Casino gaming is a huge sector in entertainment worldwide and one that many people like to get involved with. This is true in the US, where certain states now allow legal iGaming and also in other territories, such as Europe, where it is popular. In the past, physical casino sites were the only choice people had when wanting to try out fun classics such as craps. In the last few decades though, innovative online casinos have changed all this.
As a result, iGaming sites have not only had an influence on the whole casino industry but in particular on brick-and-mortar gaming casinos in particular. But how have the top online casinos sites in 2023 done this?
Changed expectations around physical casino play
Although we will break down the specifics around the influence of online casino play on physical casino sites further below, it is first worth taking a macro-level view of the situation. When you do this, it becomes obvious that the biggest impact has been around what people expect from playing these kinds of games now.
Before iGaming took off, brick-and-mortar casinos had no competition and players had nothing to compare them to. This meant that physical casinos could set their own standards around how they operated and manage player expectations based on this. For casino fans, it meant their expectations around what gaming should involve were based solely on the experience physical gaming sites offered.
Since internet casinos have exploded, players now have something to compare physical ones with and their expectations have risen as a result. By looking at what iGaming sites do better than physical casinos, players have demanded improvements from brick-and-mortar sites in turn.
Here are some of the specific areas internet casinos have made this kind of impact on physical ones:
More games
If you are looking at the latest in the gaming industry or the changing face of casino play, games are always front and center.
Due to this, one area where iGaming has had a truly transformative influence on physical casinos is in the number of games available. Pre-digital casino gambling, brick-and-mortar sites did not always offer the widest variety. While they would have at least a few slots and some of the well-known classics in most cases, they certainly did not offer the range of games which online casinos do.
Due to this, the selection of titles at iGaming sites proved a real draw for players and was a major reason that people started to flock to them. Physical casinos were quick to realize this and began to extend the range of games they offered in order to compete. Although online casinos still offer a greater range of options in general, there is no doubt of their influence on physical casinos in this area.
Better bonuses and loyalty programs
Just as the impact of tech in business communications has changed how many firms operate, iGaming sites have had their own influence on how real-life casinos function.
One way this is seen lies in bonuses, promotions and loyalty programs. Before iGaming sites appeared on the scene, many physical casinos did not think too much about this and did not offer players any kind of bonuses at all. In fact, many required you to pay them to become a member!
This all changed though when internet gaming sites appeared and revolutionized this part of the industry. In order to attract customers away from physical casinos and other online competitors. iGaming platforms soon started to offer cool extras to reward people for registering with them. In addition, digital casinos saw the value in rewarding people for continuing to game with them and began to offer regular promos to existing users.
Real-world casinos took note of this trend in iGaming and how popular it proved to be with gamblers. As a result, it forced the traditional casino brands to focus more on loyalty programs and bonus offers.
In order to make playing at physical casinos as attractive as playing at online ones, they carried out this initiative. In light of this, it is clear to see the impact iGaming sites had on physical ones in this area.
More relaxed dress codes
In the past, many casinos around the world had dress codes in place that players had to comply with if they wanted to gain entry. This was especially true at the fanciest casinos in some of the most exotic locations globally. Although some of these high-end casinos may still insist on dress codes, many real-world casinos now don’t. The influence of iGaming is one of the major reasons behind this.
In simple terms, players got used to wearing what they wanted once online gaming platforms took off. Casino gamers also liked the more relaxed feel this gave to their sessions and the less formal vibe it brough to classics such as baccarat.
This led more people to start to play at online casinos in order to avoid the dress codes many physical ones had in place. Over time, this has resulted in real-world gaming halls dropping these rules in order to attract players back from iGaming and offer them the more relaxed feel they enjoy.
Better opening hours
Convenience is one of the major draws for any online casino platform and this means people can play 24/7, whenever they like. This was a major change from physical gaming sites, who naturally had opening times in place that restricted when people could game there.
As people got used to being able to log on and play whenever they liked though, they focused more on digital play and less on real-life casino gaming. Top brands in the more traditional casino sector moved quickly to respond. Although physical casinos are still not open 24 hours a day, seven days a week as digital ones are, many have now extended their opening hours to attract more customers.
Investment in facilities
This is perhaps the last major impact which online casinos have had on physical ones. Although this was not true for all real-life casinos, many had started to become a little outdated in terms of their design and were in need of a revamp. In addition, some had dark, smoky environments which were a little off-putting for some people and seemed to target only a certain demographic.
Online casinos sites offered a much more modern take on casino gaming and this has certainly been true as iGaming sites have advanced. The resulting effect of this was that brick-and-mortar sites needed to invest in their own facilities to avoid being left behind.
Due to this, many real-world casinos made their premises much lighter and more open, as well as investing money into a modern interior makeover. In terms of facilities, many also invested in bars, restaurants and big-screen TVs to help make them more appealing to potential customers.
iGaming’s impact on physical casino sites
It is also key to note the impact online casinos have had in terms of the popularity brick-and-mortar casinos now experience. While real-world casinos once ruled the roost in the industry, internet gaming sites have quickly caught up to them. This has resulted in less people than in the past playing at real-life casinos, as they have focused their attentions toward online play. Although gaming at brick-and-mortar casinos is still popular, this is another example of iGaming’s overall impact on them.
