The growth of the online casino sector in recent years has opened up the casino experience for a wider range of players. It has also enabled the development of more gaming types, making it possible for players to try everything, from a traditional fruit machine to the latest in live casino gambling.
Of all the various technological developments that have enhanced the online casino experience, it is the development of the mobile casino that is perhaps the most significant, given that most of us choose to use mobile devices to access the Internet. While there are many similarities between desktop and mobile device gaming, the experiences do differ in some notable ways.
Apps and Browsers
Before we look closely at the mobile versus desktop casino gaming experience, it is worth mentioning that there are two main forms of mobile casino gaming: using an app or using a mobile browser.
The downloadable app is an older technology. It was typically downloaded onto a device via a casino site or mobile app store and enabled the player to access their casino account directly from their mobile device home screen. The development of HTML5 technology made it possible for casino operators to develop sites that are configured to work across all mobile devices, through a mobile browser, and most modern casino sites have dispensed with the downloadable app, though some still offer it.
Size Factors
The most obvious difference between desktop and mobile casino gaming is screen size. Desktop computers have larger screens. For the more modern, cutting-edge casino games⎯and for live casino games⎯being able to view them on a bigger, more graphically impressive screen can make for a better playing experience.
Of course, the downside is that those big desktop screens are not mobile. However, for those with eyesight issues, the desktop screen size can provide a more enjoyable casino gaming experience.
Game Choice
In the early days of mobile casino gaming, it was common for mobile players to be limited in their choice of games. While desktop users were able to play all of the games at an online casino, those playing through mobile apps were often restricted to a smaller range.
The development of mobile browser-friendly casino gaming has largely removed this problem but there are circumstances in which desktop users are more likely to have access to the full library of games than mobile users, usually if a player is using an older device.
Portability
The major advantage of the mobile device is, of course, its portability. Desktop casino gaming may offer a more comprehensive, graphically luxurious playing experience but that edge is dwindling as mobile tech becomes ever more sophisticated.
Where desktops cannot compete is convenience. Mobile casino gamers can play their favourite games on the train, on the bus, in the garden, while relaxing on the sofa, by a hotel pool or anywhere else they choose. This convenience and ease of playing explain why mobile gaming is increasingly popular.
Security Issues
Another significant difference between desktop and mobile casino gaming is the extra emphasis on security that comes with mobile gaming. When you’re gaming on your home desktop, you are in a better position to ensure that your Internet connection is secure. Gaming on the move, however, potentially opens you up to more security risks, so mobile online casino fans have to be extra vigilant every time they go online to play their favourite casino games.
Power Concerns
Mobile device usage can be very demanding on battery power, particularly when players are playing the latest high-technology games. That’s why mobile casino players have to be aware of battery levels and available playing power at all times. Your battery cutting out in the middle of a game of roulette, or while you are spinning the reels of a slot game, can be immensely frustrating.
On the other hand, mobile device manufacturers are constantly striving to provide longer battery life, reducing the disadvantages for online gamers, for whom the ability to play on the move without being tethered to a static power source overrides concerns about battery life.
Conclusion
In many ways, the desktop online casino gaming experience is superior to that of mobile gaming. However, the primary advantage of the mobile device is its convenience and portability and that factor, combined with the efforts of device developers to provide ever more sophisticated gaming technology, means that online casino gaming will become increasingly mobile-friendly over the next few years.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
