Online casinos for desktop play first started to emerge around the mid 1990’s but it was only a couple of years ago that the first mobile casino hit the market. Over the past two years software developers have rushed to keep up with the growing demands for mobile gaming, with leading online casinos now rolling out mobile versions of their sites for smartphone and tablet users.
Despite the fact that mobile casinos have less games to offer than desktop sites, it’s impressive just how quickly developers have managed to optimise games for mobile in such a short amount of time, with many players now preferring the ease of playing on a mobile device.
With desktop casinos still offering a superior range of games, promotions and deposit options, they remain the most popular option, however as more users turn to their smartphones and tablet, the number of mobile casino players is starting to skyrocket, so it’s highly likely mobile casinos will become more popular than desktop in the future.
Benefits and drawbacks of playing at a mobile casino
Mobile gaming is a fun and entertaining way to pass the time while potentially winning real money but the technology is still new, so as mobile potential and capability grows, there are benefits and drawbacks to playing at a mobile casino instead of desktop casinos.
Some benefits of playing at a mobile casino include:
- Play anytime, anywhere as long as you can secure an Internet connection
- Enjoy the ease of one tap gaming using your touch screen
- Instant access via browser play, so no app downloads are required
- Access to many of the same bonuses and promos as offered at the desktop casino
- Choose from a range of secure deposit options like MasterCard, Visa, Skrill, Neteller and Paysafecard
- Never go bored again in public transport, waiting rooms, airports or coffee breaks while also enjoying the thrill of playing for real money
With mobile casino technology still advancing, there are some drawbacks:
- The number of mobile games on offer is significantly fewer than desktop gaming
- Some mobile casinos only offer a selection of the deposit options that can be found at their desktop site
- Mobile live dealer gaming is rarely available and will usually require a fast 4G connection to enjoy all its features in real time
- Some casino promotions are for games that aren’t yet mobile optimised, so you may miss out on great bonuses from time to time
Benefits and drawbacks if playing at a desktop casino
Playing at an online casino using your desktop or laptop computer will bring you access to all the features that a venue has to offer, but just like mobile gaming there are some benefits and drawbacks to desktop play.
Some of the advantages of playing at a desktop casino include:
- Access to all casino games, with titles in the hundreds, including huge variations of pokies, blackjack, roulette and other table games
- Fantastic promotions with new offers available constantly
- Many deposit and withdrawal options secured by SSL digital security encryption
- Fast live dealer gaming in real time, high-def video
The only real downside of playing at a desktop casino is the lack of mobility, where even carting a laptop around can be annoying so you don’t have the same freedom as playing on a mobile device.
What does the future have in store for mobile gaming?
With more punters turning to their phones for real money gambling on the go, it’s important to remember that mobile casinos are still in their infancy. Considering how far things have come in just two years, it’s easy to imagine a day where mobile casinos are 100% on par with their desktop sites as far as game variations and features go. As better wireless Internet connectivity with 4G starts to roll out over more locations, we can also expect to see a rise in mobile live dealer casinos.
Another exciting thing about the future of mobile casinos is that soon mobile play won’t be restricted to just phones and tablets. Wearable technology like the Apple Watch, Google Glass and emerging virtual reality headsets are starting to hit the market, bringing all kinds of possibilities for the future of mobile gambling.