It may seem like an obvious subject – surely you play online at an online casino – but there some things you should take into consideration.
In the early days, online casino software was very Windows focused, and Mac users had to search for specialist casinos that ran iOS software if they wanted to try a little online playing.
Online gambling has evolved far beyond the initial days of basic animation and simple slots games. It is now a highly technical and innovative industry that is at the cutting edge of bringing games to the public. These games are heavily focused on playability, graphics, sound and the latest visual software. And they draw in millions of players who spend millions of bucks.
So online casinos had to adapt and, developers had to rethink their programmes to cater to and attract as many players as possible. And then mobile took off. Once online casinos and developers needed to think and act quickly or risk losing their audience.
Now it’s all about live dealer games and, again, a relook at how to bring this innovation to as many players as possible.
While the question as to how to play at an online casino seems pretty simple, to get the best experience the CasinoPlay crew did some research.
Windows is the de facto operating system of choice for most developers worldwide, not through personal preference but because it is the most widely used operating system on the market.
Mac users and iOS are very much still a niche product that, while great for things like usability and safety, are mostly used by specialists. PCs are everywhere, as is their operating system – from offices to shops to e-tailers to the software in your car.
Thankfully, the market for iOS and Mac users is lucrative enough that developers and online casinos now cater to them as well.
So, in the battle between PC and Mac, who should you trust to get you into your preferred online casino?
Truthfully, thanks to the adoption of both systems by online casinos and developers, it really is much of a muchness and comes down to personal preferences.
There are also some very independent operating systems on the market including Linux and Ubuntu. While these systems are able to access a lot of online casinos they are definitely on the fringes.
Here we have the same issues as with PCs and Mac – the operating systems. While there are two main systems for desktops and laptops, mobile devices can use Windows or Android or iOS or Blackberry.
With the mobile casino market leading the way in bringing entertainment to mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, most mobile casinos will be usable by all operating systems.
Mobile casinos are offering excellent games for the discerning online player but the experience, while certainly enjoyable, is s little smaller than using a desktop. Because the screen is smaller! Seriously though, with a display area that is much smaller, especially on smartphones, you may not be getting the full graphic experience of the latest 3D and immersive quality.
The one thing you will need to keep an eye on is whether or not your operating system is up to date as it changes often in the mobile world.
Your connection and your service provider need to be tip-top in terms of quality if you want to play at a mobile casino. Shoddy service, low end packages and inadequate data will just lead to frustration and a loss of quality in terms of graphics and playability.
Live dealer games especially need the best access and data packages as they rely on web cam and live streaming to bring you the full experience.
Security is paramount for any online gambler so always make sure you are accessing the mobile (or online) casino via a secure and trusted wi-fi connection. Don’t hop on in public places like coffee shops or transit stations as these networks can be compromised.
Keep an eye on your data usage. There’s nothing worse than being cut off in the middle of a roulette session.
We are all winners!
But, when it comes to choosing the best way to play at online or mobile casinos, it really comes down to personal choice.
For the CasinoPlay crew we had some clear favourites:
For first time online and mobile players, you may be experiencing problems accessing or playing certain games. And you may think that it’s your chosen device.
Don’t worry. Adobe (a software developer) recently discontinued a programme called Flash. Many, many games were Flash-based and operated across platforms to give players universal access. With its discontinuation, developers are scrambling to recode and reformat games to work for all users on all platforms.
It’s just a matter of time before all our favourites are up and running again.
