Online Casino Spotlight

Playtech is one of the most well-known online gaming developers. Although Playtech entered the industry later than most other developers, they have grown significantly to become the world’s largest publicly traded internet gaming developer. Through innovation and advanced technology, Playtech has sold the most licensees and is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the PTEC ticker.

The History of Playtech

Playtech was founded in 1999 by employees from the casino, software engineering and multimedia industries.  One year later, the blueprints for Playtech’s software were created. Shortly after, a deal was struck with a major online gaming operator.  In 2002, Playtech unveiled its first online gaming software for a European casino.

2003 brought further expansion with the creation of Bingoland which is a global bingo network. That same year, Playtech introduced Live Gaming which involved live dealers being broadcast via streaming video. 2004 was a major advance in business for Playtech. By launching the iPoker network, an integrated network of online casinos, greatly boosted business.

In 2005, Playtech created mobile gaming for cellular devices and other forms of mobile communication. 2007 was a major expansion year for Playtech. As monthly revenues exceeded projections,  Playtech added the Tribeca Poker Network to their repertoire. That same year the iPoker Network became the largest in the world.

From 2007 to the present, Playtech has significantly expanded within the United Kingdom and across Europe, penetrating regulated markets. During this time, the company added lottery systems, new poker networks and new bingo solutions.

Playtech Products

Playtech offers a variety of online gaming products including:

• The iPoker Network
• Bingo
• Mobile gaming
• Live gaming
• Asian games
• Fixed odds games
• Server-supported terminals
• Video betting
• Sports betting
• Progressive betting

Other Achievements

In addition to creating online gaming networks, Playtech also developed ideas that are used within every current online gaming platform. For instance, they created VIP ratings, comp point schemes, real-time transaction histories, game histories and innovative fraud-prevention tools. The most important development was unified-platform technology. This linked all games offered by a specific online casino or set of casinos.

Since its creation in 1999, Playtech has quickly become an industry leader in developing online gaming systems that are secure, reliable, and quick, offering excellent graphics, cross-platform abilities and multi-lingual software. As they continue to create innovative gaming projects, they will surely pull far ahead of the competition.

Online casino software does far more than play your favorite casino games.  Most platforms also include a variety of administrative tools needed to facilitate wagering and allow players to maintain their casino accounts.  So what else can this software do?  Here is an inside look at the inner workings of a typical gaming platform.

Facilitating Financial Transactions

One of the most important functions casino software performs is handling financial transactions.  The leading providers create software equipped with the security protocols and features needed to ensure a secure environment for handling the player’s funds.  Most software is also designed to support a variety of financial institutions.  This generally includes credit card companies and online payment services that process transactions for internet gambling.  Because the player’s account is directly connected to the games they choose to wager on, the software allows them to view their gaming history as well as the financial details that tell the player how much they have won or loss.

Bonus Features

Bonuses are a big draw on the online casino market.  This is mainly because the industry has become so competitive in recent times.  In order to cater to players with attractive incentives, casino software must able to properly keep track of bonuses and their special conditions.  Wagering requirements are an important aspect of this process.  It is the role of the gaming platform to determine whether these requirements have been met and if a player is eligible for the bonus payout.   The software must also be able to block requests from players that attempt to withdraw a bonus when the wagering requirements have not been satisfied.   It is a very complex undertaking, but an efficiently designed software solution makes sure it is all a seamless process.

Tournament Support

Many online casinos and poker rooms host tournaments on a regular basis.  In order to provide this functionality, the gaming software requires an individual engine that facilitates tournament play.  Most gambling operators have rules that state a player is only allowed to participate in a tournament once.  Therefore, the software checks to ensure that the same player does not try to enter the same tournament more times than they are allowed to.  In addition, the scores of all participating players must be tallied up and properly displayed, while the leader board must be continuously updated as new players enter the event.  All of these capabilities and more must be included in the software to run a smooth online tournament.

Conclusion

Online casino is more than meets the eye for sure.  However, players should not automatically assume the platform they wager on works like it is supposed to.  Fortunately, reputable casino operators have their software tested for safety and fairness by trusted third-party agencies.  Therefore, it would be wise to play at casinos that have proof to back up the overall reliability of their gaming platform.

Any avid online casino gamer will tell you that one of the most disappointing experiences is downloading a game or signing up with a casino that simply doesn’t satisfy your needs.  A perfect example would be choosing a game of blackjack where the dealer wins on ties.  While some players will be fond of such a version because of the advantages, several others might want to steer clear of this variant for all the disadvantages it offers.   Indeed, it can be very frustrating when you take the time to research casinos only to download a gaming platform that just doesn’t work out.  For some, this is enough to deter them from playing at that particular casino or indulging in online play entirely.

The good thing is that many of the reputable online casino software vendors have taken note and acted by trying to deliver more user-friendly products that allow you to preview games before investing your time into them.  These previews typically offer screenshots as well as a brief summary of the games.  By viewing a comprehensive preview, you can learn more about that particular gaming platform and better determine if it meets your expectations.

Below we have provided details on some of the most popular online casino software providers offering previews of their games.

