Difference between Online and Land-Based Casino Games

Online casinos have become incredibly popular since they first appeared on the net about 10 years ago.  Just online poker playing jumped from $82.7 million in 2001 to $2.4 billion in 2005.  In 2011, the Chinese alone brought in 8.7 billion from online casinos.  It is easy to understand the trend to move towards online gaming.  Online casinos are accessible to just about anyone with an internet connection. They offer a much wider game selection than most land-based casinos.  You don’t have to wait for a spot at an online gaming table nor ever worry about losing your seat.  Thanks to advanced technology, a lot of the online casino games offer a very interactive experience.  There are even online casino games with live dealers or which can be played socially with other real players.  These aren’t the only differences between online and land-based casinos though.  Before you sign up for online gaming, you should keep these facts in mind.

House Edge: Online casinos usually have much higher house edges than land-based casinos.  Even on games that you are familiar with, such as blackjack, you could find that the house edge is higher with the online version.  Always make sure to do your research and find out what the house edge is at a casino as well as the payout for wins.

Casino Bonuses: Both online and land-based casinos typically offer bonuses to their players.  But the bonuses as online casinos are often much more attractive, such as deposit matches and even free money to play with.  The reason for this is because the amount of competition amongst online casinos is intense and the casinos have to offer great promotions to draw in new players.  Be cautious before you are drawn in by these offers though because there are always some strings attached which could cause very unpleasant surprises when you go to withdraw you money.

Making Deposits and Withdrawals: At a land-based casino, all you need to do is buy some chips and start playing.  When you want to stop playing, you cash in your chips.  This all happens very quickly without any processing time.  At online casinos though, the process of making deposits and withdrawals can be complex and time consuming.  Most of the online casinos make it very easy to make a deposit and accept numerous payment forms.  When you go to make a withdrawal though, you will likely have limited options, have to wait mandatory processing periods, have to provide ID, and have withdrawal minimum and maximums.

Gambling Addiction: Gambling can become an addiction whether you play online or at land-based casinos.  Each gaming venue has its own risks.  For example, it is easy to get sucked into games when you play at land-based casinos because they will blackout the windows and hide clocks from you.  You may also be offered free drinks and the alcohol can further skew your sense of time and cause you to make poor betting decisions.  At online casinos, you bet from the comfort of your own home.  It can be difficult to stop playing since you can play at the online casinos anytime and don’t even have to get out of your pajamas to play.  Be wary of how much you are playing so you don’t develop an addiction to casino games.