Online Casino Evolution – Download or No Download?
No Download Casinos, also referred to as instant play casinos, have taken the online casino world by storm in recent years! Online casino websites offer the chance for gamblers to play their favourite casino games without having to download any additional casino software. No download casinos are playable straight from a pc or mobile device web browser. For great examples, Jackpot City online casino and Lucky Nugget are both no download casinos.
Download casinos, on the other hand, are where you download the full casino software onto your own personal computer system. An advantage is that download casinos are known to have more casino games and although the software comes with all the games, bells and whistles, for those who have an older laptop or computer, the processor needed to operate the full applications may not be able to handle the extra disk storage that each game needs to operate at optimal performance.
Both download and no download casinos offer great game titles, bonuses and casino services 24/7, and although there’s no difference in the quality of the games, many online casinos offer both alternatives. Zodiac online casino and Captain Cook’s casino offer both options.
The Evolution of Casinos
The year was 1994, and a small UK company became a global sensation in the online gambling world when it developed the first online casino. Microgaming, back then a rookie provider, has grown to become a market leader offering a massive range of software to suit every taste. From the traditional “one-armed bandits” to multi reel video slots, Microgaming paved the way for contemporary online gaming, realistic graphics, intense special effects and the chance to play your favourite casino games online via a browser.
Brief History of Online Gaming
Despite Microgaming claiming to be the company that began the first online casino, it was Poker that made the biggest impact on the online gambling world in the early years. Sometime during 1998, a small online poker site called Planet Poker offered the only virtual games available. In fact, Planet Poker was the very first online poker room to offer real money games. The first hand was dealt on the 1st of January 1998, a $€3-$€6 Limit Hold’em, and by February 1998, the website had enough players to keep the games running until the following evening. This was a major milestone in the history of online poker. Soon after, hundreds of competitors began offering online Poker, casino games, sports betting, bingo, live casinos and mobile casinos.
Live Casino Technology
A relatively new way to gamble online, Live Dealer casinos offer not only a more immersive way to enjoy table games from the comfort of home, but also the chance to play against the dealer and the other players in a live setting. Live Dealer casinos are streamed from an offsite casino location and what makes them as popular as they are, is that the table games are run in real time. The croupier is real, the background noise is real, and the players can interact with each other and the dealer via a chat box. Players can take part in all the casino action from the comfort of their homes.
Live Dealer games include favourites such as Live Sic Bo, Live Baccarat, Live Blackjack and Live Roulette, to mention but a few.
Safety of Online Gaming
Online casino gaming has grown into a massive industry and as with most sites online, safety and security for players is the most important consideration. When you choose an online casino to play at, it’s essential to confirm that the casino is reputable and adopts safe and secure protocols. Log in data and passwords will protect your identity and additional security questions create an extra layer of protection. To protect the more vulnerable, when making your first real money deposit, the casino will ask for identity verification, this is to protect against unlawful or under-age players.
Before a casino can open its doors to the public it will have to undergo rigorous processes to prove it’s above board, and even after the license has been issued, the casino will be checked regularly by the state gaming board. They will look for all sorts of things including ensuring bug free software, checking that the games are fair for all and the availability of player exclusion options. When playing at an online casino, check to see whether the casino is licensed by the relevant authorities, for example, the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority.
To be able to play real money games online, players will have to part with sensitive information. A safe and reputable casino uses sophisticated technical security to ensure the data is completely protected. 128-bit or 256-bit encryption converts personal information into strings of unbreakable code.
Random Number Generators are also used at top online casinos. The way symbols appear on the reels or where the little white ball falls on the Roulette wheel depends on combinations that are generated by a Random Number Generator (RNG). This is a mathematical algorithm that simulates randomness and creates a numerical sequence by an algorithm.
Pros and Cons of Online Gambling
Pros:
Convenience – Players can instantly connect from wherever they are at any time of day or night.
Welcome Bonus – One of the biggest perks of playing at online casinos are the Welcome Bonuses and free spins for new players, and promotions for exiting players. Loyalty Programmes are also a great way to accumulate rewards and a bigger bankroll, and the VIP scheme offers fabulous and lucrative rewards.
Payment Options– A top casino always offers a variety of payment methods that include credit and debit cards, eWallets such as Skrill, Neteller and Paypal, top up cards such as PaySafeCard and many casinos are now offering their players the option to deposit and withdraw in Cryptocurrency.
Minimum Deposit Casinos – These days, there’s no need to make massive deposits at online casinos, unless of course you want to! More and more online casinos are focusing on players that don’t want to wager big amounts and prefer to make smaller deposits. For those on a low budget, but who still want to get a Welcome Bonus, minimum deposit casinos are ideal. Have a look through our $€1 deposit casinos, $€5 deposit casinos and $€10 deposit casinos for sensational online gambling on a budget. We list casinos that accept minimum deposits and still offer attractive Welcome Bonuses.
Cons:
For casino enthusiasts that enjoy online gambling, without discipline and self-control it’s possible to develop a gambling problem or get into debt. Luckily most of the top online casinos have put into place a large variety of functions and tools, for example self-exclusion, to prevent a gambling problem.
Another disadvantage of online casino gaming is the personal interaction factor. It’s impossible to interact with fellow gamblers making the experience very dull for some. However, Live Dealer casinos were created for this very reason and provide a real and live casino feeling.