Switch
Studios installs new online European Blackjack and American Roulette
at Microgaming casinos.
One
of Microgaming‘s
most talented exclusive content partners, Switch
Studios,
is expanding the Quickfire platform once again. This latest
installment is bringing the casino software brand’s countless players
access to the culturally diverse games of European
Blackjack and
American
Roulette.
Switch
Studios is the supplier responsible for revamping the platform’s
online table games selection. Microgaming announced their partnership
with the software lab in November of 2018, right about the time their
first table game, known simply as Roulette,
went live. As that first installment clearly showed, the development
team at Switch Studios has a knack for creating beautifully rendered,
3D-quality games with an immersive realism that’s hard to beat in the
digital realm.
New
Online European Blackjack Game
There’s
not much you can do to make a blackjack game more classical than it
already is – or at least, that’s what I thought prior to this
release. Microgaming’s newest electronic dealer addition plays out on
a brilliant felt of cerulean blue. The graphics are extremely crisp,
giving it a realistic feel that’s bolstered by the tranquil sound of
classical piano music reverberating in the background. The cherry on
top is the sophisticated voice of a female dealer, commentating the
game with an elegant European accent.
The
game offers all of the usual elements of a European Blackjack table.
Dealer stands on soft 17, player’s can split any two matching cards
except 4s, 5s and 10s, which are strategically taboo anyway. Doubling
down is permitted on hand totals of 9, 10 or 11 only, and can be
placed following a split. The payout for a natural blackjack is a
respectable 3:2.
Microgaming’s
New American Roulette
I
won’t spend too much time glorifying this new online table games
selection. As any moderately experienced gambler knows, the American
version of roulette is the worst option for fans of this famous wheel
game – among the worst of all games in the casino. Due to the
presence of the double zero (00), American roulette offers a house
edge of 5.26%; nearly twice that of European roulette’s 2.7%, and
almost four-times that of the even-money bets in French Roulette with
the La
Partage
rule (1.35%).
With
that being said, I can’t fault Switch Studios for its astoundingly
pristine visual effects. The roulette wheel is stunningly realistic,
endowed with a 3D quality rarely seen in today’s digital casino
world. My only suggestion would be to skip the new American Roulette
game and play the developer’s original release of (single-zero)
Roulette.
They are the exact same games, but with better odds in the original
version.
Microgaming
and Switch Studio Exchange Compliments
In a press release announcing the new additions last week, the games were referred to as providing the “ultimate online casino experience” on any device – desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet. Here’s what the heads of each company’s gaming department had to say about them.
Switch
Studios Tom David went first. “We’re delighted to release not
one, but two new games under the Switch Studios brand, exclusively to
Microgaming,” he said. “Both European Blackjack and American
Roulette demonstrate our ambition to refresh the table-game market
with exciting, modern and mobile-friendly gaming experiences.”
Next
up was Microgaming’s Head of Games, Jagoda Barber. “Switch Studios
has done it again, taking a fresh look at traditional table games and
reigniting them for a new era of players,” commends Barber. “With
immersive gameplay and customisable features complemented by stunning
visuals, new and seasoned players can enjoy the thrill of European
Blackjack and American Roulette both at home and on the go.”
Take time to practice with free Android casino games.
Research has shown that today’s youngest generation of adults are contributing greatly to the increase in mobile gambling. As newcomers to the casino scene, I strongly urge novice players to learn the ropes before investing any cash in this popular form of entertainment. Knowing which games you enjoy and are willing to spend money to play is critical to the longevity of your bankroll.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that they have a lot of options. It’s not necessary to spend money to find which games you like best. Social casinos are free, but tend to be a bit zanier. Real money casino sites offer a more true-to-life experience, but you don’t have to play for real money.
