Land-Based vs. Online Casinos

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The odds are pretty small that the environs around your computer are anywhere near as grandiose as the theme hotels of Las Vegas - and while there's no charge for drinks at your house, there's probably no waitresses either. Land-based casinos are infused with an energy that's contagious. The sounds of video poker machines paying out, the crowds at the blackjack tables, the hush of a high-stakes poker game. All these things - plus that famous 99-cent steak - are part and parcel of the land-based casino experience that is so difficult to emulate online. 

But the online casino does have its perks. Since these companies are not laying out big bucks on lavish surroundings, staff, free alcohol and other overhead costs, they can afford to pass the savings on to online gamblers in the form of better odds and, in some cases, better comps. Competition among the various online casinos for your business drives this bar even higher.

Online casinos are an ideal forum for a beginning gambler to learn the ropes. Many online gambling sites have areas where you can play blackjack, poker or craps for free. Take advantage of these pages to learn the rules of the game, practice strategy and get a feel for what kind of a gambler you are - without wagering a dime. Most sites also track your progress; you can access these records to evaluate your style of play and avoid costly mistakes in the future.

The other benefit of online casinos for novice gamblers is the ability to play at your own speed. There's no impatient dealer awaiting your decisions, no hardcore gambler sitting beside you grumbling at your mistakes and no shame in making use of a "cheat sheet" to determine your next course of action. In fact, you could consult gaming strategy books or websites before each and every move. Many gambling pros advise that you avoid the multi-chat online gaming experiences so that you can concentrate on your game at your own pace and without pressure from other players.

With all of these advantages, what's the downside of online gambling? Inherent in all Internet commerce is the risk you take when you provide personal information online and the sense of not knowing who you are dealing with. Be sure that your gaming site of choice is legitimate and offers encrypted security. Some online casinos even carry fraud insurance to further protect consumers. Both www.internetcommission.com/directories.asp and www.gamblingcommission.com are independent sources of gaming information; consult their lists of legitimate sites before you begin gambling.

Another concern is dispute resolution. In a land-based casino, there's a physical person you can go to whose job it is to answer complaints from guests; with online casinos, assuming you can get through, there's just a faceless voice. Do your homework, nose around the Net a little and see what other players have to say about customer service for the various sites. Other downsides of online casinos are the facts that your transactions may be difficult to keep up with and that there is typically a lag between when you cash in and receive your winnings. The disadvantages of land-based casinos are inconvenience, travel expenses and time off work. You need to factor these costs into your overall tally of winnings and losses.

All in all, land-based and online casinos offer very different packages - and one will never replace the other. You can't beat the glitz of Vegas casinos or the ease of the virtual casinos. And who says you have to choose?