Online Slots vs. Casino Slots: How They Compare

Slot machines are one of the most recognisable games in any casino. Whether you’ve sat at a flashing bank of machines in a brick-and-mortar casino or logged in to spin the reels online, you’ll know just how popular slots are with players of all kinds. 

At Virgin Games, we’re serious about play, and that includes helping you understand how popular games like slots work, both in land-based casinos and online. 

What Are Casino Slot Machines? 

Casino slot machines - sometimes called fruit machines, one-armed bandits, or just slots - are mechanical or digital machines you’ll find on the gaming floor of a physical casino. 

Each machine has one or more reels with symbols printed on them. When you press the button or pull the lever, the reels spin, then stop to reveal a combination of symbols. If the symbols line up in a winning pattern, you win a payout based on the paytable. 

Older machines were entirely mechanical, but most modern casino slots are now digital, with touchscreen displays, using random number generators (RNGs), and a huge variety of themes and features. However, the principle is the same: place your bet, spin the reels, and hope they stop in your favour. 

What Are Online Slots? 

Online slots take the concept of the casino slot machine and bring it to your screen. These are digital games designed to be played on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. 

Like casino slots, online slots use an RNG - a smart software - to ensure each spin is random and fair. The reels, symbols, and paylines are displayed on-screen, and you can usually adjust your stake and number of lines before you spin. 

Online slots often feature vivid graphics, immersive slot themes, and bonus rounds that take full advantage of the digital format. Many are based on popular movies, TV shows, or classic fruit machine designs. 

Key Differences Between Casino Slots and Online Slots 

While the basic concept of spinning reels and matching slot symbols is the same, there are several key differences between playing slots at a casino and playing them online. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

1. The experience 

One of the biggest differences is the atmosphere. 

Casino slots are part of a wider gaming experience. You’re surrounded by the sights and sounds of a casino floor, with other players nearby, and the machines themselves often have physical buttons and levers to press. For some players, that hands-on, social experience is part of the fun.  

Online slots, on the other hand, are all about convenience. You can play wherever you are, whenever you want - whether that’s at home on your laptop or on the go with your phone. The graphics and sound effects are designed to replicate (and sometimes enhance) the feel of a real slot machine. If flexibility and comfort matter more to you, online slots are hard to beat. 

2. Paylines and game variety 

In a traditional casino, you’re limited to the machines on the floor. Many will have a standard setup with a handful of paylines and straightforward gameplay. Progressive jackpot machines are sometimes available, but the variety of themes and features is usually narrower. 

Online slots offer much more variety. You’ll find games with hundreds, even thousands, of ways to win, including innovative mechanics like Megaways™ - such as Big Bass Bonanza Megaways and 9 Pots of Gold Megaways - and cascading reels. You can also pick from a huge range of themes - from Egyptian adventures to fantasy worlds - and many games include free spins, bonuses, and other interactive features that aren’t always possible on physical machines. 

3. Prizes and jackpots 

Both land-based casino slots and online slots offer a mix of small, frequent wins and the chance at bigger payouts. 

Many casino slots feature progressive jackpots that grow as more players feed into the machine, though these can sometimes be tied to just one machine or a small bank of machines on-site. 

Online slots often feature networked progressive jackpots, where players across multiple sites contribute to a shared prize pool. This can lead to some truly massive jackpots, sometimes into the millions, especially on well-known games like Mega Moolah or our Jackpot King slots. 

Of course, there are no guarantees, and both online and casino slots are games of chance, but the size of the jackpots online is one reason many players choose to spin digitally. 

4. Betting limits 

In a casino, each machine usually has fixed minimum and maximum bets, and your choices depend on what’s available at the time. You may also need to wait for a machine if it’s busy. 

Online slots tend to offer a wider range of stakes, often starting from just a few pence per spin. You can also play demo versions of some games for free to get a feel for them before wagering real money. And, of course, there’s no waiting around; the game is ready when you are. 

Which Is Better: Online Slots or Casino Slots? 

It comes down to personal preference. 

If you enjoy the energy and atmosphere of a physical casino and like the feel of a real machine in your hands, then playing slots on-site can be a lot of fun. 

But if you’d rather play at your own pace, with more choice and bigger potential jackpots, then online slots could be the way to go. 

Both are designed to be entertaining and fair, and both rely on RNGs to ensure random outcomes. 

Slots have come a long way from the original one-armed bandits, and players today have more choices than ever before. Whether you prefer the tactile thrill of casino slots or the convenience and variety of online slots,  

we offer a wide range of games to suit every taste and budget. Why not explore and see which slots catch your eye? 

Discover thrilling online slots at Virgin Games. Join today and experience a wide variety of online casino games designed for serious play.

 All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.