Find your Favorite Casino Games First
There are a lot of games out there. When we think of physical casinos, the games that usually come to mind are blackjack, roulette, maybe craps or baccarat, and of course slot machines. These are the games that are depicted most often in film and on television. You may already even know how to play them. But there are so many more games to choose from, especially in the online casino realm. After all, there’s no limit to the number of games that can be packed onto a virtual casino floor.
I’m talking about games like Pai Gow Poker, Red Dog, Casino War, Sic Bo, Big Wheel, Let it Ride, Keno, 3 Card Poker, 4 Card Poker, Caribbean Stud, Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold’em (the house-banked version, not the traditional player-versus-player poker game), and a multitude of Video Poker variants. This list can go on and on.
Imagine walking into a casino for the first time, unfamiliar with most of these games. You have no idea which ones you’ll actually enjoy. The only way to find out is to play them all, and that could get very expensive, very quick! But don’t worry, there’s an easier way.
Practice with Free Android Casino Games
The easiest way to find your favorite casino games is to play all the varieties you can find without risking any money at all. Mobile casinos are the perfect playground for beginners. You’ll find the exact same games available in land-based casinos (and then some), and you’ll never be required to make a deposit to play.
I don’t recommend playing at ‘social casinos’. You know the ones. You download them for free off the Google Play store, invite your friends to earn free coins, compete for high scores, blah-blah-blah. Those games rarely offer anything near a genuine house edge. You’re not going to get a true-to-life experience here. In fact, some of their slot machines offer above 100% returns, which can easily convince a player that they’re very lucky—that they’ll experience the same luck playing real money slots. Wrong! That’s a nasty gambling habit just waiting to happen.
Instead, go to a real online casino website, where real money play is offered. If you live in Canada, I recommend Royal Vegas. They’ve been around since 2000, are extremely reputable, and are powered by Microgaming software, which boasts the most extensive gaming menu in the industry.
Don’t make a deposit yet, though. Take your time. Play all the games. Get to know them, and choose your favorites. You can practice with free Android casino games for as long as you like. If/when you’re ready, then make a deposit and collect whatever new player bonus is available to play your favorite casino games for cash. Having all this knowledge and experience behind you, I promise you’ll be glad you waited.
Halloween Jackpot Online Slots from NetEnt will scare your reels off!
I’ve played a lot of Halloween themed online slots in my days; at least 90% of what’s out there. One complaint I’ve always had—being a major horror movie buff—is that they just aren’t scary. The first (and until today, only) game I ever played that managed to send tingles up my spine was Triple Edge Studio‘s 2017 release of the movie-branded Halloween Online Slot, exclusive to Microgaming powered casinos.
Michael Meyers and the eerie Halloween soundtrack are enough to give anyone a fright! And today, I can finally say there’s another creepy slot machine on the web that’s worthy of turning out the lights and cranking up the volume. It’s the new Halloween Jack Slot, released by NetEnt on Thursday.
The game tells the story of a once-happy woman who’s now haunted by terrible voices, emitted from the depths of a mysterious jewelry box—a box that seems to pulsate from within, much like a beating heart. In her terrified desire to be rid of the box, and the horrifying voices, she prepares the horses, dons the darkest clothing, and heads out into the night on All Saints’ Eve to bury the evil treasure beneath the bows of an ancient elm…
Halloween Jack Online Slot
The most frightening thing about this game is the musical score and sound effects. After all, what good horror flick is complete without a bone-chilling soundtrack of pianos, pipe organs, creaky doors, breathy sighs and shrill scrapes? The added effect of thunderous booms and lightning strikes in the background doesn’t hurt, either.
The creators of the Halloween Jack Slot surely had a great time coming up with the graphics, too. Ominous ravens and vampire bats, the webbed jewelry box, emanating with an eerie green glow, card values of (10 thru A) caressed, almost lovingly, by undead arms, and the unsettling visage of one malevolent looking lady with a sinister make-up job!
The macabre jack-o-lantern, Halloween Jack, is a Walking Wild in this 5×3 reel, 20 fixed-payline game. Whenever he appears on a reel, he acts as a standard wild. Once that spin ends, he moves left one position and triggers a free re-spin. The re-spins continue until he reaches and re-spins on the left-most reel.
