There are noticeable differences between land-based and online casinos. The ability to gamble is the same, but there’s a difference in everything else that might not be as obvious as you think.

Anyone who loves a great night has visited a land-based casino, whether on a stag night in Vegas, a genteel soiree in Monaco, or a full-blown experience at the native Indian American-owned WinStar World Resort Casino near the Oklahoma–Texas border. 

No matter what you’re looking for, land-based casinos are all about real, actual brick-and-mortar-based adventure. While online casinos are totally different, offering a modern, convenient and accessible way to enjoy your downtime. 

Putting clothes on or leaving your coach is only necessary if you need more snacks. Online casinos are about more than convenience and accessibility. They generally appeal to a younger audience (but not always) who love the technology that comes with an online gambling experience. 

We will examine land-based and online casinos, analyse their advantages and disadvantages, and determine which one is more beneficial or disadvantageous for betting enthusiasts.

Land-Based Casinos - Pros - Advantages

Glamour: we can summarise land-based casinos with just one word - glamour. Suppose you think about the famous film casino scenes. In that case, you automatically think about the beautiful outfits of the actors: Vesper Lynd in Casino Royal or the debonair Danny Ocean in Oceans 11, 12 and 13 - take your pick, both George Clooney and Brad Pit cut a dash in the style stakes even if the entire premise of the Ocean trilogy is to break the bank.

In reality, depending on which casino you set your sights on, you can dress up for a night at the Casino de Monte-Carlo with a strict dress code or go more casually into a land-based casino in Vegas. Even if you don’t dress up, the staff at any brick-and-mortar establishment are always immaculate, offering excellent customer service and a luxurious experience.

Supporting the Community: You might have met casino employees if you regularly visit a land-based casino. Brick-and-mortar casinos employ people from various backgrounds in the wider local community to operate and run the establishment’s services. From the dealers to the cocktail servers right through to the resort staff, it’s likely that the employees are, in fact, your neighbours. Thus, if you visit a real casino, you’re contributing to the local economy.

Authenticity: Land-based casinos are authentic and offer a real atmosphere. If you visit a real casino, you will realise its authentic atmosphere sets it apart from its online counterpart. A casino surrounds you with music, people and elaborate interior designs. Even the sounds of people playing casino games and their excitement are contagious, creating an environment that changes daily.

Immediate Payouts: If lady luck smiles at you and you’re fortunate enough to win, you can generally receive your payout immediately. You don’t have to wait for payments to clear; the casino can send the money to your bank account or payout in cash.

Sociability: If you enjoy gambling but don’t have a partner or friend who wants to accompany you, you can experience the land-based casino alone, knowing that your social life can be rejuvenated. Land-based casinos host all sorts of people, and you can share your excitement and joy of winning with them. 

If you want to surround yourself with like-minded players, the land-based casino is the place to do it. These are not mere gambling spots but areas where your entire family can enjoy the entertainment. A typical casino is usually a resort, including a hotel, several restaurants, the casino floor, and a supervised playpark where your children can have fun. At the same time, you can socialise with your fellow casino fans. 

Land-Based Casinos - Cons - Disadvantages

Travel: You must be prepared to travel, and while this might be part of the fun, it can mean extra expense and lost playing time. If you live in an area that doesn’t have a local land-based casino, a casual evening out with friends might be impossible if the distance to and from your home is prohibitive.

Expense: Expense is one of the main drawbacks of a land-based casino. You’ll likely have to travel to get there and potentially spend additional money on a hotel stay. While staying at a resort can be fun, it is never without additional expense. After all, who has ever left a land-based casino resort without a visit to the gift shop?

Peak Time Disappointment: Generally, we all have our annual leave at the same time. For instance, the Christmas holiday season, Thanksgiving, Easter, Independence Day, and various other holiday dates. These general holiday dates are considered peak times at land-based casinos, and as a result, your favourite games will be busy. The same is true for weekends and bank or national holidays.

Socialising: While socialising may be the main reason to attend a brick-and-mortar casino, it might be the reason why you wouldn’t want to. Some people prefer to gamble privately and consider their playtime solely a personal pastime. We get it; that’s why we’re moving on to the pros of online gaming and online casino play.

Online Casinos - Pros - Advantages 

No Wait Time: One of the significant factors of online gambling is accessibility; as long as you have decent Wi-Fi or loads of data, you can play. No hanging around, no waiting your turn, just plug in, switch on and play. You can easily log in and select games from a massive portfolio, meaning you can play almost any game style whenever you want without wasting your precious downtime or spending money on travel expenses.

Bonuses and Loyalty Schemes: Bonuses and loyalty schemes are a significant advantage online casinos offer over land-based establishments. Most online casinos offer monthly packages, among other promotions and benefits. Regular users receive free spins, bonus money and the exclusive chance to win big prizes. 

Land-based casinos have more considerable overheads than online casinos, so if you want to find great promotions, offers and bonuses, online casino bonuses list on Masters of Casinos must be your first choice. 

More Games: Online casinos have the facility to offer more updated and exciting games than land-based facilities. The new games always arrive at the online casinos before moving on to the casino floor. As gaming evolves, so does the online experience; if you look at the most recent slot titles, including Blood Suckers, Starmania and White Rabbits. Medusa Megaways, Jimi Hendrix and Butterfly Stax. None of those mentioned above names appear on the floor at the local land-based casinos.

Online Casino - Cons - Disadvantages 

Lousy Internet Connection: Every gamer’s nightmare. A poor internet connection can hold you back from experiencing your favourite game to the full. Nothing is worse than losing the signal when you’re about to win. Some games experience lag if you are not near the router. 5G promises to sort out connectivity problems, but until then, good Wi-Fi is a must if you want to enjoy uninterrupted play.

Lack of atmosphere: One drawback to playing online is the lack of a friendly atmosphere on a casino floor. Many crave the experience and excitement of connecting with a croupier in person. However, many live online gaming hosts are available on the best sites these days.

As we move into a new era, the lack of atmosphere is tackled with VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented) technology. Online casinos combined with head and handsets offer a fully immersive experience that you can’t get anywhere else - all you have to do is supply the snacks.

Verification Checks: Online casinos must, by law, take up enhanced verification checks. Therefore, you must send all the identification documents immediately after signing up to avoid difficulties accessing your welcome bonuses or additional spins. Verification checks are implemented for player protection and are essential in making online gambling a safe financial space.

Withdrawal Delays: Withdrawal delays are related to verification checks. If you haven’t sent all your documents as soon as you sign up, there will be delays in withdrawing your winnings. Verification checks are implemented for your protection by ensuring your verification checks are sorted to ensure you can look forward to quick payouts.

Conclusion 

There are advantages and disadvantages to land-based and online casino experiences, and it depends on what you want or need from your pastime. If you love an all-you-can-eat buffet and a spin on the roulette table, land-based casinos are your best bet. However, if you don’t want a big fuss but want to be at the cutting edge of online gaming, online casinos will provide you with elevated downtime. 

Whatever you decide, there’s a solution for you. After all, nothing is stopping you from enjoying both brick-and-mortar gambling and the odd online flutter - it’s not an either-or situation, but a more is most definitely more scenario.