Before the creation of the internet, gamers could only play in land-based casinos. However, these venues were not always legal which meant that gamers sometimes had to play in underground, secret venues, gaming clubs or salons.
Historically, any type of lottery-based activity was banned in America from 1830 to 1860. The first land-based casino to open in America was in 1832.
It was owned by John Pendleton and was located in Washington, D.C. This casino was frequented by many famous figures of the time including renown politicians.
However, gambling and casinos were still prohibited, sometimes legalized and then prohibited again, throughout America over the course of the next decades. The state of Nevada was one of the first states to legalize gambling and commercial land-based casinos.
The first major casino was actually opened in the southern state of Nevada in 1940 and became known as El Rancho. Then, in 1942, another important casino hotel opened in Las Vegas.
By the 70s and 80s, land-based casinos had grown in popularity. They could now be found throughout most of the country and were legal in most states.
However, the situation began to change with the arrival of the internet at the end of the twenty-first century. Online casinos were being developed and investors began to look to these new types of venues and ventures instead of land-based casinos.
The first online casino ever created was InterCasino and was launched in 1994. Its popularity and success encouraged other developers and companies to invest in online casino gaming and develop more online gaming platforms.
The popularity of these virtual venues exploded at the beginning of the twenty-first century and has been on the rise ever since. Many online casinos have opened since and continue to emerge such as the Wheel of Fortune Casino.
Nowadays, most casino players prefer online casino gaming to land-based casinos for a number of reasons.
This article will explore some of these reasons and highlight the differences between both types of gaming.
What are the similarities between online casino gaming and land-based casino gaming?
Both of these forms of casino gaming share a number of similarities and differences. Here are some of their similarities.
- They both offer casino games
Of course, both of these forms of gaming offer casino games. Players who enjoy land-based casinos can easily find their favorite casino games in online casinos as well.
The same applies to those who enjoy online casino games. They can visit a land-based casino and almost certainly find their favorite casino game there.
- They both offer immersive experiences
Nowadays, online casinos have become so immersive that they are almost just as good as visiting a land-based casino. This is why both online and land-based casinos now offer immersive gaming experiences.
- They give players the option to play with others
In both land-based and online casinos, players now have the opportunity to play with others. They can choose a live game online or visit a land-based venue for some human interaction, social time and chatty time with fellow gamers.
Why are online casinos so popular?
This section will explain why online casinos are so popular. They share some differences with land-based casinos which have contributed to their success and increasing popularity over physical venues.
- They are more convenient and accessible
Online casinos are just easier to access and therefore more convenient for gamers. They no longer need to visit a land-based venue to play a quick casino game.
They can now do so during their break and spend more time gaming and less time traveling or commuting.
Online gaming makes casino games more accessible to them, more time-efficient and more convenient.
Users’ gaming experience is also more comfortable as they can play from the comfort of their home and decide when and where they want to play.
They have more control over their gaming experience with online casino venues.
- A large selection of games
Online casinos are flourishing and are investing massively in new and exciting games. This means that online casinos now have a large selection of new games.
These games include variants of famous casino games but with fun and original storylines, winning combinations and prizes.
- Welcome offers, bonuses and promotions
Because the competition is fierce between online providers, players interested in online casinos have more chances of finding advantageous welcome offers and promotions for online casinos than land-based venues.
This is one of the reasons why it is so popular and the preferred casino gaming option for many. It is more affordable and attractive than land-based casino gaming.
Final thoughts
This article discussed some of the similarities and differences between land-based casino gaming and online casino gaming. Online venues are becoming increasingly popular and are currently more in vogue than land-based venues.
This article presented some of the reasons behind the success of online gaming venues.