Is online gaming the future of the casino industry?

Ever since the very first online casino to allow automated payouts opened its virtual doors in 1996, the gaming industry has progressed at the speed of light.

With the ability to play all your favourite games like Blackjack, Roulette, Slots and more, at any time you fancy, anywhere you have internet access – online casino gaming truly has revolutionised the billion-dollar industry.

This being said, the question remains – is online gaming the future of casinos?

The advantages of online casino

There are many advantages to playing games of chance online, rather than at a land-based venue. In addition to the convenience and accessibility, some other perks include:

• Variety of games

You’re probably aware that all the classic casino games you’d expect are available right at your fingertips when you play online, but did you know that there are themed variations of these as well? You can play the likes of Lightning Blackjack and Who Wants to be a Millionaire Roulette, from the comfort of your own home. But that’s not all. Gaming developers have now been able to expand into new games, with the likes of Slingo and Wheel of Fortune-themed adventures for you to discover as well.

• Promotions and bonuses

At your chosen online site, you might also find a dedicated promotions page where you could claim bonuses, such as free spins or a percentage of your deposit added into your account. These rewards could help towards gameplay or discovering your favourite elements of the site, should you be eligible.

Pair this with special features and new mechanics, you’ll see that online casino gaming really is a glimpse into the future.

• Live casino

Speaking of futuristic gameplay, the live casino enables you to play even more games, alongside the classics and themed variations, as they’re hosted by a real-life dealer, in real-time. These will be streamed directly from a specialist studio, with a live chat feature keeping the social element of casino gaming alive.

Land-based gaming

With all these perks of playing online, and ever-evolving technology constantly bringing improvements to the industry, land-based gaming might seem, to some, like a step back in time.

However, this is far from the case, because nothing can truly beat soaking up the atmosphere of a glamourous casino as you watch fellow players try their chances alongside you.

Whilst there might not be such a huge variety of games available, and you may have to wait for a table, there are many other benefits. You can enjoy luxury restaurants, bars, entertainment and sometimes even a spa, pool, shopping centre and golf course at many casinos around the world.

In addition to this, the history that’s imbedded in some of the walls of incredible buildings and ancient palaces that host the games is something that just cannot be missed. The pixels of your chosen device might display some colourful graphics, but there’s nothing quite like what you could see right in front of you at some of these breath-taking venues.

The future

All that aside, it’s clear that technology will continue to play an integral part of the casino industry. Whether it be in land-based venues’ security systems, Automatic Card Shufflers (ACS), or facial recognition software; or at the online casino, where even Virtual Reality (VR) is now making an appearance.

As for online gaming being the future of the casino industry – only time will tell. But, we can confidently say that both online and land-based gaming have so many unique elements, that it will be hard for one to replace the other.