The Mysterious Jewelry Box…
The web-coated jewelry box is the Scatter symbol, awarding 10 Free Spins whenever 3+ appear anywhere on the reels. If 3 or more Scatters appear during free spins, another 5 freebies are awarded. Also during free spins, Lanterns can appear on reel 5. Each lantern is collected, unlocking special features for the rest of the free games.
9 Lanterns: Unlocks 3-high expanding Death Reaper Wilds.
NetEnt’s most menacing creation to date, the Halloween Jack Online Slot is available on all devices; desktop, laptop, and mobile. Built in HTML5, it’s compatible with all operating systems as well, from Windows and Mac, to Android and iOS, even Windows Phone and Blackberry.
If you’re a fan of the macabre, like myself, I definitely recommend giving this on a spin. The only thing up for debate is which one’s scarier—the new Halloween Jack Slot, or Microgaming’s reel-spinning reproduction of the 1978 John Carpenter film, Halloween Online Slot? I’ll let you decide…
New research forecasts future of desktop & mobile online gambling.
Where would the world be today without dedicated research? We’d have little or no medicine. Genealogists wouldn’t exist (bye-bye Ancestry.com). You wouldn’t be reading this right now, because it took a good bit of research on my part to compose. For businesses and marketing strategists, it would be a game of trial and error.
Internet gambling companies, in particular, rely heavily on research reports to identify trends and take advantage of the latest player-friendly technologies. That’s exactly what Industry Data Analytics (IDA) had in mind when they spent months researching all facets of iGaming growth from 2013-2017. The end result was the composition of an extensive report they call “Global Online Casino Market – Opportunities and Forecast to 2023”.
The study is segmented by game type, region and access technology. Gaming verticals include sports, poker, slots, table games, card games and others. Access technology refers to the preference of desktop/laptop and mobile (smartphone and tablet) devices in accessing the games.
Future of Desktop and Mobile Gambling Online
One of the more interesting findings—at least in my opinion—is the projected growth rate of desktop and mobile gambling online. For many years, internet gaming was exclusive to desktop and laptop computers. The birth of touch-screen mobile technology circa 2007 took nearly a decade to really to catch on. In more recent years we’ve seen a major shift in the desktop-to-mobile ratio of players.
Just last year, mobile gaming finally overtook the top position, beating out the desktop variety. Now, IDA is anticipating both platforms will continue to see a rise in usage over the next few years; albeit notably higher for the mobile segment.
From 2018-2026, IDA predicts the mobile gambling sector to experience CAGR of 16%. As for desktop gaming, a competitive gain of 6% is in the forecast.
Favorite Online Gambling Verticals to Experience Higher Growth
Sports betting is by far the most popular form of wagering in the world. It always has been, and that’s a fact that’s not likely to change anytime in the foreseeable future. If anything, it’s going to grow to astounding heights over the next few years.
IDA’s research indicates a CAGR of 14%, but it doesn’t appear they’ve taken into account the recent reversal of PASPA by the US Supreme Court, providing for legalization of sports betting in all 50 states. Odds are, their data was collected before that critical alteration in US gambling law. Thus, the 14% growth rate of sports betting, despite being the highest on their list, is likely to see far more growth in the forecast period.
The second fastest growing desktop and mobile online gambling vertical will come by way of casino games. The immense popularity of slot machines and consistent innovations among creators of those games will attribute to the inevitable increase. Researchers believe online casino games will rise at a CAGR of 12%.
About Industry Data Analytics
IDA is a dedicated team of in-depth market research analysts who serve a wide variety of industries. Their expertise includes everything from chemicals and pharmaceuticals, to media, technology and eCommerce. With offices in India and the US, their mission is: “To provide quality research reports for client’s decision making process thus helping clients succeed.”
