Are online casinos going to replace their land-based equivalents?

The year 2012 marked a noticeable trend in the United Kingdom's gambling industry.

In cities across the country bricks-and-mortar casinos closed down, the assumption being that they were not profitable enough to continue trading. Although the UK has never embraced casinos to the extent of Las Vegas or Atlantic City in the USA, the loss of some of the country's existing casinos is a worrying sign, and one that demands examination.

The obvious conclusion to draw is that the current times of economic uncertainty have affected gambling just as with any other industry. This would certainly explain why people could not afford to gamble money at a casino, and in turn why those casinos would have to close due to a lack of revenue. However, other facets of the gambling industry, such as bookmakers and the national lottery, are thriving.

More importantly, revenue from Internet gambling is at an all-time high. Just as online shopping has led to the closure of many high street shops, so too it can be seen that online casinos have provided people with a very attractive alternative to visiting a bricks-and-mortar casino. There are several possible reasons why people are increasingly favouring online casinos, each of which have contributed to the trend of casinos closing in UK cities in 2012.

One of the most important advantages of online casinos is the level of comfort which they offer to the user. People can play online casino games while relaxing in their own homes, and they can do so at the times that are most convenient to them since online casinos operate twenty-four hours a day. Also, there are no strict dress or behavioural codes to adhere to as there are with real world casinos.

Online casinos offer a huge amount of choice in terms of the variety of games that are available, and how high or low the stakes are. Bricks-and-mortar casinos are limited by the space they have available in a way that online casinos are not. In addition, the relatively strict licensing laws in the UK have meant that there is not much choice available to people in terms of real world casinos that are easily accessible. With the recent closures this choice is limited even further.

Online there are countless casino websites to choose from, with respected names such as Ladbrokes being the most popular. The sheer number of websites on offer represents a huge amount of competition for the UK's casinos, and unlike those establishments online casinos offer their customers a range of enticing welcome bonuses and special offers. A typical online casino bonus will result in free money to play with, which highlights one of the reasons why online gambling has become so popular.

There is no question that online casinos are massively popular in the UK, and it seems clear that this has had a detrimental effect on real world casinos. The closing of some casinos across the UK in 2012 seems ominous, however it remains to be seen if online casinos can replace their real world counterparts entirely. It might be the case that people begin to view visiting a casino as a special night out, but use websites such as Ladbrokes for their everyday casino experiences.

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