Are Multi-Functional Gambling Apps Really Better?
FYI: Online Sportsbook Casinos vs. Individual Gambling Apps
The online gambling industry has grown to fantastic heights over the last 25 years. What was once a small, burgeoning enterprise riddled with suspicion, is now a global, multi-billion-dollar eCommerce, highlighted by qualitative games and multi-jurisdictional regulation; from painfully slow downloads on bulky PCs, to instant access on smartphones and tablets. With so much to offer, it’s no wonder the industry is as competitive as it is popular.
Aiding in the overall growth of the industry is the broadening variety of gambling we have access to. If you like sports betting, there’s no shortage of it on the web. Likewise, casinos games can be played for real money at thousands of websites. Online poker rooms, bingo halls, lottery games, skill games, arcades – the list goes on.
Here in Canada, sports betting and casino games account for the bulk of iGaming wagers. Thanks to the recent legalization of single event betting, more and more Canadians are gaining a genuine interest in sports betting. That’s on top of the countless existing numbers who’ve been betting with offshore sportsbooks since the dawn of the internet. And online casino gambling has been around, both domestically and internationally, for nearly as long.
Online Sportsbook Casinos vs. Individual Gambling Apps
Many of today’s gambling enthusiasts have a particular preference, making it easy to choose what websites and apps they want to play on; (i.e. the ones that offer their favorite types of wagers). But for those who enjoy a wider variety of gambling, there’s a deeper choice to be made. Do you opt for a separate website/app for each gambling genre you like, or bet with a single company that offers an all-in-one service?
Today, more and more gambling operators are doubling as all-in-one (AIO) online sportsbooks and casinos. They offer a list of all major sports lines on one half of their service, and a digital casino on the other. Alternatively, iGamers can access a stand-alone sportsbook and/or casino. Which is better? Well, that really depends on what you hope to get out of the experience.
Stand-Alone Sportsbooks and Casinos
There are some major advantages to gambling with standalone operators. They offer a greater selection of genre-specific wagers. Navigation and deposits are straight forward, with no segmentation or separation of accounts. Overall, stand-alone gambling apps share the same focus as their players.
They also tend to provide more generous bonuses and promotions for the types of bets you want to place. Rarely is a single app available for both sports and casino wagering. You can do both on the website, but if you prefer a mobile app, you’ll need to download the separately.
Better Genre-Specific Game Variety
The expansion in game variety is one of the biggest perks. If you’re the type that enjoys hopping from one slot machine, video poker, or table game to the next, a full casino is the right choice. AIOs are usually limit their games to the most popular selections to keep the file and menu sizes down. A full casino will provide hundreds, if not thousands of selections. The same goes for sportsbooks. Where an AIO will offer only the most popular sports and lines, full sports betting apps are known to pack in more sports, and more ways to bet on them.
Superior Bonuses & Promotions
Too many times, an AIO gambling site will promote one side of its business more than the other. Maybe there’s five different bonuses for sports bettors, but just one for casino players, and it’s only valid on slots play. A standalone gambling site will almost always have a variety of bonuses for new and existing members.
There’s an App For That, and That
If you bet through the website, this won’t have an impact, as the sportsbook and casino are generally combined in one domain. Mobile bettors, however, will need to download separate mobile apps for each type of wagering they want to conduct. Operators rarely combine sports and casino platforms into one app. It becomes too muddled. Rather than choosing the same operator out of familiarity, do yourself a favor. Shop around for the best sports betting service and casino apps separately.
AIO Online Sports Betting Casinos
There’s a good argument for choosing AIO online gambling sites, too. If you’re the type that enjoys the most popular casino games and sports bets, you’ll find everything you need in one place. The majority of these sites (but not all) provide users with a single gaming account, so you’re only depositing with one operator for all your iGaming needs.
One Website, One Account, No Worries
In this day and age, mobile apps aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. You can get the exact same experience on a mobile website as you can in an app. So, if your chosen AIO gambling site wants you to download two separate apps to conduct sports and casino wagers, you can simply log into the website instead. There, you’ll find all of the most popular casino games, and all of major sports and leagues, accessible on the same navigation menu.
Most AIOs will have separate account balances for each gambling vertical they offer. This helps users keep up with bonus money and wagering requirements after claiming a promotion. You can transfer unrestricted funds freely between these accounts. Depositing with a single, trusted iGaming operator means you’ll worry less about personal and financial security.
Make the Right Choice for Your Needs
Much like the bets they place, today’s online gamers come in all shoes and size. There is no “best” option to suit everyone all at once. Some of you may decide AIO online sportsbook casinos are the way to go. Others may prefer the versatility of segmentation in casino and sports betting apps. Hopefully the information above was able to help you decide which category you fall into.
If you’re still not sure, my advice is to try them both on a trial basis. The great thing about internet gambling is that you can try it out for free; especially casino gaming. Sportsbooks will only let you do so much with a “free bet” promo, but you can at least navigate the platform, play around with bet slips, and see what features and promos are available.
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