When you sign up to an online gambling site from a mobile device to play computer-generated and live dealer online slot machines, any of the traditional favourites, such as blackjack and roulette, or any other games available on that site, you can often choose between playing instantly in your web browser or from within a secure mobile gambling site application.

I’ve tried both, and although the mobile app is more reliable and secure, I still prefer playing directly via the main website in my Google Chrome web browser. There are advantages and disadvantages for both, which I will discuss here before revealing why I think it’s better to play at instant gambling sites rather than from within the app.

Mobile phone

Why are instant play casinos so popular in 2024?

There are several reasons why I strongly believe instant play gambling sites are so popular today, and it’s mainly because of certain major technological developments that have come a long way over the past decade or so.

The most significant technological developments that have had the greatest impact on the popularity of instant play gambling sites are the following:

  • Cloud gaming/computing
  • Superfast [5G] internet/Wi-Fi speeds
  • Improved live streaming capabilities
  • Today’s devices (smartphones, desktop computers, laptops, and tablets) are better than ever
  • HTML5 technology
  • Today’s web browsers, such as Chrome, Edge, Safari, Vivaldi, Opera, Explorer, and Firefox are faster and more efficient

Back in the day, I needed a Flash player to experience the thrills of an instant gambling site, which was not as good as the standard HTML5 technology of today. Internet speeds were much slower back then, and the devices and live streaming capabilities were nowhere near as good as today.

In other words, the instant gambling site option wasn’t as good as the download option. I preferred installing the free gambling site download client onto my desktop computer whenever I signed up anywhere because I knew the instant Flash version wouldn’t be as good. Downloadable gambling sites for PCs aren’t available today.

When I used to play at instant gambling sites, there were only around half as many games to play instantly in my web browser, and there were constant lagging, buffering, and latency issues. Today, it’s completely different. Instant play gambling sites are nothing like they were 10+ years ago, which is why so many players like me enjoy playing this way today.

I prefer playing at instant gambling sites because I don’t like cluttering up my phone with apps; it’s that simple, and many other like-minded friends I’ve asked have said the same.

Where to find the best instant play casinos today?

Whenever I fancy a change of scenery, I always return to the askgamblers.com website because they have hundreds of expert reviews for today’s best instant play casinos. I suggest you at least try this site before signing up to an instant play casino you have randomly stumbled upon that may not be trustworthy.

I tend to filter their top suggestion by highest-rated, and will only ever join sites with an 8.00 CasinoRank score or above, and the Certificate of Trust seal of approval. I look for sites like this because I know reputable operators will control them.

I also know they will have games from award-winning software providers that are fully licensed and regulated by several top-tier gaming commissions/licensing authorities.

They are always free to join, and their services, games, and features work well on smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers.

If you would rather not play instantly in your web browser, don’t forget that most of these highly recommended sites also still have a secure mobile app that can be downloaded and installed from free onto most iOS and Android smartphones/tablets.

All of these world-class instant play sites featured on AskGamblers that I’ve tried accept multiple fiat currencies (some also accept cryptocurrencies) and a range of credit and debit cards, prepaid cards, bank transfers, digital wallets (aka eWallets) and mobile wallets, and they are protected by 128-bit or higher SSL encryption, meaning they are perfectly secure sites.

Card

Final thoughts

If you decide to register an account on any of their featured instant play gambling sites, learn how to optimise your bonuses by reading the terms and conditions when claiming your initial welcome bonus.

I would also suggest paying close attention to the part about wagering requirements. Finally, before depositing, start by setting a reasonable budget, and then go to your chosen website’s safer gambling tools (if it has one), where you can set deposit limits, session time reminders, and win/loss limits, for example.

To play in the real money mode on a fully licensed and regulated instant play gambling site, the minimum age required in most countries is usually 18, but depending on where you live, you may find that it’s 19 (in some Canadian provinces) or 21 (in the United States).

Never gamble while heavily intoxicated, tired, or under the influence, and try not to gamble out of sheer necessity. In other words, gamble responsibly and always try to learn the rules of games before spending your hard-earned cash.