Land-based slot machines and online slots: differences and similarities

Let’s compare the bar slot machines with their online version to know their advantages, differences and peculiarities

Not everyone knows that the online casino game par excellence, the slot machine, saw the light many years ago thanks to the intuition of a humble mechanic of Bavarian origins. It was 1895 when Charles Fey, aged only 23, moved to San Francisco to work in the company Electric Work Company. The man, gifted with ingenuity and great insight, designed the “Liberty Bell”, the first slot machine.

Land and online slot machines, history and evolution

From that moment the evolution of the slots began, which first became electromechanical and then, in the 1980s, electric. The popularity of these games grew dramatically: if at first slot machines constituted an underground turnover reserved exclusively for customers of gambling halls and land-based casinos, in 1997 the state began to think of this gaming offer as a independent economic sector and a fiscal lever capable of mitigating the country’s economic crisis. With the law decree n.138 of 8 July 2002, the organization, supervision and management of these games were entrusted to the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies (AAMS), now ADM. In 2003, following the approval of law 282, their diffusion also covered public businesses.

The success of slot machines, however, had not yet skyrocketed. The real boom in fact manifested itself with the release of online slots: thanks to the simple usability of these games through any device connected to the Web network, the number of players soared.

The immediacy, the versatility and the wide choice of titles ranging from classic gameplay games to the latest generation ones such as www.reactoonz.it, are the strengths of this success. But that’s not all: the licenses issued by the ADM and various security measures, such as temporary or permanent self-exclusion from the game and betting limits, also appear to improve the gaming experience of online slots.

Slot machine online e offline a confronto

While it is true that online and offline slot machines offer a very similar gaming experience, it is also true that many features combine to make these two entertainments quite different. In Italy the slot rooms have increased dramatically over the last few years and many shops have expanded their space to allow the inclusion of the much loved “bar machines”. The first substantial difference between the terrestrial and online versions of these games lies precisely in the usability which, in the case of online slots, is immediate and possible from any device and at any time.

Another factor that has pushed users towards the online experience is RTP, or return to player. This, which ranges from 75% to 90% in land-based slots, reaches an average of 98% in the online versions. Although the payout is immediate with physical slots, a lower average RTP does not convince lovers of these games, who prefer to wait for the payment processing times of an online casino in exchange for higher prizes.

Online slot machines also offer players the opportunity to test a title in demo mode before investing any money. This feature is not insignificant: users can learn the rules of the game, gain experience and understand if a particular slot meets their tastes.

To conclude

Online and offline slot machines look very similar, yet they have factors that make them extremely different. The gaming experience offered by online slots has been refined and perfected over time thanks to progress and new technologies. The possibility of being able to use these games from the comfort of home or from your mobile device, for example, allows a maximum level of usability. Added to this is an infinite availability of titles that feature ever-changing game modes to suit all players. The advantages are real even in the case of new users, because in online casinos it is possible to take advantage of welcome bonuses or other initiatives dedicated to new members. The last, but not least, advantage of online slots is that of security, which translates into the ability to monitor your payments on the portal, to self-exclude yourself from the game or to ask for help in the event of a gambling addiction.