The popularity of online casinos
Online casinos have been growing in popularity over the last decade or so. The global online gambling market was valued at just under US$60 billion in 2020, and is due to grow by more than 50% to over US$90 billion by 2023.
There are many factors driving this growth:
- Advent of the smart phone
- Increased connectivity on the go
- Affordability of technology
- Changing player habits (the rise of the casual and hyper-casual gamer)
- Increased participation of women (estimated that in the US 57% of online gamblers are female)
- Changes in legislation opening up new markets, in particular the US
How are online casinos better than land-based casinos?
Though there is no denying there is a certain charm and allure of a bricks and mortar casino, with many providing a glamorous night out of entertainment, there are many reasons that an online casino can be better.
- Players can access the casino any time, from anywhere, even from the comfort of their sofa!
- Players can meet people from different walks of life, not limited by geography
- Casinos can offer more games, and a greater variety of games; unlike bricks and mortar casinos, virtual casino games do not take up space and online casinos can offer a greater variety of games, and players will not need to queue or wait for there to be a space
How to pick what game to play?
With so much to choose from, it can be almost impossible for a novice to the scene to know what game to pick. There are luck-based games, like Roulette and Slots, skill-based games, like Poker, and a mix of the two, like Blackjack.
Players need to balance how much money they have to invest, how much time they have, and what they want to get out of their trip to an online casino. All this will dictate which game is the one for them. Luckily, most casinos offer a variety of joining bonuses, allowing players to test out the different games with minimal risk in order to identify what might be the game for them.
Games on offer at online casinos
Slots
Slot machines are the cornerstone of all online casinos, accounting for around 50% of all games offered. They are hugely popular as they require no skill and can be played by anyone. They do not require a great deal of commitment and players can dip in and out of them easily. As they do not rely on a live dealer or other players, it is easy for players to control the pace at which they play.
Players can still make use of the forums and chat functions to engage with other players, so the sociable element of the game is not lost. Additionally, there are hundreds of different types of slot machines, with different themes ranging from pop culture, music, and horror, to cartoons, and mythical folklore, and wager amounts from mere pennies to the hundreds of dollars. The slot machine is universal, and at some point, pretty much any person who frequents an online casino will play on a slot machine.
Blackjack
Blackjack is a card comparison game where players compete to get 21, or as close to, without going over. It is a fairly easy game to learn, but a complex game to master. There are many guides on the market to help players develop a strategy. Online casinos have both live dealer and AI options to provide something for everyone. This is a fast-paced game that is fun and exciting.
Roulette
Roulette is another very popular casino game. Much like slots, it is a luck-based game with very little skill required. Players chose a number, or a colour, and the croupier will spin the wheel and throw a small ball in in the opposite direction. Where it lands determines the winner. This is a really fast paced and sociable game, but the odds of winning though are quite low.
Poker
Poker is one of the most widely played card games in the world, and there are a huge number of different types of poker. Most casinos play Texas Hold’em, where players have two-hole cards and there are five shared community cards. This is a game of skill, predicated on maths and probability.
When playing online, it is harder to identify physical tells in an opponent, but there are still ways to identify bluffs through betting patterns. Most online casinos offer different levels of poker table, from absolute beginners to more experienced players, and there is a combination of AI and live dealer tables available.
Which to pick?
When picking a game at an online casino, players should spend some time shopping around to find the best match for their level of experience, style of playing, and what they want to get out of the experience.
All casinos will have different target demographics and will offer slightly different variations on a theme to their players. Some popular casinos offer poker for beginners, whereas others offer alternative variants of poker.
Many offer live dealer games which some prefer, though more casual gamers are happy with the speed afforded by a computer. Slots generally tent to be the same across all operators, but the huge variety within them means that there will inevitable be something for everyone!
