If you’ve been betting for some time now on online casino Canada platforms or land-based venues, you must have witnessed a remarkable gambling industry transformation with every passing year. This is because of the emergence of online casinos that have allowed punters to bet from pretty much anywhere they may find convenient. As with any change or new developments in any industry, debates have been brewing about which is better. The most significant differences include:
- Interaction – For the social gambler, the one-on-one interaction with fellow players and the casino staff at a brick-and-mortar establishment is usually a hit. Most online casinos now include chat rooms for players, but it’s not the same as in-person gambling.
- Benefits – The perks of being in a land-based casino include free snacks, drinks, buffer vouchers, and even hotel accommodation if you happen to be an avid customer. Online casinos offer perks in the form of all kinds of bonuses, including cashback on losses.
- Convenience – Land-based casinos are only accessible in person. In contrast, online casinos provide the luxury of time, letting the player bet at any time of day from any place they would like.
- Cost of Betting – The bet limits for online casinos can be as low as pennies on some games. This is not the case with brick-and-mortar casinos.
With the player experience differences in mind, let’s review some numbers that may help point to which of the two is succeeding based on the fan base and the revenue.
Revenue
Have you thought about why some land-based casino operators have shut their brick-and-mortar businesses and migrated to online platforms? Well, it’s time to consider the financial implications for businesses and jurisdictions. For jurisdictions with legalized online gambling, the post-COVID 19 stats seem to be pointing to a massive shift in revenue and betting handles.
The numbers are so overwhelming that tribal casino operators in the US have been opposing legislative efforts to make online gambling legal unless they get a bigger share of control in the market. This is not that strange considering the multiple community projects the tribes have been supporting from revenue generated through land-based gambling facilities. However, the tribes have not been the only ones affected by the rise of online casinos, as commercial operators have been seen offering both online and in-person betting options to maintain existing customers.
2020 was a major turning point in the gambling industry as online gambling became a multi-billion-dollar industry. The possible reasons for this include the low cost of setting up an online gambling site and the ability to hold more games than in a land-based casino. In addition, the multi-currency option in online casinos also widens the reach for players from different places. Due to the iGaming industry’s rapid growth, recent projections indicate that the market will be worth $92.9 billion by 2023.
Popularity
Online casinos have been gracing the internet for quite some time now, and they have been growing more and more popular every day. Meanwhile, the Coronavirus pandemic limited in-person gambling activities due to mandated lockdowns and casino shutdowns. As a result, the online casino scene soared high to a point where punters who would have never imagined betting using their devices had to hop onto the online betting bandwagon.
Most players have found that playing online affords one of the most precious commodities that seem to be elusive in recent years – time. Players can switch between several casino sites from the same browser without moving a muscle (save for the ones on the fingers, of course). This can be done as the gambler pursues other important activities in their lives, hence saving them the time that would have had to be spent at a land-based casino.
Variety
Another reason online casinos have become a fan favourite in the past decade is the broad product offering. The fact that users are always looking for more in a casino provider is a no-brainer, and it is no wonder that the space available at a land-based casino is limited. As a result, the online casino operators who get to fit as many products as they like onto a single platform get an edge over their more traditional predecessors.
Besides, the generous welcome bonuses that come with registering at an online casino are hard to beat. And on top of the welcome perks, players also have the luxury of redeeming the weekly bonuses and tournaments that are constant at most online gambling sites. Land-based casinos also offer bonuses and promotions, but they are mostly seasonal and require a little more effort to claim, and they are usually available to loyal customers only.
Online Gambling is Leading the Way
As we delve deeper into the digital era, it’s becoming more and more obvious that the approaches used to attract clients to any business years ago are becoming less effective. Thus, business proprietors have to look for ways to match the increasingly evolving customer profiles.
As the industry begins to embrace virtual reality technology as a great way to have your cake and eat it, the number of physical casinos shutting down keeps going up daily. However, this does not mean that players aren’t going to bet at brick-and-mortar casinos as they have some advantages. But, of course, there are lots of challenges to be overcome for the physical casinos to stay afloat and continue being relevant to the modern punter.
