Pros and cons of online betting vs. retail betting

Streets used to be lined with betting shops filled to the brim with punters watching horse races or staking bets. As the overall gambling figures continue to climb, why are we seeing fewer betting shops? Meanwhile, those that do exist are so empty there’s a tumbleweed warning on the door.

It’s no coincidence that retail betting figures slumped the moment online betting became popular.

Why are more people betting online than in person? Does it truly offer a better experience? In this article, we look at the pros and cons of online and retail betting to find the answer.

Online betting pros vs. retail betting

Most punters will argue online betting has the following advantages over its retail counterpart:

●      Access to a wider array of betting sites - Online betting gives you access to things like non UK betting sites and bookmakers worldwide, providing a wider choice of betting options.

●      Vastly improved betting experience - Going to a retail store to bet means you have to leave the house, possibly traverse through poor weather conditions and then deal with whoever is also in the bookmakers. Betting online lets you stay in the comfort of your home and bet with more convenience.

●      No judgement from employees - Following on from above, online bettors aren’t judged by betting site employees as they can’t see them. It’s very common for betting shop workers to judge their punters and make the whole experience even less appealing.

●      More ways to bet online - A traditional bookmaker will only give you so many ways to place a bet. You get a long bet slip with all the latest matches and some available bets. It is possible to request a bet, but the overall choice is greatly diminished compared to online bookies.

Here, you have thousands of events to bet on and almost every outcome conceivable to mankind. Most betting sites also supply casino games too, which is far more than the roulette machine in the corner of your local betting shop. 

●      Better ways to monitor your gambling habits - It’s highly unlikely that anyone in a betting shop will stop you from wagering money. As long as you’ve got the cash, they’ll accept your bet.

While it may not always seem this way, online betting is genuinely safer for gamblers. It’s outlined in the UKGC regulations that all online bookmakers must provide ways for punters to stick to personal budgets. You can set deposit and bet limits online, but that’s not the case in person. As such, you’re less likely to overspend and more likely to be a responsible gambler.  

●      Bet from anywhere with mobile apps - Online betting isn’t limited to your computer screen; you have the added convenience of using mobile apps to bet from anywhere!

Online betting cons vs. retail betting

Finding the advantages of online betting over retail betting was easy. When we flip things the other way around, there are some features of online gambling that you may not like. In the same breath, retail betting boasts a few key perks that might make it more attractive to some.

●      Slower payouts online - When you win money online, you have to wait a few hours (sometimes days) before the money gets to your bank account. Retail betting pays instantly. It’s known that British retail stores are particularly good at this and you get your money right away.

●      More risks of scams - The online world is full of security threats and cybercriminals. Fraud experts Arkose Labs note that credit card fraud is one of the biggest concerns for online bettors.

It’s easy for hackers to create fake betting sites and steal your information - or send phishing emails posing as betting sites. In the retail world, these threats don’t exist. Betting shops have to be legit or they’ll be closed down, so the risk of scams is nil.  

●      Hardly any social element - Gambling should be a social event. It’s what stops it from being a harmful addiction and makes it a nice hobby. Going to betting shops helps you hang out with people, converse and make human connections. Online gambling has none of this, which makes the whole thing feel quite…sad.

Can retail betting fight back against the online gambling craze?

We don’t have high hopes for this as it seems another sector of the retail industry is being overwhelmed by online technology.

Having said that, if retail betting shops want to draw more punters through their doors, they need to focus on their strong points. Advertise your super fast payouts, highlight the improved security and make betting stores more social places.

This won’t be enough to concern all online gamblers back to in-person bookmakers, but it could get a fair few punters through the front door.