Airline Wi-Fi & Casino Gaming - A Match Made in Heaven?

Charles Ingel - Monday, 13 May 2019 - Features

Singapore Airlines first tried the idea of a casino in the air in 1981, offering lightweight slot machines on a single flight between Singapore and San Francisco. The experiment was short-lived, as the airline found the operation and maintenance of machines challenging.

In the 1990s, Swissair took another shot at in-flight gambling, offering digital software instead of machines. Flyers could bet big on games like poker, keno, and blackjack on the in-flight entertainment. The system was partially blamed for a plane crash in 1998, effectively ending airline interest in that technology.

In 2005, Virgin Atlantic had the idea to include actual casinos on their big Airbus A380 planes, but nothing came of it in the end. Around the same time, budget carrier Ryanair also had a similar idea, but no concrete results.

With the rise of Airline WiFi, some airlines in the US like JetBlue are considering offering online casino games as part of in-flight entertainment. Big brands like 888 Casino are building partnerships with in-flight entertainment providers like DTI to explore this idea further.

But at the moment, options are still quite sparse, leaving flyers with just one possible option for online casino gaming in a flight - airline Wi-Fi.

Airline WiFi is the only connectivity option

Since modern jetliners fly at high speeds and altitudes, mobile signals like 3G and 4G simply cannot keep up. So if you want internet connectivity on your mobile device for casino gaming there aren't too many options out there in the sky.

Unless you count Airline Wi-Fi, of course. It is not that common in the airline world, but if you can find a flight with this facility, it can make a lot of difference. For online casino gaming during a flight, Airline WiFi is probably your only option out there at the moment.

But Airline WiFi technology is still evolving. There are still many limitations and weaknesses that plague the system. It cannot be compared to the home or office WiFi that we have all come to depend on these days.

To say that casino gaming on Airline WiFi is probably not a great idea at the moment is a bit of an understatement. There are a few factors that make the experience less the ideal. Let's take a look at these in the next few sections.

Reasons why onboard Wi-Fi may not be a great option for gambling on the go

Not universally available

• Of the 800 odd global airlines in the world, only around 82 offer in-flight WiFi connectivity. The US is far ahead of the rest of the world in this regard. Most of the airlines use Gogo Air as the network supplier.
• The company has installed special Air-to-Ground (ATG) network towers across the continent to allow planes to connect seamlessly to the internet. There are around 240 ATG towers installed at present.
• But unfortunately, if you are flying overseas, things are far, far worse. While a few European airlines offer WiFi, the connectivity is less than perfect. As for the rest of the world, the service ranges from erratic to non-existent at the moment. 

Low speeds and uneven connectivity

• Even with GoGo Air ATG technology, the browsing speeds available on many routes are not enough for anything beyond basic stuff like checking email and browsing the web.
• Even with GoGo Air ATG technology, the browsing speeds available on many routes are not enough for anything beyond basic stuff like checking email and browsing the web.
• With low speeds, activities like streaming Netflix or Youtube videos are frustrating at best on many routes.
• Thankfully, playing instant play games at online casinos do not require a blazing fast connection. But just to be safe, it is best to look for flights that guarantee 100% WiFi connectivity.
• Delta, United, Southwest, and American Airlines all offer 100% WiFi coverage on all international long-haul flights, as well as many domestic routes.

Airline Wi-Fi is not cheap

• On top of everything, Airlines have to charge a premium on this facility due to the costs involved in setting up the system, as well as the increased fuel costs (due to the extra weight). Only a handful of airlines offer free Wi-Fi.

• The rates range anywhere from $5 to $15 or more, depending on the airline and the speeds offered. And those are per hour rates, with no guarantee of streaming speeds.

The WiFi comes with restrictions

• Due to limited bandwidth availability, many airlines have placed restrictions on sites that you can access using airline WiFi. Video streaming sites are often the most targeted, due to their high bandwidth requirements.
• Online casinos also have rather high bandwidth needs, since you have to download the flash software every time you open a slots or casino game. They might be blocked by some airlines due to this reason.

Privacy and security issues

Conclusion

These are still early days of airline Wi-Fi. With each passing year, technology and infrastructure are showing drastic improvements. In the near future, fast, uninterrupted Wi-Fi may become the norm on all flights.

If that happens, Casino gaming is sure to become a viable entertainment option on flights. Many airlines might also offer in-house casinos on their entertainment systems.

At the moment the country offering stable access to no deposit online casinos is the USA. So what are you wating for book your flight.

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