Traditionally, gambling was a pastime that took place in brightly-lit casinos in Las Vegas or smoky bookmakers in England. But while the popularity of gambling has continued to swell over the years, the way in which people are choosing to do has changed dramatically.
Take the UK, for example. In the year ending April 2020, the remote gambling sector achieved revenues of £5.7 billion, an 8.1% increase from the previous 12 months. At the same time, the total number of betting shops and gambling premises decreased by 6.4% and 7.7%, respectively. More and more people are turning away from land-based casinos to online gambling outlets… but why?
Remote access
Perhaps the biggest advantage that playing at a casino online has over its brick-and-mortar counterparts is the fact that you don’t need to physically travel to another location to enjoy their products. With an online casino, all that’s required is an internet connection and a debit card and you’re set to begin gaming.
That’s especially useful for those who live in remote parts of the world, or where land-based casinos are still not legalised but online gambling is. Whether it’s an issue of legality or mere convenience, however, there’s no denying that the ability to log in and play from any device, at any time, anywhere in the world is a huge draw for online casinos.
Incredible selection of games
One of the biggest drawbacks of visiting a land-based casino is the fact that it only contains a certain number of games. Even the largest premises will be limited in the range of options they offer their customers, meaning that you might not find the specific game that you want to play available. That can be a big deterrent for those gamers who have a favourite slot with a unique theme and particular gameplay features.
By contrast, gambling online means that the world really is your oyster. Casinos generally offer hundreds of different games to choose from, while if the one you seek isn’t stocked by the site you visit, you can simply navigate away and sign up to another one which does offer it. That kind of incredible variation is unbeatable.
On-demand expedience
In today’s modern culture, where people expect next-day delivery and instantaneous gratification in all aspects of their life, having to hang around to wait for a particular machine or game to become available is not an attractive prospect. In this respect, online casinos are clearly winning the battle against their land-based counterparts, since there’s no need to wait in any queues or kick your heels until the game you want to play is ready for you.
Instead, super-fast loading times and round-the-clock availability means you can indulge in your favourite past-time whenever you want. What’s more, the advent of e-wallets and the sophistication of modern payment methods means you can deposit or withdraw money in a matter of seconds, thus creating an expedited and effortlessly enjoyable experience online.