You can learn more about their latest desktop and mobile online gambling research here.
Authentic Gaming: Play Money vs Real Money Gambling Apps
Gambling apps are all the rage these days. Whether it’s casino games, poker, sports, horse racing, lotteries, etc., the digital age has given everyone, all over the world, access to this unparalleled form of entertainment.
Not everyone is inclined to risk real money, though. There are countless players out there who enjoy these games for sheer entertainment purposes. In the same token, millions of people utilize gambling apps for real money play every day. The differences between the aren’t as obvious as you may think.
Play Money vs Real Money Gambling Apps
There are quite a few differences between these types of mobile gaming apps. Obviously, the biggest difference is the cost to play. Real money apps require a deposit, and afford an opportunity to win, and withdraw, actual cash. Play money gambling apps will never pay out cash winnings. They are 100% free to play, although users can make in-app purchases to acquire extra coins or unlock new gaming titles.
Aside from this, there’s an enormous difference in availability. There is no shortage of play money casino apps for Android, iOS, Blackberry, and Windows Phone. The Google Play and Apple iTunes stores are teeming with them—thousands upon thousands to choose from!
There are so many, in fact, that our only recommendation for choosing one is to look for your preferred game variety, then narrow the results by the number of downloads and positive user reviews. The more downloads there are, and more positive reviews, the more likely you are to enjoy them. And there’s no risk in taking the trial-and-error approach, keeping the good ones and deleting the bad from your phone.
Real money gaming apps, on the other hand, come in significantly lesser quantities. Depending on where you live, and the legality of online gambling therein, you may or may not be able to find them on branded mobile app stores. In this case, you must download the app directly from the online gambling site for which it was made.
Game variety is another area where these apps differ. Because there’s less back-end security and information being handled in play money games, these apps tend to have a much wider array of gambling amusements to choose from. Of course, they also come in smaller installments, catering singly to slots players, blackjack players, poker players, etc.
Most, but not all, real money gambling apps are restricted to smaller categories of games. This keeps the application light weight and more convenient for players seeking a wholly secure, fast-paced gaming experience.
The last major difference between these apps is regulatory compliance. Since there’s no cash involved, free-to-play apps have no regulatory restrictions. The developers can set, and alter, the theoretical return to player (RTP) any way they wish. They can set the slots to be loose, with an above 100% RTP. Or, they can set them with low RTPs in hopes of getting more players to purchase coins. Due to the enormous range of competition in this market, however, most developers set their RTPs high to deliver a more entertaining experience.
Real money gambling apps—the reputable ones, anyway—cannot and will not alter their RTPs. They are bound by strict licensing regulations that require them to provide a fair RTP on every game. The blackjack games must have the same random odds of a physical shuffled deck of cards. The slots cannot pay an RTP lower, or higher, than jurisdictional law permits. In this way, players are guaranteed to get an authentic, fair gaming experience every time the place a bet.
Best mobile phones for playing casino games (not the most expensive!)
If you look for this information on just about any other website, you’ll get the same old story regurgitated time and again. ‘You should buy the latest Samsung Galaxy, Apple iPhone or iPad! They’re the best!‘ They might be the best at doing anything and everything a mobile device can do, but they are ridiculously expensive, and beyond excessive in their capabilities.
If your car is totalled, I wouldn’t suggest you go drop 5 figures on a brand new car with all the bells and whistles. I would suggest you find something that runs well in your price range. The same goes for playing casino games on mobile. More often than not, a cheap smartphone can run real money casino apps just as well.
Best Mobile Phones for Playing Casino Games
There are lots of great phones on the market that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. All you need is something with adequate space (for apps), or a modern mobile browser (for in-browser play). The device specs, and the ability to access the internet, are the key components to look for.
Internal / External Storage
If you prefer to download an app, you’ll want a smartphone or tablet with at least 16GB of internal storage space. 8GB is usually too small, as it gives you only enough room for your operating system and a few important apps. 8GB internal storage will do in a pinch if you’re not an app hog, and don’t mind playing the games directly in your mobile browser.
