Casinos are known for their slot machines, poker, and money wheels. Not to mention the vast selection of slots you can play online. It truly has a monopoly on gambling fun. However, it will surely stay this way for a while, right? Not anymore as gambling platforms increasingly welcome video gamers to their platforms. Ever imagined of betting on Angry Birds or League of Legends?

In June 2015, Nevada passed a bill allowing casinos to introduce skill-based games. Within no time, almost every gambling company was supporting video games. Online casinos introduced betting for video gaming competitions, making thousands of fans who love eSports enjoy gambling.

So, which is better for gamblers?

Ease of use

Casino games win. No skills needed. Spin the wheels or click a single button on online casinos and you have the chance to multiply your wagers. Anyone can use a slot machine. And if lucky enough, they can hit the jackpot without sweating or thinking too hard.

Video games are different. While not all of them are skill intensive, even the simplest video games could ask for some critical thinking. Some games like Starcraft require high-level skills to win. Others ask for a strategic mind. When it comes to the big prizes, you don’t have a chance unless you are extremely talented at video games.

Entertainment

On the one hand, casino games hook you with clinking sounds, glittering lights and easy to play games. On the other, modern video games are on a level of their own. Bestseller books and comic books are now video games. Blockbuster movies have been adopted and turned into immersive, addictive and highly re-playable games.

While video gamers may tend to argue with casino gamers as to what games are better, both genres are entertaining. Some video games are objectively more entertaining than some casino games. But still, there are slot games whose simplicity, graphics and music keep players hooked for hours.

The entertainment factor varies from one game to another and depending on the players’ personal interests. Video games may be popular among millennials. But older generations won’t let you take away their poker cards.

House Edge

If you’ve been to a casino before, you probably know they don’t pay you exactly the amount you win. The house always keeps a percentage of the win. If you win $1 and the house edge is 5%, you get 95 cents. As such, casinos have an advantage whenever you play.

Online casinos tend to set a lower house edge because they have low overhead costs. However, they also stack the odds in their favor. In the long run, the house continues to win but at the same time attracts more players.

Each casino game has a different house edge that ranges from 0 to 10%. The European Roulette has an edge of 2.5% in almost every land-based casino. Slot games have an edge of up to 10%. The edge for sports betting tends to be high as well.

With video games, casinos prefer not to set a house edge. The instead deduct a percentage of the prize money. If two players compete for $200, the casino could decide to cut 10% of the prize pool. The winner gets $200 minus 10%, which is $180. Of course, you can win your edge over the casino by taking advantage of free bets and spins. So, always check out for promotions related to your online casino games.

Fairness

Gambling has for long been referred to as a game of chance. You roll a dice, spin a wheel or poke a slot machine. Still, many platforms are accused of supporting games that don’t provide fairness to the players. The house edge is increased and the mathematics used to determine winners is skewed

With video games becoming part of the platforms, players could find casino games fair. The casino can’t decide the winner as two players compete. Skills and experience influence winning. Inexperienced can’t complain about being beat because they can play against less skillful gamers.

On a fair casino platform, however, both casino games and video games can be designed to be fair. Think of slots. Every player has an equal chance of winning if the house’s games are provably fair, skills can’t help you. Young and old, all you have to do is spin the wheels or roll your dice. Even with sports betting, everyone has an equal chance of betting for or against their favorite team. The only edge you may have is your research and a little bit of luck.

Re-Playability

A game’s replay value refers to its attractiveness to repeat gamers. Easy to play games such as slots have a higher replay value than sophisticated, hard to play games. Graphics, storylines, music and entertainment factor all contribute to how re-playable games are.

Players who love sophisticated, immersive games will find video games more re-playable compared to non-skill slots and poker cards. With some games, you can spend hours overcoming hurdles, building a strategy and advancing levels. If the games feel entertaining at an individual level, it will have a better replay level than slots.

Since different players will differ in what games they consider re-playable, casinos avail all types of games. An average platform will have up to 1000 games. Sports bettors have the convenience to wager in all leagues. Traditional casino lovers can gamble from hundreds of slots, table and poker games.

Younger players who thrill at the sophistication of video games don’t have to shy away from casinos anymore. Players can also bet on eSports or any games they identify with.

Prize Pools

Although casino games run jackpots worth millions of dollars, video games reward players more. E-sport tournaments pay out up to $5 million to individual players for winning a single game. The competitions are also structured to reward multiple players with thousands of dollars. Video games are able to pay that match because the tournaments are viewable online like any other sports.

Of course, you can also win millions for playing a single casino game. There are tournaments where gamers compete on popular casino games. However, they are not as rewarding as eSports whose prize pools span $100 million.

To Conclude

Casino games have been around for decades. Video games are relatively new but they have been advancing over the years. New games are launched every year and billions of dollars spent towards graphics and game improvements.

Due to increasing popularity, casinos nowadays welcome video games and sports competitions. They are seeking licenses and producing easy to play video games for all generations. Younger people will find the sophisticated games and compete against one other for millions worth of prize pool money.