Land-based vs Online Slots: Which is Better?

Slot gaming has never been more popular than it is today. Punters have options like never before, not only in terms of what titles they play, but also where and how they choose to make their bets.

Smart gamblers have decisions to make! And one of the biggest choices is whether to play their favorite online titles or to frequent brick-and-mortar casinos and betting parlors.

Both options have their advantages. Here, we’ll explore a few areas of interest and decide which side has the edge in each.

Variety

There was a time when serious slot fans had no choice but to travel to Atlantic City, Macau, or Monte Carlo in order to enjoy the best titles available. Only large casinos with deep pockets could afford the maintenance on more than a few machines, and with that scale came titles of all kinds and quality.

Those days are gone. Now, now matter the size of a casino floor, no physical space can hope to compete with the ocean of possibilities available to online players.

There are indeed so very many slots available online that players can essentially find anything they want, whether their gaming preferences emphasize theme, RTP variance, progressive jackpots, or any other imaginable option.

Advantage: online!

Convenience

There’s really no contest here. For most of the world’s population, playing land-based slots involves airplane rides, car and hotel rentals, packing a bag, eating on the road, and all the other inconveniences and indignities that come with 21st-century travel.

By comparison, modern online punters can spin the reels at any time without leaving their home or office… even punting while commuting is possible!

While there are no servers to bring food and drinks to at-home gamblers, the prices and selection are certainly much friendlier on one’s home turf.

Many cities do offer gambling parlors where video slots can be played. For those who don’t mind the smell of tobacco, this can be an excellent compromise between traveling to Las Vegas and playing on one’s own browser.

Advantage: online!

Visuals

For some punters, it’s all about the bottom line.

For them, substance far outweighs style: they want to give themselves the best chance possible of hitting it big, and aesthetics don’t matter all that much.

There is another kind of slot fan, however…

… they don’t just want to win, they want to win in style!

For this kind of gamer, online slots have one major problem: their visual design depends on the screen it’s displayed on. No matter what magic a programmer works, there's no way to overcome the shortcomings of poor hardware. And for all their remarkable capabilities, today’s smartphones, tablets and laptops are not designed for 3D imaging.

Compare that to, say, the land-based Top Gun slot from WMS. It seats players in a cockpit, surrounding them with speakers…

… the seat even dips, twists and rolls as players fly their jet in bonus rounds!

Modern land-based casinos, like modern movie theaters, are simply capable of more visual magic than multi-purpose screens most online slot players favor.

Advantage: land-based!

Associated Costs

As mentioned above, the journey to the casino is part of the fun for many players.

But the journey isn’t free!

There is transportation to consider, food and drink, entertainment while on the road, and little things like valet parking can add up…

… and savvy gamblers already know that all of this makes a big difference in one’s bottom line.

To be sure, casino comps programs can defray these costs for committed players. But playing online, where the only costs are the gaming device and internet connection, is a clear winner here.

Advantage: online!

Longevity

Land-based casinos have to keep their customers entertained. This means that, just as movie theaters cycle through new titles every few weeks or months, gaming floors do their best to keep introducing new slot options on a regular basis.

This helps keep regular customers engaged, and keeps a dynamic feel present on the floor. What’s the downside?

Well, savvy players know what they like. And when they find a title that meets their needs. they’ll keep coming back again and again.

In online play, punters can keep coming back to their favorites for months or years. But at a brick-and-mortar casino, favorite titles may be cycled out more quickly than players would like.

Online casinos have no issues with floor space, only server space! Which means favorite titles are likely to remain available for far longer.

Advantage: online!

Fun

It’s an odd thing…

… for all the incredible advantages modern slot play has to offer, the ultimate consideration is in a way the most basic: which is more fun?

For some players, nothing can beat the ritual of traveling to the casino, grabbing chips or tokens, surveying the options, and sitting down for a slot session.

For them, the glamor and sense of adventure is a big part of the fun! They will likely prefer brick-and-mortar casinos.

For others, all of that is just a hassle. These punters want to get down to brass tacks: no fuss, no muss, just action. These players are far likely to play online.

Advantage: it depends on the player!