These days, the glamorous world of gambling is not the preserve of just the select few. Anyone can gamble. Many people are intimidated by the surroundings of a land-based casino, which is why they may turn to an online casino. Players may feel they do not know the rules of the games, nor the etiquette of play in a land-based casino, whereas an online casino has all this information readily available.

The Conventional Casino

Both online casinos and land-based casinos offer gambling opportunities and there are indeed benefits to each one. Players who enjoy the thrill and excitement of betting with others may enjoy playing in a land-based casino over an online casino, as this same thrill may be hard to find in an online casino. Land-based casinos can carry the ‘entertainment value’ by providing a timeless party atmosphere, which a simple internet connection cannot compete with. Online casinos have the ‘convenient factor‘ with a major advantage of land casinos by being open for play 24/7. With the launch of mobile casinos, this has made online gambling even more convenient. The selection of games available in online casinos is generally much greater than that of land casinos, too.

Online Casino Myths

There is often a myth that circulates that online casinos are not secure. These kinds of myths usually stem from players being denied payments, but the truth is an online casino is just as safe as a land-based casino. It is important to remember a legitimate online casino would not be in operation if it did not meet certain safety standards.

Another myth that surrounds online casinos is that their games are a lot more addictive than games at a land-based casino. But, in fact, the games offered at both online casinos and land-based casinos can both be addictive and it is up to the individual player to be able to control their gambling habits. In some instances, players are more susceptible to addiction at land-based casinos rather than on the internet. This is because an online casino is better monitored than your average traditional land-based casino. Most online casinos have betting limits that can be placed on a player’s account, like setting deposit limits, which can prevent problem gambling, whereas in a land-based casino these measures may not be in place. Another option that online casinos have that a land-based casino may not offer is the ability to self exclude yourself from a specific casino for a certain period of time or forever.

There are many common misconceptions when it comes to both online casinos and land-based casinos, but probably the most common myths lie with video slots. In today’s day and age, there is an astronomical amount of slot machine myths. Still, myths do not increase the chance of a win, nor does it increase the amount of a win. Many players also believe in gambling theories, but again they are, in fact, just pure myths. Players like to believe that there is or will be a way to improve their chances of winning, but there is no such system. The reason there is no such system is all down to the invention of a Random Number Generator, also known as RNG, which governs each and every spin of the reels. This device was invented with one thing in mind and that is to guarantee the utmost honesty in gambling. Each and every game you play at a casino uses an RNG. This includes slot machines, blackjack, video poker, roulette, craps and many more casino games. Players can enjoy their favourite games with confidence that the casino is not cheating them in any way and the games they play are fair. The invention of an RNG can dispel any myth players have of a winning system, as it makes every spin completely distinct and unique.

Another myth that lies in both online casinos and land-based casinos is that slot machines have been cold and will become hot for a while, thus paying out to players. When a player pulls the arm of a slot machine at a land-based casino or pushes the button to spin the reels online, the RNG will randomly create a combination of the symbols and it will not care if the machine is hot or cold! Some gamblers make the decision to only play slot machines at a land-based casino. The reason for this is because they believe that the chances of winning are much greater when they pull the arm of a bandit rather than just clicking the mouse to spin the reels. Again, the truth of the matter lies in the Random Number Generator. The way a slot machine is played, whether it be at a land-based casino or an online casino, does not influence the results of a spin in any way. A very common myth, which the RNG rules out, is that slot machines may pay out at certain times of the day or night, but of course, it’s the selection or sequence of numbers that determine whether you win or lose.

Many gamblers like to chase the big jackpots, but of course, there are even myths that surround these jackpots. After a player has been playing a slot machine for an hour or more and the next player plays the game and hits the jackpot, players may believe that they only won it because of their hard work and money. Once again, this is not true due to the randomness of the RNG. Once a slot machine pays out a jackpot, it is believed by players that there must be some time before it will pay out another jackpot, but in fact, it is possible for a slot machine to pay out several jackpots in a row. Even though the chances of this happening may be low, it is indeed 100% possible due to the randomness of the game. A gambler may also believe if they play a game for a long period of time it will increase their chances of a jackpot win. Again, this is a false statement. The RNG is the key to any win and it really doesn’t matter how long you have been playing.

Some players are convinced that casinos change their payout percentages and odds and believe that pit bosses are able to influence games to make a jackpot hit. This myth can be easily dispelled due to the fact that slot machines at land-based casinos contain computer chips that determine the payouts and there is certainly no one that can intrude into the mechanism or change the game results. Claims have been made that land-based casinos put their tight slot machines near poker or blackjack tables, so players will be less distracted by the noise of a win at the slot machine. This claim is in fact completely untrue. Any lively casino has a lot of background noise so players who do have to concentrate on their game just learn to tune out the noise. Obviously, this does not come into play when discussing online casinos.

Further myths regarding online casino

Another myth is that loose slot machines are placed near the entrance of a land-based casino to try and attract and entice players into the casino’s fold. When discussing loose and tight slot machines, the expression of a loose slot machine is used to describe slot machines that seemingly may have been set to pay back greater payouts than other machines. Tight machines are considered to be the opposite of this.

Whether a player is gambling at a land-based casino or an online casino it is believed that the casino is watching and picking who wins based on the amount of money they are betting. This is totally false because in no way at all do casinos have this kind of influence over the wins. Again, this falls right back into the hands of the Random Number Generator.

Many people often think that online gambling will attract underage gambling. This again is untrue and simply a myth. Land-based casinos may experience underage gambling, but with online casinos, they may have security measures in place that will restrict or make it hard for players under the age of 18 or 21 to play or sign up.

Another common myth is that online gambling is not capable of being regulated. Although this may have been true going back around eighteen years, this is definitely not the case now. Things have drastically changed and the facts are that online gambling is now fully regulated all over the world. Finally, another myth that exists for online casino against land-based casinos is that online casinos do not pay. Whilst this could be true for disreputable casinos it is certainly not the case for reputable and licensed casinos online.

As both land-based casinos and online casinos will appeal to each player differently, ultimately it is down to the player to choose which environment suits them best. We recommend visiting our frequently asked questions to further familiarize with online casinos.

BACK TO THE BASICS

MYTH #2 –  ONLINE CASINOS DO NOT PAY