Over the past eighteen months, online casinos have moved from strength to strength as player numbers have only increased and coverage across different forms of online media have increased too particularly with the likes of online streaming – it has long been thought that online casinos will be the future for the industry as they slowly replace offline alternatives, but is there truth to the belief that online casinos are pulling ahead, and are the numbers big enough to consider that some offline alternatives could start to struggle and fall away?
For many offline locations particularly in big resorts like those found in Macau and Las Vegas, it’s unlikely that offline alternatives will ever truly be replaced as they remain a hub for vacation goers looking for the visceral experience that comes with visiting a real casino, and many are already seeing a bounce back from this previous period, but it’s certainly starting to look more likely that independent locations may start to fall behind online alternatives and will struggle to compete with how quickly online services can change and expand much in the way they have.
A key part is the accessibility – players can simply jump into a game whenever the mood takes them with no need to travel to a casino and no need to pay the fees that it often costs to be able to play at a casino either, it has been perhaps the biggest shift to set online casinos apart from others. With a wide variety of games too it allows players to access whatever game fits their mood, with different play options for free play or for paid play too, which is something that still remains somewhat unique to online options and an option that offline alternatives may always struggle to replicate.
It’s also important to consider the more competitive nature of some players too as online tournaments and events are offered in huge numbers every day of the week, those seeking out a big win or the ability to enter a tournament to make a name for themselves particularly in games like Poker have more access than ever before to do so, no longer playing at the small tables at the local casino or waiting for a big weekly event either, simply take part in the big online competitions and starting building that reputation of being one of the best.
It’s safe to say that online casinos are pulling ahead and with new features, and new technology guiding the way for new games too, it’ll continue to encourage new players to make the change, offline alternatives will never be completely replaced but may certainly start to struggle to attract players that have found a new home on mobile.