If you go back twenty or thirty years, the only way you would be able to play roulette, blackjack, three-card poker, craps or slots would be going down the road, more likely city, and knocking on the door of the local establishment.
I'm talking about brick-and-mortar casinos. Even our little town of March in Cambridgeshire had a casino back in the day.
From the stories I had been told by my Dad and Uncle Keith, they had a great time losing all their money. My uncle said he would get paid on a Friday and lose his shirt over the weekend before putting in a good week of hard graft to return again and again and again...
I'm sure some of the regulars must have breathed a sigh of relief when stiffer gambling controls were brought in and it closed.
I would have loved to have seen the place still open today.
However, that doesn't mean we still can't enjoy the glitz and glamour of a traditional casino. The Grosvenor at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, is a beautiful gem of a place in what could be viewed as a cheap and tacky tourist haunt. I know those words sound a bit harsh, but I love this seaside resort and have many memories of childhood holidays at Caister-on-sea. In fact, it is the reason why we always make our merry pilgrimage every September to the Eastern Festival at Great Yarmouth's racecourse to say a loving hello and sad farewell to all those family and friends who are no longer with us.
I look to the crowded stands and know, somewhere, you stand tall cheering your winner home. (I miss you, Dad).
There is a lot to be said for going to a brick-and-mortar casino. You can choose from many and varied locations across the country. Many are in listed buildings and even those that do not have a touch of class and opulence about the setting. There is something very James Bond about going to a casino especially taking your better half. I know a lot of times I have been to Yarmouth on a jolly boys outing with my brothers and cousins and had a great time.
Brick-and-mortar casinos have a real atmosphere of anticipation and a crowd that for the most part is out for a good time. The buzz of people winning a few quid and the look of those who have lost too much and wish they hadn't bothered to go out at all. I would suggest to most to go to a casino if you bet small stakes because the food is cheap, customer service is excellent and you are likely to get plenty of free offers to entice you through the door. The difference is that you know you won't be spending a lot of cash (or losing it) while they are very interested in thinking you might just pay the bill for the staff. It works out nicely when you play the game by not playing the game.
I've had many an enjoyable night at the casino and look forward to getting back soon.
The advantage of playing online is pretty straight forward. You don't need to go out of your home, travel a distance, or pay for a hotel for the night. You don't get the atmosphere of the casino but sometimes you don't want someone half laying on top of you as they place a bet on the roulette table. When travel, hotel, cost of food and drinks can easily set you back a couple of hundreds you feel you are on a winner by booting up your laptop and getting down to the instant casino play without any hassle or protocol.
There are endless casinos online and the reason why it pays to check out the best deals, free bets and offers that are available.
In truth, there is no right or wrong just a matter of how you feel on the night. Sometimes getting all dressed up for a night out in the city and playing in a brick-and-mortar casino until late into the evening is just perfect. While other times you just want to sit in bed, a big bacon butty by your side, a beer and fire up the laptop and play online until you fall to sleep winning or losing but safe and sound at home.
Be lucky.