You should also invest in a MicroSD card to give you a little extra wiggle room. You can throw all of your photos and videos on this to save precious space, since low storage will slow down your device. As for transferring programs to the SD card, you’ll only be able to put certain apps on it. And only a portion of those apps can be transferred to the external drive, so don’t bother getting an 8GB phone with a big SD card. That wont help.
Processor Speed & Graphics
You don’t need the lightning speed of the A11 Bionic SoC or Exynos 9 to play casino games on mobile. Sure, they’ll load amazingly fast, but there’s plenty of other processor chips out there that will get the job done with no noticeable delay. Anything above 1 GHz should be capable of running the games at a decent speed.
As for graphics, you don’t need ultra high definition (UHD) 4K resolution to see what’s going on. Mobile casino apps are already designed for clarity. The card prints are larger, and font sizes adjusted for easy reading. Unless you drop the phone down the stairwell and smash the screen, you should have no trouble sizing bets or viewing animations.
Do Brand Names Matter?
Yes, in most cases, brand names do matter. There are some very basic production companies out there that use cheap plastic in place of hardened plastic or metal when building their devices. They may work out of the box, but don’t tend to last long. Once the phone gets hot, cheap plastic melts, and everything goes awry.
You should look for a good name brand smartphone or tablet. Samsung is a great company, and not all of their devices are expensive. In fact, they specialize in providing low, medium and high cost products to fit any budget.
Above all else, read the reviews of any product before you buy. I’ve seen cheap Samsung phones that last for years, as well as some that get terrible reviews for being buggy or shoddily built. I owned a $100 Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime for two years that never once gave me a problem, although I wouldn’t recommend it for playing real money casino apps. For one, it’s no longer in production, and two, it’s only got 8GB internal storage. Great for browsing, but not for gaming.
The Samsung Galaxy Amp Prime, as well as the LG Harmony, are both budget priced, and do a great job performance-wise. Don’t use the built-in browser though. Upgrade to something like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. If you love the Apple brand, get an older iPhone—even a refurbished one. They are built to last, after all.
These and similarly equipped devices (with 4-of-5 star reviews) are among the best mobile phones for playing casino games, without breaking your budget. Take a moment to do your research, and you can get a great deal, saving all that extra cash for your iGaming bankroll.
iGaming growth driven by mobile casino apps for iOS and Android.
The online gambling industry has been experiencing exponential growth for more than twenty years. Its success has followed the trail of technological advancements, beginning with the dawn of the internet. Better desktop computers, faster internet speeds, smartphone and tablet access, mobile casino apps for Android and iOS users—these and other factors have been quintessential to the continuous expansion of the global iGaming market.
It’s that last enhancement, real money gambling apps, that we’ll be focusing on today. While every smartphone user loves to install gaming apps on their mobile device, casino apps—at least, the real money variety—took quite some time to gain popularity. Now that they have, every iGaming operator is focusing on this line of player acquisition, and quite frankly, it’s working.
Growth of Mobile Casino Apps for iOS and Android
The first smartphones came along about a decade ago, and apps became all the rage. The saying, “there’s an apps for that”, is universal, and today, there really is an app for just about everything. There are even apps that teach parrots to talk. I know, I’ve used them!
As popular as all these apps were in recent years, mobile casino apps that offer real money games just weren’t catching on, despite their direct provision by most major operators. One major factor was the lack of game variety. Sure, you could play some slot machines, blackjack, roulette—all the favorites—but in comparison to desktop and mobile browser play, it just wasn’t as appealing.
So why not just increase the game variety? If you build it, they will come, right? Well, that was a problem, too. If players aren’t using this technology, developers aren’t so inclined to spend precious time and money expanding the applications. And there was another obstacle in the way. For years, app stores created a stigma around mobile casino apps for Android and iOS by refusing to offer them.
