There is a certain old world savoir faire that goes with spending time in a casino. It is an all-too-easy environment in which to commit an embarrassing faux pas and it can be – famously – an expensive environment in which to acquire an education.
If the etiquette of a casino is sharply defined and unfailingly applied, the same is true of the way casino games should be played. Simply trusting to luck, and scattering one’s money around willy-nilly are every bit as gauche as turning up late or inappropriately dressed. Some things are just not done.
But as in so much else in life, the discipline and restraint that is called for in a casino setting serves a practical as well as a social purpose. Without discipline and intelligent application, a full appreciation of the complex equations involved in any bet will simply pass you by. You might as well simply buy a ticket to watch someone else play.
The essence of the casino experience is in understanding precisely what you are playing for and exactly what the odds of winning and losing are. Anything else is merely window dressing – attractive and comfortable as it may be. And the same cold logic applies to online settings just as it does to the plush setting of a real-world casino.
An online boom
There has been a boom in the past ten years or so for casino style gambling online. In Europe, where 32Red, Sky Vegas, Gala Casino and others are based, that trend has been particularly marked. For example, in the UK and Italy growth in online gambling generally has been in the region of 20% annually, and the overall level of activity there represents 44.9% of the global market share. In the US, where regulatory pressures have dampened growth, the market share is still a not inconsiderable 23.6% of the global total.
The facts amidst the figures
But these figures disguise an unhappy state of affairs that anyone aspiring to a certain standard of erudition, sophistication and intelligent self-improvement should be aware of. Just as there are those who will enter a casino and interrupt others’ play with their ignorance of the mechanics of a game, or the etiquette of the table, there are those who bet badly, clumsily and unintelligently online. It is just as possible to make a fool of yourself over the internet as it is in person.
by twm1340
Losing face may not seem quite so catastrophic at a distance, but losing one’s cash is always uncomfortable wherever and however it comes about. In a casino setting the two things go hand in glove.
The solution is a matter of self-discipline and self-improvement. Competence and restraint are the hallmarks of a man who knows what he is doing, and to achieve those qualities a measure of dedicated application is required. Quick-fixes and easy options are not the mark of a gentleman.
Savoir faire is the winning play
Instead, what is demanded the ability to learn not only the rudiments, but also the subtleties of the game, whether it be blackjack, poker or roulette. Easy options, handheld apps and quick-fire games are little better than mental chewing gum, and every bit as anti-social. They represent no more than an imitation of the mature and intelligent pastime that casino gambling stands for. They are designed for those with shallow tastes.
The level of gaming sophistication offered by serious online providers such as 32Red is not in doubt. The highly-polished presentation of their games is every bit as nuanced as that in bricks and mortar settings. But for anyone to make the most of the games on offer, they must invest not only in their chips, but also in their knowledge and their skills. If they are to truly appreciate the bitter-sweet pleasure that a casino has to offer that savoir faire is absolutely de rigueur.
