It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that there are millions of people actively gambling at online casinos at this very moment. This form of leisure and entertainment increased immensely as soon as the land-based casinos migrated their exciting video slots to the internet back in the 90s. Not having to leave your house and still having access to thousands of video slots from hundreds of highly reputable iGaming providers has an immense appeal to gamblers worldwide. It’s hard to beat the feeling of gambling directly on your computer, tablet, or mobile phone at the best paying online casino, and scoring an impressive win will guarantee that your leisure time has been spent productively.
To better assess whether gambling is a productive form of leisure, we must first define forms of leisure. There are multiple definitions of leisure, as it is highly subjective and differs from person to person. The broadly accepted definition of leisure is free time away from work, domestic duties, sleeping, and child care. Some other requirements for an activity to qualify as leisure are freedom of choice, the level of enjoyment, and the motivation behind it. By all accounts, online gambling fits perfectly within the definition, and we invite you to keep reading our article so that we can assess whether it can be classified as one of the most productive pastimes. Afterward, we invite you to check out the KGC licensed Zodiac casino Canada so that you can also benefit from their impressive 80 free spins promotion that only requires a C$1 deposit.
Online Casino Entertainment
The main requirement for an activity to be considered leisure has to be its capacity to provide entertainment. When it comes to online gambling, you can get hours upon hours of fun for only a small deposit if you are willing to play on low stakes. Variety is also essential, and online casinos are well aware of this, which is why they are quick to feature the latest releases from software provider studios as soon as they hit the market. Online casino games are vast, starting from classics such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno, Bingo, Craps, tons of Roulette variations, poker, and video poker, and that’s all without factoring the tens of thousands of popular video slots. Some casino games require previous knowledge and winning strategies, while others require you to get lucky.
Regardless of what you choose for your leisure time, you are all but guaranteed hours of adrenaline-filled fun at an affordable price which we cannot say about most other leisure forms. This is where slot volatility comes into play – a concept that dictates how often a specific video slot pays out. If you choose a low volatility video slot, you will be inundated with frequent wins generally equal to or below your initial wager. The main draw to such a video slot is that you can play for more extended periods while being reasonably entertained. On the other hand, high volatility slots are notorious for providing very high payouts, sometimes thousands of times the initial wager. Still, these wins will be far less frequent, and you can sometimes spin hundreds of times without any notable wins. It would be much wiser to prioritize low volatility slots from a leisure standpoint. Some excellent video slot titles with low volatility that are worth playing include the timeless Starburst released by NetEnt, Thunderstruck II from Microgaming, and Enchanted Garden II published by famed iGaming provider Real Time Gaming. As far as low volatility table games are concerned, one cannot go wrong with Baccarat, Craps, or video poker.
Training your Brain
A surprising upside of using casino games as a leisure form is that certain games can be incredible tools for developing your mental capacity and cognitive abilities. Gamblers that frequently played Blackjack at brick-and-mortar casinos in the 90s tend to be healthier due to the increased brain activity associated with having to make difficult decisions in a matter of seconds frequently.
Poker, especially tournament poker, is another excellent example of a casino game that can improve cognitive functions. To be a successful poker player, you need to have a great memory that allows you to recall the odds of winning the hand and a quick mathematical mind that can browse through all the possible outcomes. The only method to achieving the traits mentioned above requires deep concentration, which is closely associated with creating new neural pathways. This is especially valid for online poker tournaments that need you to concentrate for hours or even days for multiple-day competitions.
Professional poker players are notorious for knowing exactly when they should bet or when it’s time to fold their holdings. While this mostly comes down to experience, it also shows that they have learned to master their emotions, thus avoiding the “tilt.” One of the most critical assets a poker player can have is the ability to control their emotional decisions through self-awareness during their leisure time. Unfortunately, casino slots are based entirely on luck, and your choices do not influence the spin’s outcome. However, knowing when to decrease or increase the wager and when to stop gambling do require strong decision-making skills.