For this reason, players feared that they might not be legal. And if not, perhaps by using them, they would be easier to track by authorities. The paranoia grew like mold, even in jurisdictions like Canada, where online gambling is not illegal.
In reality, the app stores were the ones in fear of legal repercussion. If a player from a location where online gambling is illegal—most US states, for example—downloads a real money gambling app from Google Play, who’s to say Google Play isn’t at fault for providing it? As most of us know, the US government isn’t one to toy with, especially when there’s a big multi-billion dollar business to siphon a settlement from.
Then Everything Changed…
Almost a year ago, everything began to change when Google Play announced alterations to its gambling content policy. Real money casino apps would be available for download, but only in certain countries. The UK, Ireland and France were the first to get them, with expansion to other legal-iGaming jurisdictions to come.
Subsequently, the average player’s feeling towards mobile gambling apps began to change. When it did, software companies saw an opportunity. Utilizing the latest HTML5 technology, they began updating their apps, adding more games and more features. Now, with the stigma removed, and more games than ever before, mobile casino apps for iOS and Android are finally gaining popularity at a phenomenal rate.
Vivo Gaming boasts new interface on Live Roulette for mobile.
Live dealer has been one of the fastest growing verticals in the online gambling industry. Most companies deeply embedded in the business for the last decade are performing exceptionally well, investing in innovations to better their products. Vivo Gaming is, well… trying to be one of them.
Launched in 2010, they have the longevity and experience to be a high-profile rival in the industry. However, they’ve made quite a few mistakes over the years. Perhaps this latest announcement of an updated, more user friendly product will mark a turn-around for their business model and reputation.
With that being said, Vivo is introducing a new Live roulette mobile interface. This new tech is developed in HTML5 for universal device compatibility, offering players a more versatile and customizable experience.
New Interface on Live Roulette for Mobile
Vivo Gaming has given their existing live roulette tables a complete makeover. The interface has a whole new graphic scheme that is more crisp and easy on the eyes. By default, the table’s digital betting diagram takes up the majority of the screen on mobile devices. However, it now comes with a floating, resizable window to view the live action from their studios in… um, wherever they are. They don’t actually divulge that information.
According to a company press release, the new interface also provides for all possible side bets, including those found on traditional French roulette tables. The new games have already been integrated at Vivo’s existing live casino clients.
Vivo Gaming is preparing to debut its fresh live casino product portfolio at ICE 2018 in London next month. They’re surely hoping to attract a wider variety of partners, with the “super light” software application as a prominent selling point.
“We are happy to present our super light roulette application, that supports all mobile devices available including widescreen and has all Improved full screen handling in iOS and Android,” said… someone quoted in the press release. In 8 years of operation, they’ve never revealed who owns or manages Vivo Gaming, either.
“The Vivo Tech Team is always motivated to come up with solutionsthat supports our partners and allies with our best side of tech capacity,” the mystery quotation continues. “Altogether, considering the design, game options, optimized light version, we believe we are currently offering one of the Best Mobile Roulette this year”.
Lack of Transparency, Lack of Trust
I have a hard time speaking positively of a brand that is so clandestine about their operations. They claim multiple times on their website to host “studios from around the world”, but never say where they host them from.
We do know that one streams live from the Naka Palace Entertainment Hotel Resort in Laos (Southeast Asia). We have to assume there are more. Vivo claims its “operations fall under strict regulation of some of the world leading land based casino”, and Naka Palace can’t possibly fit that description.
The live casino operator does seem to have one of the most extensive game varieties in the live arena, if their textual bragging can be believed. There’s no evidence on the website – no demos, pictures, or videos that exhibit live craps – to back up the claims.
I spent quite some time searching through dozens of online casinos this morning that employ Vivo software. I finally managed to find one that displays an image of Live Casino Craps on its menu. Of course, that site is licenced in Curacao – as is Vivo Gaming (that’s the only thing they disclose) – so I didn’t bothering signing up an account to find out if it’s true. Being “regulated” in “Curacao” is kind of a contradiction in terms.
