read the site’s Terms and Conditions and if you catch any suspicious terms that infringe on your privacy as a player, find another casino. Additionally, if the casino hasn’t stated whether they have a license or if they don’t use SSL encryption technology, consider looking for another site.
You can also read customer reviews and see which casinos are being recommended by reliable casino review websites such as arabiconlinecasinos.com.
Boredom
Online casinos offer a serene gambling environment that you will never find at a brick-and-mortar casino. However, over time, this serene environment can lead to boredom and you can quickly find yourself losing interest in playing your favorite games.
To battle this boredom, try playing live dealer games. Software providers such as Evolution Gaming offer the very best live dealer games. In these games, you’ll be interacting with a real human dealer and seeing real cards and tables. These games are also streamed through HD technology which ensures you don’t miss out on anything.
Increases gambling addiction
Online gambling has become too convenient. With a Smartphone, you can create your betting account in less than 5 minutes, deposit some cash and begin betting. This convenience makes it easy to fall into an addiction. Remember that online casinos offer responsible tools such as time limits and exclusions.
However, this is often not enough to fight serious addiction and many players do find themselves going back to gambling eventually.
Slow payouts
Long cashout times is the other disadvantage of playing at an online casino. Land-based casinos always give players their winnings before leaving. But when you gamble online, you have to wait for up to three days to receive your funds.
These prolonged payouts can be annoying and highly inconvenient especially if the casino doesn’t accept a banking method you’re familiar with. Furthermore, there will be transaction fees charged when moving your funds and if the casino doesn’t accept your local currency, you will have to pay currency conversion fees.
Can cause legal problems
In some countries, gambling is strictly prohibited and players can get arrested for visiting land-based casinos as well as their online counterparts. Other countries have super complex laws that don’t state whether gambling is prohibited or not and it’s this grey area that brings about legal problems.
To avoid these legal problems, familiarize yourself with the gambling laws of your country or state. It will be a challenging task. However, doing this will let you know the things you can do and the ones to avoid.
What next?
Our guide has come to an end and we hope that now you know the benefits and the drawbacks associated with gambling online. There are hundreds of games from notable software providers and other features to enjoy when you join an online casino.
On the other hand, land based casinos are more secure and reliable. So weigh everything wisely and see whether online gambling will be a good addition to your life.
