Casino establishments have been around since the 1960s, and have proven to be a lucrative business since.
Despite making millions in previous decades, land-based casinos are in a steady decline. There’s likely always going to be a place in the market for real casinos, as there is a certain appeal to getting dressed up and visiting.
That said, they no longer make up the lion’s share of revenue, after being quickly overtaken by the online equivalent. In this article, we take a look at what has caused this shift in player preferences, and why casino websites are significantly outperforming land based establishments.
Plenty More Options
Building a real casino is a huge undertaking. Millions needs investing, staff need hiring, and let’s not even think about the overheads involved. Because of this, there is a real shortage of new casinos opening. Many of the land-based casinos in the UK have been around a long time, and the novelty wears off.
The nature of gamblers means that they are always on the lookout for the next exciting things, and along came new casino sites. There are a huge number of new casinos launching on a regular basis, according to Casivo, as many as several per month.
It is impossible for land-based establishments to compete with this, and so they cannot provide players with anywhere near as much choice. It’s not even just about the sheer number of sites, but also a better choice of games. This is one of the main reasons why online casinos are taking over the market, as there is always something brand new for players to sink their teeth into.
Casino Bonuses
When visiting a real casino for the first time, if you’re lucky, you might get a small free bet to say thank you. That’s about as good as it gets. This is absolutely no comparison to the number of online casino bonuses you can get your hands on. In fact, new players online are absolutely showered in offers and promotions upon registration.
These can come in many different forms, anywhere from free spins and large deposit matches to cashback on losses. They also vary massively in generosity. From a business perspective, this may seem more of a loss-maker than a money-maker. But these operators know what they’re doing, and meticulously calculate the risk and liability of a casino bonus. They can essentially forecast how much they will win, or lose, and in the long-run, it’s often worth doing to get players through the door.
Ultimately, casinos grow when they have higher player numbers, and these kinds of bonuses and rewards are exactly how you attract and retain them. It’s no secret that these offers are exactly why most players sign up, and what their deciding factor is when comparing what’s available.
This is similar to any other kind of consumer – you’re going to spend more with businesses that make you feel valued and give you a better deal, and casnos are no exception.
Discretion
Perhaps the most obvious of all is the fact that online gambling is private. Although sometimes seen as a taboo subject, there are many who enjoy casinos casually, playing within their means and for sheer enjoyment. That said, whether you’re a casual player or a professional gambler, some just prefer to do it in private.
This doesn’t even necessarily come down to wanting to hide, but also lack of distraction. If you’re a poker player, for example, this requires a lot of strategy and thought to be successful, and can be made difficult in a noisy casino. More players are seeing the benefit of card games and other tables in a quiet environment.
When it all comes down to it, as well as privacy, peace and discretion, it’s just easier to choose online casinos too. You don’t need to dress up or even leave the house, and you can play in seconds from wherever you are by going online. With such a business model, it’s no surprise that these casino sites are taking off at a rapid rate.