One cool thing about online casinos is that you can bring your favorite casino with you wherever you go. You do not need to be sitting at home on your desktop or laptop to play. All you need is a mobile device with an online connection, and you can log in and play anywhere. The days of needing to pack up the car and drive a few hours to go to the ol’ brick and mortar building are officially gone. There’s no reason that anyone has to do this anymore. So why would someone decide to stay on their mobile device as opposed to going out to the traditional casino? Well, let’s check it out!
Advantages of mobile gambling include:
Convenience
Gambling at your online casino on your smartphone or tablet gives you unparalleled convenience.
Kill time while waiting
Bus or metro taking forever to get to your stop? You can spend the time playing slots instead of just sitting there bored out of your mind.
Enhanced flexibility
If you don’t have time to play at home, your mobile device can give you options for playing while you are out and about.
No home computer? No problem
There was a time when almost everyone who was online had a home computer. But now, lots of people just use a mobile device. That doesn’t have to stop you from gambling online.
But how can you get the most out of your mobile gambling experience? Below are some recommendations that will help you to circumvent some of the potential inconveniences that go with playing online casino games while you are on the go.
Choose a Type of Connection
Chances are good that your mobile device provides you with more than one possible way of connecting to the internet:
When it comes to playing online casino games, there are some pros and cons with either option.
If you will be using your cellular network to gamble on your mobile device…
You will be playing on a connection that is a lot harder to hack or compromise than a Wi-Fi connection. That means that your data, login information, and funds are more likely to stay secure than they would be if you played on a Wi-Fi connection.
You do not have to find a hotspot to connect. That means you have a lot more flexibility with respect to locations where you can gamble.
The biggest restriction with gambling on a cellular network is that you will need to try and stay under your data cap.
You might use up battery more rapidly on this type of connection.
If you will be using wi-fi to gamble on your mobile device…
You will have to find a hot spot to use. If you are at home, you can just use your own private wi-fi. But if you are out and about, you’ll have to connect to public wi-fi, which is not very secure.
Wi-Fi networks are often faster than cellular networks—at least if you have a 3G device.
This is a great way to get around your data cap. The less data you use, the more money you save. That ultimately means more money to play with at the online casino.
So, you are going to have to evaluate the pros and cons of each of these options for yourself. You might decide you prefer the higher security and flexibility of playing over a cellular network, or you might realize you prefer the speed and cost-effectiveness of wi-fi mobile gambling.
Here are some tips for staying secure as you gamble online:
Opt for a cellular network when you can, and/or stick with private wi-fi if possible.
Connect with a VPN. This option allows for encryption on public networks.
Routinely change any passwords you type in while you are playing over public networks. If you switch them up regularly, it makes it less likely someone will be able to hack your account.
You might end up deciding to use a combination of network types, depending on what is available at the moment you want to gamble. Maybe one day, you will gamble using your cellular network, and the next, switch over to a wi-fi connection.
Either way, putting some thought into how you will connect and protect your data will help you enjoy a safe, fun mobile gambling experience.
Use a Stable Connection
The next important step in playing online casino games on your smartphone or tablet is to make sure that your connection is fast, strong, and stable enough that you are not going to deal with interruptions while you are playing.
For starters, getting disconnected in the middle of a gambling session is just plain annoying. It disrupts the flow, replacing a relaxing experience with one that is stressful.
But it can also be problematic for other reasons. Say, for example, you set a slot game to auto-spin on your behalf. Now, imagine you get disconnected. What if the casino software does not register right away that you fell off the internet? What if it keep spinning?
Any number of glitches and bugs become more likely if you have an inconsistent internet signal.
Plus, you might end up sometimes losing out on amazing opportunities. Imagine you are playing poker, and you are in control of the table. But then, your connection breaks, and you get booted out of the game.
Had you been able to stay at the table, you might have beaten all your opponents and come out with a big win. But you did not have that opportunity, and there may be no way to get back to that specific table. So, you lost out on your chance all because of a poor connection.
This is also a good reason to consider not trying to gamble while you are physically on the move. If you are waiting at a metro station, that is one thing. But if you are actually on the metro, passing through tunnels, your connection might cut in and out. The same would be true on any other form of transit.
Try and Avoid Playing in Settings Where There Will be Frequent Interruptions
It isn’t just a lost connection that can interrupt you when you are gambling on your mobile device. You might also be interrupted by passersby, animals, and so on.
So, if it is possible, you might want to just avoid gambling in really crowded, chaotic environments, and stick with those which are a bit quieter and more laid-back.
Going back to the example of the metro station, say you have a solid signal there and you want to play for a few minutes while you are waiting for your train.
Consider walking all the way down to the end of the platform where there are not that many people. You are probably going to have an easier time playing there uninterrupted by people bustling by than you would if you waited right in the middle of the most crowded part of the platform and tried to play.
Plus, as a bonus, you will get to board one of the less crowded cars when the train arrives. So, that will make for a more pleasant trip.
