Online casino vs. playing at a real casino: pros & cons

 (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
 

With more and more land-based casinos being closed down, the popularity of an online casino is growing in leaps and bounds. With that, there is a rise in fraud online and you may end up losing your money if you do not choose wisely. On the flip side, land-based casinos do not offer the convenience of playing from anywhere; nor are they legalized to operate in many states. 

So, both online casinos and playing at a real casino are unique experiences, and have their pros and cons. If you are not sure which one to get started with, this comprehensive guide will help you make a wise choice. 

Pros & Cons of Playing at an Online Casino 

One of the top reasons why people choose to play online is the high level of convenience it offers. Web-based casinos allow you to play 24x7 and from the cozy comfort of your home. Recently, there has been a rise in mobile casinos, which further make it convenient to play anytime on the go. Furthermore, if you live in a state or are traveling to one that does not legalize brick-and-mortar casinos, you can play online and experience the fun of casinos.

On the other hand, online casinos offer a vast selection of games, with hundreds of variations in progressive slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, scratch cards, and more. They have classic games as well as innovative ones that will keep you engaged. An online casino might also allow you to play some games for free so that you can brush up your skills before you can play for real money. 

A good online casino also offers a broad range of betting limits. That means you can even bet for a few pennies on a variety of games. Whatever your betting skills and budget, you can get betting limits customized for an improved casino experience. Adding further to the convenience, online casinos accept different payment options, including cryptocurrency that help maintain the privacy and anonymity of your transactions. 

Coming to disadvantages, online casinos most often lack in rendering that pulsating atmosphere that you would get in a brick-and-mortar casino. However, many good casinos are now trying to replicate the look and feel of a real casino by incorporating vivacious music and light that will keep you engaged. At the same time, you would need uninterrupted internet connectivity to continue playing with an online casino. 

Pros and Cons of Brick-and-Mortar Casinos 

Despite the remarkable popularity of online casinos, real casinos have their share of advantages. Undoubtedly, the glamorous and energetic atmosphere of a real casino cannot be replicated. Playing live casino games with real dealers and chatting with them and co-players render a true casino experience. Another advantage is you can get your winning payouts instantly. 

This is often not the case with online casinos. Their payout time depends on the processing period of the different payment methods they accept. So, you can expect around 1-2 weeks to get your payout. From a bigger perspective, this isn’t a significant inconvenience, but certainly one aspect where brick-and-mortar casinos outperform online casinos. 

There are also several disadvantages of playing with a land-based casino. They require more money as their betting limit is higher than an online casino. For instance, the table limit at a brick-and-mortar casino typically starts from 1 pound for roulette and 5-10 pounds per hand for any card game. So, a game session can be expensive, particularly if you are just getting started. Additionally, popular casinos have a longer waiting time. i.e., you need to wait for a long time unless you get your turn to play at a table or a slot machine. 

A major drawback is you cannot control the pace of a game like you can do when playing online. The latter offers handy features like repeat bet, re-spin, etc. But this is not the case with real-time casinos and you need to comply with several factors like card shuffling, dealer shifts, etc. Additionally, if you stick to real casinos, you may never get a chance to play if you live in a state that does not allow betting. In that case, playing online gives you more privacy and convenience of playing from anywhere. 

Conclusion

From the above discussion, we can conclude that online casinos offer an improved gaming experience with its exciting variants, utmost convenience, and a low house edge. It is particularly suitable for beginners who want to hone their skills before they could play for real money. But, make sure you choose only a good and reputable online casino.