Online casinos are constantly surprising us with news these days. That’s because of technological improvements. As well as consumer shifts, which are now going digital-first with their entertainment when it comes to iGaming. No matter what games a player enjoys, whether roulette, blackjack, or slots, they have the power to play at any time and from anywhere.
Enter stage left, mobile browser play and casino apps. On the surface, the difference between the two choices appears trivial, given their many similarities. That is because players are getting access to the same games and services, either way. However, large differences lie beneath the surface, affecting performance, security, convenience, and even psychological aspects, which is the focus of this article.
Mobile Casino Apps Are Now The #1 Way to Play
Dedicated casino and now online sweepstakes apps continue to mark the natural evolution of how we play online casino games. Smartphone penetration in most major markets now surpasses desktop browsers as the preferred choice for playing online casino games. Operators have created sleek, easy-to-navigate apps for both iOS and Android devices that generally come packed with additional features.
The majority of operators now offer browser-based play, either on a desktop or a mobile browser. This, as mentioned, allows players to stay in control by not having to download anything. Consider these top benefits of playing with a casino app:
- Apps are built to run natively on the device. This usually results in a smoother gameplay experience, faster load times, and less likelihood of crashing than web-based play. Live dealer games or slot games with intensive graphics usually benefit most from this.
- From one-tap access to the casino to shortcuts in navigation and even customizing your own game lobby, the entire experience is seamless. Operators also design them to better integrate into the modern social experience.
- A number of casino apps allow for players to view account information or browse games without an active connection, unlike playing on the mobile browser.
- Apps generally come with a higher degree of security, including options like two-factor authentication, biometric login, and storing login credentials securely. Users also need to download them from an official store, so they can have the added security of Apple or Google’s app store approval process as well.
Apps also offer more frequent updates and usually all of the available casino games from the site. This isn’t always the case when playing on the mobile browser.
The Mobile Casino Player Is a Worthy Option
The main advantage of browser play is the convenience it provides. Logging into the casino site is something you can do from anywhere. You also don’t need to worry about where to store the casino.
Browser use is universal. You can log in on a laptop, and then later in the same session on a tablet. No additional installations are required. You can even play on a smartphone. The disadvantage is that browsers do track activity.
The browser needs fewer permissions than the application, though. It is even regulation-friendly and is a universally accessible option. The content is updated instantly on web-based casinos. You don’t have to download patches or new versions.
However, mobile browser play means dependence on the internet. From loading the graphics to gameplay processing, slow loading times can result in lag. This is especially true of live dealer games, as well as video-heavy slots. There have been too many instances where glitches occurred at the wrong time during online tournaments or during live dealer play.
Consistent security is another issue. Most often, players are using a public Wi-Fi, which is notorious for security lapses and issues. With cybersecurity and breaches at an all-time high, for this reason above all, many players go with mobile casino apps for the advanced technological features.
