Online casinos have evolved drastically since they first appeared online in the late 1990s. From drab websites that hosted minimal games to beautifully designed sites with extensive game libraries, multiple operators, and various additional features, players today are spoilt for choice.
Part of the evolution has also been the creation of new types of online casinos. Below, we’ve reviewed and compared the main types of casinos available today to help you find the best fit for you.
Traditional Online Casinos
The most common and popular types of online casino are the traditional ones that feature numerous games, including slots and table options, and provide payment options such as Visa, Mastercard, and e-wallets.
Another common feature of traditional options is loyalty programs and extensive welcome bonuses and promotions. These work together to attract players and are among the simplest forms of online casinos available.
Crypto Casinos
Crypto casinos are relatively new compared to traditional casinos but have gained popularity due to their acceptance of cryptocurrencies as payment methods. Deposits and withdrawals aside, these commonly operate in the same way as conventional variants except when considering certain games known as provably fair games.
These casino games, which predominantly consist of slot machines, use a method similar to blockchain to create a transaction record of each bet outcome. Players can then examine this record to ensure that their wager was fair.
eCheck Casinos
eCheck (electronic check) casinos are almost identical to traditional casinos. The distinction is that they accept electronic checks as a payment method. These checks are an electronic version of a traditional check and allow players to make deposits or withdrawals without relying on other processors like Visa or PayPal.
Due to their ease of use, these casinos have grown steadily in popularity. Bonus.ca has listed really good eCheck casinos, alongside many other online casino review sites mentioning their benefits.
Mobile Casinos
Despite most online casinos being developed to be responsive to devices with any screen size, some operate specifically as mobile casinos. These are optimized for playing on a smartphone but commonly still feature all the benefits of a regular casino.
One of the few notable differences in mobile-only casinos is that they tend to have slightly smaller game libraries. However, this is reasonable as they only provide games designed and tested to work on mobile devices.
Live Dealer Casinos
Live dealer casino games are commonplace on almost any type of online casino. From blackjack to poker and roulette, these connect players to a live dealer and other players to go head-to-head, mimicking the atmosphere of being in a physical establishment and adding to the overall gambling experience.
Some online casinos, however, don’t simply offer live casino games—they specialize in them. These casinos often feature significantly less regular games, focusing on those that engage gamblers with others. In other areas, these operate the same as traditional casinos.
VR Casinos
Despite the excitement over advancements in VR (virtual reality) slowly beginning to fade since its emergence in the mid-2010s, VR casinos still exist. These allow players to experience the atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar casino in a beautifully recreated digital establishment.
In terms of games, payments, and operations, VR casinos work much the same way as other online casinos. However, the most significant pitfall is the requirement that you have a VR headset or equivalent technology.
Pay N Play Casinos
Growing in popularity across Europe, Pay N Play (developed by Trustly) casinos were first launched in 2016. On the surface, these operate in the same way as traditional casinos. However, Pay N Play casinos do not require gamblers to register a player account.
Instead, these casinos allow players to access their funds directly from the Pay N Play platform. Winnings are also withdrawn directly to this platform, making gambling effortless. While some players may think this would allow them to bypass know-your-customer (KYC) regulations, Trustly requires comprehensive documents to register for Pay N Play.
Social Casinos
Social casinos are commonly believed to have strong ties to social networking websites like Facebook or X. However, they are standalone platforms that derive their name from providing social gambling fun rather than the chance to win real money.
This is because social casinos often don’t offer any financial reward for playing. Instead, they provide access to a wide variety of incredible casino games that are entertaining to play as a game more than as a way to secure a windfall.
Types of Casinos Compared
Each of the casinos above has advantages and disadvantages. Because of this, picking which is best overall is almost impossible, as it comes down to each player’s specific needs and wants.
However, we can compare certain parallels across each type of casino to identify which may be best for common preferences.
Game Selection
One of the most sought-after features of an online casino is a variety of games. In this regard, traditional, crypto, eCheck, and Pay N Play casinos excel. Each offers significantly more gaming options than live, VR, or mobile casinos.
Payment Options
Regarding payments, almost all casinos are equal if you don’t have specific payment requirements. If you want to deposit using Bitcoin or similar options, crypto casinos are best, while eCheck casinos are preferred if you prefer using eChecks. If you want to play without paying, social casinos are the best option, despite many online casinos offering demo versions of popular games.
Accessibility
Almost all online casinos benefit from having great accessibility. However, mobile casinos are tops in this regard—specifically designed for access from smaller devices. On the other side of the spectrum, VR casinos are the most limited because they require additional, potentially cost-prohibitive tech.
Experience
Without question, all online casinos offer a unique experience. However, if you’re looking for the most authentic gambling atmosphere, live dealer casinos are the best option as they allow you to engage with a dealer and other players.
Security
All legitimate casinos that are correctly licensed are generally safe to play with. However, crypto and Pay N Play casinos could be considered slightly better. The former offers the security of blockchain payments, while the latter ensures your deposits and withdrawals happen directly with the payment processor, negating the need for a player account.
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