Online vs. Land-Based Casinos

Online vs. land-based casinos is a comparison being debated more than ever before now as online casinos continue to make huge technological advancements. Until very recently, gambling enthusiasts were quite limited with where they could play and win money. The only real choices available were to either head for casinos in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or Monte Carlo etc., or wager through a local (and perhaps illicit) source.

As online casinos continue to boom over the Internet and traditional land-based casinos, betting parlors, card rooms, sports books and high-stakes bingo rooms are literally popping up in every city, state and country, the "online vs. land-based casino" debate marches on. But like apples and oranges, both taste great!

Many traditional gamblers argue that online casinos fail to deliver the same value, variety of games, and safety that land-based casinos do. They also claim that online gaming lacks the excitement of a real casino, exclaiming, "How can staring at a computer screen possibly be any fun?!" Well, if you've never visited any of the online casinos, you're in for an exciting surprise. Today there exist well over 100 companies developing some extraordinary cutting-edge gaming software applications. And the quality graphics, sound and user-ability will blow anyone away.

Typically, online casinos now offer some 70 or 80 games to choose from with all sorts of features specifically designed to instill the thrills one gets when playing in a real-life casino. Of course, appealing to an online player's sense of smell or touch has yet to be accomplished online, but don't write-off online gaming just yet; the exitement is definitely there. It's just different, that's all.

In fact, online casinos offer significantly higher payout percentages than land-based casinos (generally about 8% or a little more) with the margin for slot machine players providing the biggest difference. One obvious reason being that online casinos simply have lower operating expenses.

With online gambling, skilled blackjack and poker players can play at multiple tables simultaneously, in turn permitting them to play many more hands per hour than what they can play in a land-based casino and thus increasing their average winning rate per hour. Also, for skilled blackjack players using a basic strategy, it's a means to avoid or at least limit the unwanted attention someone typically receives when identified as a highly skilled gambler in land-based casinos. When gambling at an online casino, no time is spent getting dressed to go out, no time nor expenses are wasted traveling to and from a casino, and you don't risk being mugged for your winnings on your way home.

Virtually all online casinos offer players the option to register and "play-for-free" so that they may familiarize themselves with the software and practice their gaming skills before they start playing for real money. When they feel comfortable with the software, they can choose whether or not to make a deposit and play for real cash.

Online gaming, naturally, does have its limits. For example, counting cards in blackjack can be somewhat difficult seeing as how the deck is shuffled after every single hand. (Yeah, technology can be a real drag for some.)

Online vs. land-based casinos? Let's face it, they both have their pros and cons. But perhaps the greatest advantage of online casinos is that you can play whenever you want, for as long as you want, and in the comfort of your own home.