The world of online gambling has been on a growing curve for the past few years, and things will probably not change in the near future. With that in mind, we decided to ask ourselves, is it safer to gamble online than to visit a brick-and-mortar casino? We’re going to take a look at some of the risks associated with online gambling and compare them to the ones associated with land-based casinos, not before discussing how people choose a casino.
Choosing A Casino
Suppose you’re wondering why we decided to start with an overview of how people choose casinos when the main question we have is regarding the safety of online gambling. The answer is pretty simple—where you gamble can contribute to a higher gambling risk. This happens both in the offline and online gambling worlds.
Reviews And Recommendations
As you surely know, online reviews are not just for web-based establishments. The problem is that most of us leave a review after a negative experience, so online reviews can be very harsh sometimes.
That’s not to say that reading how other people experienced a gambling establishment—online or offline—is not something people should do. It is definitely an important step. But user reviews shouldn’t be the only source of information.
Expert Reviews
Choosing an online casino has never been easier. People no longer have to rely on user reviews when experts share their expertise with anyone willing to spend time reading a thorough review. BetBrain’s team of experts has a transparent review process that allows readers to understand how they rate, analyze, and write their casino guides. By having access to the process behind the review, gamblers can assess a casino better. Moreover, the editorial team also likes to gamble for fun, so they understand what users are looking for.
Unfortunately, it is harder to find expert reviews for brick-and-mortar casinos, and if you do, they are definitely not as thorough, which puts online casinos on the safer side from this perspective.
Key Differences Between Land And Online Gambling
Online casinos are easily accessible from a PC, tablet, or phone. Thus, they can cause more problems than land-based casinos, which are more difficult to reach. The conversation is indeed about accessibility rather than a debate between the offline and online casino worlds. According to a study about casino access and the influence on gambling behavior published by Herald Scholarly Open Access, people closer to brick-and-mortar casinos gamble more than people who don’t have any casinos near them.
Considering you can access websites whenever you want, online gambling can be considered a higher risk. But the truth is, it is hard to say with certainty which gambling activity is riskier, considering both offline and online casinos try to implement safety measures to protect players while still being inviting in their marketing approach.
Risks & Safety Precautions for Gambling Online
Brick-and-mortar casinos offer free drinks and free hotel rooms to keep loyal players happy. Gambling sites offer bonuses and promotions. Both work and can incentivize players to spend more time gambling. However, due to the gambling authorities of the world, licensed casinos are under strict scrutiny. So, gamblers who choose a reputable site will not face risks higher than those who gamble offline. The risks are rather different, so it is important to consider their nature.
Online Risks
- Anonymity: The anonymity of online gambling allows for some wiggle room when it comes to gambling behavior. Meaning it is close to impossible to stop someone from engaging in gambling when they are intoxicated or mentally impaired.
- Easy to hide: Since you can gamble on the go or at home, hiding a potential gambling addiction is easier when you gamble online.
- Easy to spend money: Online payments can make it harder to be in control of your budget since you don’t physically hold cash or chips to see how much you’ve spent.
Offline Risks
- Harder to set limits: Many online casinos have tools set in place to allow gamblers to set account limits. These limits are not just spending limits, but also session, loss, and time limits. Brick-and-mortar casinos, on the other hand, do not have these tools. They can certainly ban people if they notice problematic behavior, but gamblers cannot set precise limits for themselves.
- Higher risk-taking: It is tempting to take bigger risks when the rewards are higher. Online casinos have weekly and monthly withdrawal limits, so even if a player wins big, they won’t be able to withdraw a large sum of money at once. But many people dream of leaving a land-based casino with a bag full of money.
- Fear or embarrassment: Neuroscience confirms that embarrassment influences behavior. It can make people make decisions that will bring them social rewards. Thus, it’s not hard to see how a gambler who loses a large sum of money might want to keep going when surrounded by other people.
Addiction Risk
Whether someone gambles online or offline, gambling addiction is not a topic anyone should ignore. Since problematic gambling can cause so many problems, all gambling establishments should treat responsible gambling with the seriousness it deserves, giving players access to tools they can use to prevent a gambling problem.
Fraud & Privacy Concerns
The digital world makes controlling fraudulent activity harder, but not impossible. SSL certificates indicate that an online casino cares about the safety of its players’ personal data. Furthermore, legit casinos will have their licensing information easily accessible on their site, often in the footer, so gamblers need to check the footer and the About page to see if the casino has an active gambling license.
Tips For Safe Online Gambling
We will leave you with some tips, advice, and information for safe online gambling:
- Gambling is a way to have fun, not a way to make a profit.
- Set limits to stay in control.
- Create a budget that allows you to stay safe and stick to it.
- Only gamble what you can afford to lose.
- Be open and talk to someone if you feel you should stop gambling.
- Use the demo versions of games to familiarize yourself with the gameplay before you try the casino version.
Final Thoughts
No matter how you look at it, gambling has an inherent risk. Thus, it is important to exercise caution both online and offline. The best way to stay on the safe side of gambling is to treat it like an enjoyable activity you engage in occasionally, rather than the only hobby you have.