If nothing else, there’s one thing I can say for Vivo Gaming. What they lack in transparency, they make up for in boastful marketing. Hopefully their desire to go big at ICE 2018 with the new product line and interface on live roulette for mobile will drive them to become more transparent in their future endeavors.
Sifting through the attributes for the best CA online casinos of 2018.
We want the best of everything in life. If we go shopping for a car, we don’t just want an engine that starts. We want a car with low mileage, good tires, regular service maintenance, and an engine that purrs like a kitten. Only the best car will do. We want to know that we’ll be safe and secure, and won’t break down on the side of the road. But we also want one that’s aesthetically appealing and fun to drive.
This applies to everything in life, from clothing to kitchen appliances. So why shouldn’t we demand the best from Canada’s online and mobile casinos? If we’re paying for entertainment, we deserve the best in every aspect. Skimping is not an option!
Finding the Best CA Online Casinos of 2018
There are multiple factors to weigh, just like buying a new car. You’ll want a casino website that is safe and secure. It needs to have a proven performance record, as well as an appealing game variety and lucrative promotional package. The following aspects should be scrutinized closely.
The Bonus
Although not the top priority, I know bonuses are important to everyone, so I’ll start here. We all want a big, fat bonus that will at least double our starting bankroll. But the size of the bonus is equally important as the terms involved. Can you cash out the winnings? Does it have a reasonable expiration date? Can you play all the games you want with it? Read the terms – know the terms – abide by the terms!
Reputation
An operator’s reputation is crucial to a positive experience. You need to know that your deposits and withdrawals will be honored. A site with a bad reputation is obviously the wrong choice, and reputations are all-too easy to come by in this day and age of social media. It won’t take much digging to learn an operator’s true reputation.
However, to obtain a reputation, good or bad, a site must have longevity. Don’t sign up with an operator that just launched. Stick with tried-and-true CA mobile casinos that have been around for years, and have built a good reputation based on customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Safety & Security
Today’s gambling websites are much more secure than they were ten or twenty years ago. Technology has come a long way. The most responsible operators employ the highest standard of security measures, including 128+ bit SSL data encryption. This ensures all personal and financial information is ivisible to prying eyes during transmission.
Game Selection
This is more of a personal preference than anything. What types of games do you expect to play? If you’re a slots lover, you’ll want a site with a wide variety of slot machines – classics, video slots, multi-feature slots, etc. If you prefer table games, make sure all your favorites are available. Check out the live casino offerings as well. Live dealer blackjack can be way more interesting than the traditional, RNG-inspired games.
Software & Compatibility
This is another crucial aspect to look into. If the software is slow or twitchy, it will undermine the entertainment value. It also needs to be regularly tested and certified for fairness. Choose a brand that provides RTP transparency, exhibiting the theoretical payback percentage for each game within its information tab.
You’ll also want to make sure it’s compatible with any and all devices you intend to play on. Is a download required, or even offered, for desktop play? Can you login and play from a smartphone or tablet? Is it optimized for your mobile operating system (Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry, etc.)?
Payments Options
Take a look at all the payment options available. Make sure you have a convenient and cost effective way to get money in (deposit) and out (withdrawal) of the casino. What brands of credit/debit cards are accepted? Can you use a web wallet like Skrill, or a prepaid card/voucher? You should always plan ahead. Know what withdrawal method you’ll use before you make your first deposit.
Local vs International Regulation
Last but not least is the matter of local versus international regulation. Several Canadian provinces offer a home-grown gambling website. Let me start by saying both are perfectly legal. By law, players cannot be penalized for choosing to deposit and play real money casino games at an offshore gambling website. However, there are benefits to both sides.
Playing locally guarantees compliance with the regulations of your province. There’s no question as to whether payments will be honored, or whether the games are fair. Local regulation provides the ultimate player protection package.
