When it comes to online casino sites, various parameters need to be considered to figure out how good a site is. The number of games offered and the bonus provided are a couple of them. But none of them is as important as the site's software. The software forms the backbone of any casino as it is responsible for the gaming experience of a player. There are a few gaming software groups that cater to most of the online gambling sites. These include PlayTech, Microgaming, and Real Time Gaming. Some casinos prefer using in house gaming software.

Why is the Software Important?

The one major drawback that was there with online casinos was the lack of realism with the games. Players were unable to feel the excitement that is there in a land based casino. This is where the software comes in to play. In recent years, technology has made it possible to provide players with a very realistic gaming experience with the help of the software. Players have moved from 2D to 3D versions of the game. The sound effects have also improved a lot.

The software now allows you to create an avatar which acts as your virtual identity. Some of them have realistic lobbies which you have to navigate and walk to the game table you want to play. They also provide a virtual crowd to make the playing environment more realistic.

Now software is more than just a tool to provide you with games. It needs to provide the player the experience of a casino. If it is unable to do so, players will move on to a site that has better software.

Features to Look For in the Software

The efficiency of the software is determined by the features it provides. Here are a few things that good software should have.

• The software should make it easy for the players to access the various games. Options for changing the game settings should also be easy to understand.
• The software should not be too taxing on the computer resources. Such software might not run smoothly in all the computers and will ruin the gaming experience for the players.
• The software should be capable of running in the full screen mode as well as in a smaller window. Also, it is better to have multiple tiles so that the players can play more than one game at a time.
• People from all over the world can access online casinos. That is why the software should support multiple languages.
• To get a sense of reality it is important to have a chat feature in the software that allows people to communicate while playing games. This also helps in developing a healthy community for the casino.
• Not everyone coming to an online casino knows how the games work. That is why most of the sites have a play for fun version of their software, in which you can play the games without wagering real money. This helps you in understanding the controls of the game.

Types of Software

Presently there are three types of software used by most online casinos. One is the downloadable version of the software, another is the browser version that is flash based, and then there is the mobile version of the casino.

1. The flash-based games can be played as soon as you have an account on the site. The drawback is that they do not have great graphics and do not have a lot of features that are present on the downloadable version.
2. The downloadable version usually takes some time to download depending upon the internet connection, but after that you can play the games at any time you want to. They also have much better graphics and also provide you the banking options as well on the interface.
3. Mobile apps are quite new and are very useful if you want to indulge in online gambling irrespective of where you are. However, most of the mobile apps and mobile sites provide only a few select games.

Major Software Providers

The online gambling market has been dominated by the software of a select few companies. Microgaming is one such company and it has been in the industry since 1994. It is also one of the founding members of eCogra, the most popular regulatory authority in the world of online gambling. It is also well-known for having one of the best poker tournaments, and also for its large variety of games. PlayTech and Microgaming are two other companies that are well-known for their gaming software. These companies are popular because they constantly update their software with new features and games.