Chances at Winning Large
Playing online casino games sets itself apart from other leisure activities because it can aid you in making a lot of money which is where the productive aspect comes into play. You should follow a few steps to ensure that you will actually receive your winnings when you get lucky. The most important thing to consider is only gambling on trustworthy platforms with prestigious licenses from reputable jurisdictions. Look for online casinos licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, or the Alderney Gambling Commission. Ending up on a fake casino website can have unwanted repercussions, so you must perform your due diligence before registering at an online casino. A good starting point would be to scour the web for reviews by industry experts and other gamblers. Finding a safe and secure online casino will not guarantee that you will walk away with millions of dollars and you should be prepared to lose a few hundred before you get a win worth mentioning. You might want to look into video slots with progressive jackpots up for grabs, as they can provide genuinely life-changing winnings. A good starting point is the video slots developed by Microgaming, such as Mega Moolah, Immortal Romance, Juicy Joker, or Temple of wealth from Play’n Go. The tiles mentioned above all have progressive jackpots that exceed CAD 10 million, which makes them incredibly appealing.
Gambling from Any Location
Online casinos have a significant advantage over other leisure time activities because they do not require you to acquire any special equipment. Additionally, you do not need to travel to a specific location during a set timeframe to enjoy the most popular video slots or table games. Anyone with a mobile phone, tablet, or smartphone connected to the internet can start gambling within a few seconds. You can bet without wearing any special clothing, like when practicing yoga or when going to the gym, and you won’t have distractions like the ones that could appear when you travel to your local casino. Traveling to a local casino can be tedious and expensive. If there aren’t any good establishments nearby, there isn’t much you can do about it other than purchasing a costly plane ticket. Choosing to gamble online will eliminate all the hurdles presented above, especially since it is fully legalized in Canada. Finding an online casino with an immaculate reputation and incredible promotions couldn’t be easier.
Communication at Online Casinos
You get to interact with the dealer and the other gamblers when you gamble, both online and at brick-and-mortar casinos. Social interaction can have incredibly beneficial effects on your brain and body as it releases dopamine, the same hormone that appears when you are winning, and keeps your brain working. As a leisure activity, gambling can reduce stress and eliminate anxiety, allowing you to develop new friendships and relationships.
Poker and Bingo are some of the gambling games that provide the most chances to communicate with the other members of the community. Banter at the poker table can drastically improve your mood. Bingo games at your favorite online casino tend to foster the idea of community because gamblers get to interact not only with the moderator but with the other players as well. The competitive aspect of casino games can also positively affect your mode if done healthily. While plenty of other leisure activities involve other people, gambling is unique because you could also win money.
Gambling Can Be Affordable
The vast majority of leisure activities require a substantial initial investment. Purchasing theater tickets, golfing equipment, or paying for a visit to a fancy restaurant can add up to quite a lot of money. When it comes to online gambling, you can get away with a minimum deposit, starting as low as C$10, which could translate into several hours of entertainment. Alternatively, at some online casinos, you could even get rewarded with free spins or bonus money for registering a new account. This means you can have fun gambling without risking your own money. Given the competitive nature of the online gambling market, you can expect to receive freebies for staying loyal to an online casino. Overall, online gambling might be one of the cheapest forms of leisure. Of course, increasing the wagers can come with impressive benefits, but you are not forced to do so.
Conclusion
Online gambling has only increased in popularity in recent years, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced us to stay indoors. The increase in popularity brought fierce competition between reputable online casinos that benefit the gambler. Therefore, choosing online gambling as your preferred leisure activity has become more convenient and productive. Online gambling provides hours of entertainment at a low cost, and the luckiest gamblers can walk away with a life-changing jackpot. The social aspect coupled with cognitive improvements and better decision-making skills are also aspects one must consider. We can safely conclude that online gambling can be a highly productive leisure activity that is hard to beat.
