It wasn’t too long ago that traditional casinos ruled the roost. Up until the turn of the 21st century, online casinos were poor imitators of the brick-and-mortar experience, with few games and a low-quality interface. But those days are over. Today, online casinos can more than compete with traditional casinos — and in many instances, have already overtaken them.
So, which of the two comes out on top in the metrics that matter most to gamers? Let’s take a look.
Convenience
People value convenience for all kinds of activities, including when they want to play their favourite casino games. In nearly all cases, it’s more convenient to play at an online casino than a real-world one. All you need is a device and an internet connection, and you can play from wherever you happen to be, whether that’s in your home or on a beach. It might be more convenient to play in a real-world casino if you lived next door to one, but other issues with the area might end up outweighing the convenience benefit.
Range of Games Available
The biggest casinos in the world — such as the ones you’ll find in Las Vegas — have a staggering range of games. But most casinos are not like the ones you’ll find in Vegas. As such, when it comes to game selection, there’s only one winner: online casinos take the crown every time. Not only do digital casinos have a wider range of tabletop games than real-world casinos, but they also feature the latest slot games from the leading companies. So, while some casinos do go out of their way to present a wide selection of options, gamers looking for the biggest choice should always focus on online casinos.
Quality of Games
Online casinos don’t just have a wider range of games; they also generally offer higher quality games, too. The best slot games are found in online casinos, for instance. Plus, it’s usually better to play table games such as poker and blackjack online, too, because of the speed at which they’re played. At traditional casinos, you sometimes have to wait for other players to arrive, and you may have to deal with players who play slower than you’d like them to. In addition, online gaming allows you to enter a deeper level of focus and concentration, away from the chit-chat and noise that you get in traditional casinos.
The Dress Code
Most real-world casinos have a dress code that guests must abide by. At online casinos, the only dress code is the one that you impose upon yourself. If you want to play wearing your pyjamas, then you’re more than welcome to do so. Of course, some people like the formality of having to put on their best clothes, so if you’re one of those people, then it’s possible that real-world casinos have the edge. Although, having said that, there’s no law that says you can’t wear a tuxedo even when you’re just playing from home.
The Bottom Line
Ultimately, there’s no way to say whether traditional or online casinos are better. Most of it comes down to personal preference and, in any case, they do tend to offer different experiences. For some things, traditional casinos will be best; for others, online casinos will be best. It does seem, however, that when it comes from a purely gaming experience, online casinos have the edge. And with more investments and development happening all the time, it is probable that the gap between the two different casino experiences will soon be even wider.
