When playing computer-generated or live dealer online slot machines, classic table & card games, bingo & lottery-style games and scratchies, I always play in my Google Chrome web browser via the Windows 10 operating system on my desktop computer, which I’ve had for over five years.
Today, online gambling site customers like me can choose between playing a game at online casinos instantly in our favourite web browser or from within a secure mobile application, the latter of which is typically only available for iOS and Android users.
You can also play at online gambling sites from almost any other decent-working Windows, Linux, or macOS desktop computer or laptop or from any modern Windows, iOS or Android smartphone or tablet device.
I have played on those same sites from my smartphone, sometimes from within that site’s app and other times directly from their website, and I understand that playing from within the app is how most people enjoy experiencing online gambling sites today. However, I still prefer watching the action play out over a much larger screen.
Today, online gambling site customers like me can choose between playing a game at online casinos instantly in our favourite web browser or from within a secure mobile application, the latter of which is typically only available for iOS and Android users.
Therefore, iGamers like me who prefer using PCs to play online gambling sites only have one choice: to play instantly in our web browsers instead of from within an app purely because modern casino apps haven’t been built for PCs.
If you have an Android or iOS and want to know whether it’s best to play at online gambling sites directly from the website or via the app, you’ve come to the right place.
I’ve played at gambling sites from the website and from within the app, and I’ve spoken to countless other like-minded iGamers who have tried both, too. Here’s what I have discovered.
Is it better to play at online casinos from the mobile app or web browser?
If you haven’t ever tried mobile casino apps, you may want to try stepping out of your comfort zone to see if you like them because you may find that you prefer playing this way. At least you can say you tried.
From my personal experience, I would say that it boils down to personal choice. For example, some people don’t like cluttering up their devices with an app for this and another app for that, so they prefer playing instantly in their web browser.
However, a mobile casino app offers a more complete experience, which is why so many players would rather download the apps from their favourite online casinos and play via the app instead of on the main website. Each person is different.
There is no right or wrong answer, and both have advantages and disadvantages. With that in mind, I have found that the user experience (UX) is much better for players who download and install the free mobile casino apps onto their devices and then access the products, services, and features this way.
Apps tend to be the more secure option and work faster than web browsers. For example, they often come with two or three optional secure two-factor authentication (2FA) login security features, such as fingerprint/voice/facial recognition.
Mobile apps are also more personalised and customisable compared to websites, and they come with built-in support and tend to have more functionality.
If you want to play thousands of industry award-winning games, available on the go, and you have a smartphone or tablet device, I would suggest at least trying the app first if you have room on your device. You will have just as much fun playing directly from the website in your web browser, so it’s up to you.
Why do some people still prefer playing in their web browser?
When online gambling sites first appeared in the 90’s, PC users like me could install a free gambling site download client onto our PCs, which was a much better way to experience a casino. You needed a Flash or Java player to play instantly, but this way of playing was typically plagued with issues.
For example, less than half as many games were available in the casino’s ‘Instant Play’ [online] version. In the ‘olden’ days, I was always getting disconnected halfway through placing a bet or suffering from constant, annoying buffering, lagging/ and latency issues.
Online gambling site PC download clients were eventually scrapped, and the standard Flash player was replaced by HTML5 technology, which made playing online so much better.
Some of the main technological developments and innovations that have dramatically improved over the past decade that also made the instant play platform more dominant for desktop and mobile users are the following:
- Faster and more efficient web browsers
- Lightning-fast Wi-Fi/internet speeds like 5G
- HTML5 technology
- Improved live streaming capabilities
- Far more advanced desktop computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets
- Cloud gaming/computing technology
In other words, there has never been a better time than now to play at online gambling sites, and it doesn’t matter which device, platform or browser you use to access those sites. I will always prefer playing in my Google Chrome web browser, but that’s because I’m set in my ways, even though apps are considered the better way to experience online gambling sites.
Final thoughts
Before signing up to an online gambling site , always make sure that it works well on your preferred device. You don’t want to register an account on a gambling site only to find out that soon after joining that it doesn’t have an app, especially if you were looking to play from within a mobile app.
Also, always read the expert reviews because they will have all the information you’re looking for and tell you whether that site has an app or can only be accessed online via the website. They will also reveal where the gambling site is licensed and regulated, what kind of new player welcome bonus it has, and other important information.
The reviews, especially those on the AskGamblers website, also contain secure links to each site’s official online registration page, where you can sign up and download/install the app in under a minute. I’ve signed up to many of their top-rated sites and never encountered any issues.
I would suggest starting with the top-rated sites with the Certificate of Trust and CasinoRank score of 8.00 or above because they also have the best mobile apps.