As for international websites, the best CA online casinos of 2018 offer the exact same assurance, and provide a much wider variety of games. They are also able to deliver regulars bonus promotions you won’t find at local websites. The key is to follow the guidelines above to ensure you’re playing at a safe, secure, and reputable website.
Top 3 mobile casino games developments of the last decade.
Last year, the inevitable finally occurred. For the first time in history, mobile gaming superseded the traditional avenue of gaming on a desktop or laptop computer. The mobile revolution is clearly upon us. Today, we’ll take a look at the top three driving factors behind the prevalence of gambling at mobile casinos.
Top 3 Developments in Mobile Casino Games
In the last decade, so much has changed about the way we access and play internet casino games. It’s not just the fact that so many of us now choose to play on a smartphone or tablet, but the resounding reasons behind that transition.
Conversion to HTML5 Supports Mobile Gambling
You may be surprised to know that mobile casino slots and table games have actually been around for many, many years. Microgaming pioneered the first mobile casino technology all the way back in 2003. Those were the prehistoric days of mobile technology, when all the cool people had a flip phone. Remember those? Yeah, I’ve tried to forget them, too!
It took another staggering ten years for mobile casino gaming to develop into something people actually want to utilize. Touch-screen technology came about in 2007, but it wasn’t until gaming software developers began using the latest and greatest HTML5 mark-up language that the concept really took off.
By programming games in HTML5 format, there was no longer any need to develop each game multiple times. For years, that was the biggest hindrance in mobile gaming technology. Every title had to be reproduced; one for desktop operating systems, one for Android devices, one for iOS, etc.
HTML5 is compatible with them all! This form of optimization made mobile gambling a feasible avenue of pursuit for all online casino operators and software companies. Without this single development in technology, smartphone and tablet casinos would not be what they are today.
Live Online Casino Gambling
This is one of my favorites. Being a huge fan of blackjack, the introduction of live dealer casinos was mind-blowing to me. Professional croupiers in a live casino studio, dealing cards and spinning roulette wheels for real players at home? Yes, please!
Unfortunately, like mobile gambling, it took over a decade to really develop. The first live casino studio was opened in 2003 by Playtech, but hardly anyone used it. Internet connection speeds and video quality weren’t ready to pick up what internet casinos were putting down.
In the last few years, however, technology has finally caught up with live gaming capabilities. The video streams are exquisite. The audio is seamless. Now, the game play truly mimics what land-based casinos have always offered – an interactive, communal experience with other players.
Virtual Reality Mobile Gambling
This particular avenue of gaming is still in development. It has been for three years, since Microgaming debuted its revolutionary VR Roulette tables at the 2015 ICE Totally Gaming expo in London. However, that demonstration has yet to move out of the demo phase and into the tangible realm of realmoney online gaming.
I believe virtual reality is the future of internet gambling. But like mobile casino games and live dealer tables, it’s going to take a lot more time to develop into something the iGaming community can really appreciate. Until then, a whole new era of interactive gambling awaits just over the horizon.
Research has shown that today’s youngest generation of adults are contributing greatly to the increase in mobile gambling. As newcomers to the casino scene, I strongly urge novice players to learn the ropes before investing any cash in this popular form of entertainment. Knowing which games you enjoy and are willing to spend money to play is critical to the longevity of your bankroll.
The easiest way to find your favorite casino games is to play all the varieties you can find without risking any money at all. Mobile casinos are the perfect playground for beginners. You’ll find the exact same games available in land-based casinos (and then some), and you’ll never be required to make a deposit to play.
I’ve played a lot of Halloween themed online slots in my days; at least 90% of what’s out there. One complaint I’ve always had—being a major horror movie buff—is that they just aren’t scary. The first (and until today, only) game I ever played that managed to send tingles up my spine was Triple Edge Studio‘s 2017 release of the movie-branded Halloween Online Slot, exclusive to Microgaming powered casinos.
