Although online casinos aren’t new and gamblers have had this option since the early 2000s, it’s fair to say that online casinos weren’t a solid alternative to physical casinos at first because technology hadn’t caught up quite yet. Games were a bit laggy, payment options weren’t diverse enough, and so the experience didn’t quite feel as immersive as in land-based casinos.
Now, online gambling is a multi-billion-dollar industry and that doesn’t show any sign of stopping. Some even say that, in the following years, online casinos will become more popular than brick-and-mortar ones.
If we look at the numbers, this prediction isn’t far-fetched at all: adoption rates are growing, even among skeptical players, and the innovations leveraged by online operators give brick-and-mortar casinos a run for their money.
If we were to compare physical and digital casinos side-by-side, these differences are the ones that stand out the most:
Superior graphics
Although some retro games have stayed popular despite having outdated graphics, most of them haven’t aged well, and that applies to online casino games too.
Like all gaming experiences, casinos rely heavily on graphics to attract and keep players interested and the graphics from the early 2010 didn’t really have too much to offer: they were unrealistic, pixelated, and, in the absence of other environmental elements, couldn’t compete with physical casinos. Fast-forward to today and the graphics are simply spectacular.
The best juegos de casino online have realistic, high-end graphics that run great both on desktop and mobile devices, without having complex requirements.
The graphics of slot games stand out the most, especially thematic slot games, which feature complex 3D animations of popular characters in movies, anime, and TV shows.
The same high standards also apply for other casino games, such as poker and blackjack, except, in those cases, there’s also the option of live dealer games. For the future, more and more operators are exploring the potential of AR and VR to make online casino experiences even more lifelike and immersive.
Complex gameplay
Slots games are as simple as pushing a button and then waiting?
Think again.
Although the underlying mechanism of slot games has stayed roughly the same, developers have added new and interesting features that add some complexity to the gameplay and leave some room for strategy, not just luck.
For example, if you’re an experienced casino player, you can now play slot games with progressive jackpots and multiple line action. You can unlock hidden levels in slot games, and you can even play casino games with RPG elements, which was unheard of in the last decade. Considering these exciting innovations, it’s no wonder that visitor counters on websites show increased traffic from all over the world.
Better online security
Any platform where you withdraw and deposit large sums of money and where you leave sensitive personal information is bound to raise online security concerns: is my data safe? Can hackers gain access to my personal details?
Can someone withdraw money on my behalf?
Can my device get infected with malware when I play online?
These are all legitimate questions that online casino players ask themselves and the good news is that online casinos are much safer today than they were in the past.
Operators don’t want to lose their customer trust, which is why they invest in online security and keep up with the latest cybersecurity standards.
Besides, online security is a legal requirement. In countries that have legalized online gambling, such as Spain and the Netherlands, all operators applying for a license have to prove that their platforms are secure and that they respect their users’ privacy.
Diversity of payment options
Nowadays, the vast majority of online casino players withdraw and deposit money using their credit or debit card. However, this is far from the only option.
As the FinTech sector continues to grow, people are also starting to look towards other digital payment options, such as PayPal and Skrill.
Even crypto holders want to have the option of paying with Bitcoin. As a result, online casinos are more flexible in terms of payment options and this has been key in gaining more followers.
Needless to say, diverse payment options wouldn’t be too useful if withdrawal times were long, so operators have sped those up as well. In fact, bank transfers are now the slowest ones (for administrative reasons), while crypto transfers and digital payments go through almost instantly.
Bonuses and promotions
People play online casino games because they’re fun and exciting but we shouldn’t forget that financial gains also play an important role. In the past, big casino gains were reserved to professionals and experienced players, but now even the average person can make a profit thanks to bonuses and promotions.
Due to the fact that there’s a lot of competition between casino operators, everyone tries to stand out by offering bigger and better bonuses, and the player is the one who wins in this case.
For example, one of the most effective strategies you can follow as a new player is to look for a casino that offers a sizable welcome bonus. This way, the casino will match or exceed your initial deposit, or even offer you free spins (if you want to play slot games, that is). Some casinos even go as far as to offer no deposit bonuses. Of course, online casino games remain games of luck, so winning isn’t guaranteed, but by taking advantage of bonuses and promotions you can at least manage the level of risk and play by paying as little as possible from your own pocket.
Focus on responsible gambling
Gambling can be a fun hobby, but, if it gets out of control, it can become a danger to your finances and mental health. Online casino operators have finally understood this and now they offer access to responsible gambling resources for players with gambling addiction. What’s more, players can choose to end communication with gambling platforms. For example, Dutch players can opt out of marketing messages if they feel this is a trigger and operators have to comply and stop contacting them.