Avoid Playing When You Are In a Hurry
Especially when you first try mobile gambling, you are going to be amazed by how quickly and easily you can log in, open your favorite game, and start playing.
You might feel tempted to try and squeeze in any gambling time you possibly can when you are running errands or commuting. Whenever you have just a few extra minutes, you might find yourself logging in to start playing.
You might want to try and avoid doing this, however. First of all, it is easy to get so wrapped up in gambling that you end up missing whatever it was you were waiting for.
Secondly, it is also possible that you will just be distracted by whatever you are in a rush to get to. You might make mistakes as a result, and end up losing money you did not have to—especially if you are anxious or on edge because of your hurry.
So, try and play on your mobile device when you can give more of your focus to it, and you are in a calm frame of mind.
Wear Earphones to Block Out Distractions In Your Environment
One reason it is nice to be able to gamble on your own device at home is that you do not have to deal with all the distracting noises of the land-based casino. While those noises may add ambiance, they also can make it hard to concentrate.
But when you are playing on your mobile device outside of the home, you have all that auditory distraction to deal with once again.
The noise of traffic passing by or commuters crowding around a train station probably won’t add any desirable ambiance—but it will likely cause you to lose focus and make mistakes.
Thankfully, the solution to dealing with this particular distraction is simple, and that is just to put on some earphones.
You can then either put on music, or select white noise to listen to. Either will help to cancel out the noises in your immediate surroundings.
Many casino games come with music and sounds of their own as well—and that might be all you need to focus in on what you are doing.
Plus, those sounds are part of the atmosphere each game is meant to convey—so you would be missing out if you played on your mobile without sound.
Turn Up the Brightness, Or Use Auto Brightness If You Have It
Are you trying to gamble on your smartphone or tablet outdoors in bright sunlight? If so, you might be having a hard time seeing what is on your screen. Needless to say, that can really disruptive to your experience.
There are a couple of ways you can try to solve this problem. Go to the settings in your device. See if the brightness is on maximum. If it is not, try turning it up. Your screen should be easier to see even in bright daylight.
The only drawback of this solution is that the higher the brightness is on your screen, the more rapidly your device will chew through battery power.
In order to help get around this problem, some devices have an auto brightness setting. The device will detect your activity and attempt to adjust the brightness of your screen appropriately. That way, the screen is brighter when you need it to be, but dims the rest of the time in order to conserve power.
Use an Anti-Glare Cover
If adjusting the brightness of your device or setting it on automatic is still not sufficient to help you see your screen outdoors, or if you just do not want to drain your battery, another option is to get an anti-glare cover.
This is a physical cover that you place over your tablet or smartphone screen. When the cover is on, it reduces the glare from the sun or other bright lights in your environment. That makes it easier to see your screen, regardless of its brightness.
Don’t Make Eye Contact With Other People
One thing that is really annoying when you are trying to focus on enjoying your casino games on your mobile device is when other people walk up to you and interrupt you.
Indeed, this could be especially problematic if you are playing a game involving other players like poker.
It’s not like you can just hit pause and stop playing for five minutes or however long the person accosting you wants to talk to you.
There is no sure way to prevent other people from trying to talk to you, but one thing you can do is try not to encourage them.
That means that you should try not to accidentally make eye contact with anybody around you. If you do, they might see it as an invitation to try and talk to you.
Wearing earphones also is a good way to signify to people around you that you are not paying attention to them.
You can also face away from other people to the best of your ability, or sit at an angle that makes it clear you do not want direct contact.
Take Regular Breaks
If you follow the advice above, hopefully you will be able to play on your mobile device with relatively few interruptions or distractions as you are out and about.
But if you are able to focus 100% on your gambling, you need to be wary of the opposite problem, which is that you might end up getting too focused on it.
One of the drawbacks of using a mobile device over using a desktop or laptop computer is that it is less ergonomic. You often will be leaning forward and looking down at your device.
If you do not realize how long you have been doing this, you could end up doing it for longer than you intended.
This could lead to issues with neck or shoulder strain, and might cause you to get headaches as well. Some people are more prone to these types of problems than others. But if you make it a bad habit often enough, it might start to catch up with you eventually even if it takes awhile.
The solution is just to build a habit of regularly taking breaks while you were gambling on your mobile device. Try and pause every 5-10 minutes.
When you do, take note of the posture you have been in, and then move around, making sure that your shoulders, neck, and back are not too tense.
You can also try and be conscious of your posture while you are playing. If you realize you have been looking down at your device for a long time, switch to holding it up in front of you for a little bit so that you do not need to bend your neck forward as much. Keep changing positions and moving around.
Conclusion: The Quality of Your Mobile Gambling Experience Depends on You
With the tips and tricks above, you can reduce glare, noise, and distractions as you play your favorite online casino games on your mobile device.
Looking for a website where you can play on your smartphone or tablet? Check out our recommended online casinos for sites that offer huge bonuses, exciting VIP programs, and tons of thrilling games that you can enjoy on your mobile device.
And then there’s also…