Microgaming

It is no surprise that Microgaming, an industry leading online casino software provider, would be one of the first working to accommodate the growing needs of players.  With casinos powered by Microgaming, you can visit the main lobby and then the games section to choose a specific category and obtain a listing of the selections it contains.  From here, you generally have two options.  You can either view all the listed games in text form, or view them in a matrix-style graphical presentation featuring logos of the available games.  With either option, the preview is basically the same as it is displayed in a box to the right of the screen with the cursor set on the name of the game or logo.  After accessing the preview, you can view a screenshot of the game along with a short list of features or rules.

Vegas Technology

With games powered by Vegas Technology, categories are presented on the main lobby page while individual games can be accessed through the drop-down menus.  After selecting a game, the preview is displayed in a small box in the lower-left corner of the screen.  The information you get with VT games is usually the jackpot ticker and betting limits when applicable.  Other details are provided to you via the screenshot.

Wizard Gaming

Although Wizard Gaming doesn’t offer nearly as many games as Microgaming and Vegas Technology, it does provide you the option to preview before you play.  All of its games can be found in the main lobby and when making your selection, the preview can be viewed in the upper right of the screen.  With Wizard Gaming previews you get a nice screenshot and brief summary of the game. The information it provides is often helpful with details on features, free spins and bonus rounds.  Wizard Gaming has some of the most comprehensive previews of all online casino software providers.

Boss Media is one of the early pioneers of internet gambling, a software developer that has been around since the inception of online casinos in 1996.  Originally established to power Gold Casino, one of the very first internet casinos, the company was highly sought after for its state of the art gaming platform, which enabled Gold Casino to obtain great success in the industry.  Shortly thereafter, Boss Media put its efforts into creating fully integrated, customized online casino solutions and gaming systems for a large number of clients.

The Swedish-based company is currently performing research and development in the field of mobile gaming, interactive digital TV and video terminals, personal computers and PDAs.  Other areas of focus include bingo and lottery applications, showing that Boss Media is more than capable of extending its technological reach into highly interactive gaming and digital channeling.

Features and Games

Boss Media offers fully integrated online gambling solutions equipped with casino platforms and gaming engines that can be customized to suit the specific needs of each individual operator.  Its casino games are tailored with features such as user-friendly interfaces that provide for realistic dealer voices and casino lobbies, background music and exceptional sound effects.  Boss Media gaming engines provide life-like 32-bit graphics resembling fluid robotic motion that enable real-time playing speed.

Boss Media platforms also give players a nice variety of games to choose from.  You get classic casino games as well as fixed odds games like keno and duck rage, probability games, bingo, and poker rooms made exclusive to the many traditional games of poker.  The company also facilitates online lottery play by providing digital lottery tickets players can scratch off themselves.  If you have a particular favorite, you can probably find it at a casino running Boss Media gaming software.

A Fair Gamer

Boss Media is actively involved in many organizations that endorse and advocate fair gaming in online gambling.  One such organization is the IGC (Interactive Gaming Council), which is actually operated by the online gambling community as a whole.  This entity exists solely to ensure that fair gaming standards are met and maintained by all parties that participate in online casino gambling.  Boss Media’s presence in the organization gives this body much credibility, helping to further enhance consumer confidence in both the existing and prospective gaming technologies.

Boss Media online gaming software has proven to consistently meet satisfactory standards by Technical Systems Testing in various areas.  Its solutions meet reliability, gaming fairness and auditing compatibility on a regular basis.  The fact the company is so involved and respected in the industry gives it an edge several competitors just can’t match.

Look for the Boss

When it comes to internet gambling, an online casino site powered by Boss Media is usually one you can count on.  Its platforms are secure, stable and packed with features that truly bring out the best an online casino gameplay.  If you are looking into the software behind the casino you want to play at, keeping the big bad Boss Media in mind.

These days, you don’t even have to step one foot out of your home to play casino games.  In fact, all you need is a personal computer and internet connection.  With these essentials intact, you can play your favorite casino games and get a shot at real money with a few easy clicks.  Online gambling software applications first went into development nearly 15 years ago and the technology used to create them has improved dramatically since that time.  The online gambling industry is currently seeing its most prosperous times and projected to grow even more over the next few years.  Driven by emerging technological advancements, observers are predicting that by the year 2015, the industry will generate a staggering $512 billion annually on a global scale.  There is no denying that online gaming software developers will play a major role in helping the market pull in these astronomical revenues.

With all that said, you can certainly understand why there is such a large number of software developers scattered throughout the world.  While almost anyone can own and operate an online casino, it is all about choosing a qualified developer to build the platform the gamblers will play on.  If you are looking to start your own casino site, the vendor you choose will ultimately determine your level of success and help set yourself apart from all the rest of the competition.

Knowing Where and What to Look for

An aspiring online casino operator has plenty of gaming development companies to select from.  However, this large selection of providers claiming to offer the same thing makes it difficult to choose the right one.  Choose too fast and you could end up losing out on money before you even get your site up and running.  To help you find the best online gaming software, we have provided a few tips on what you need to look for in a developer and where to look.

Stability and Scalability

Stability is one of the most important aspects of any gaming software.  With the immense popularity of online gambling, you can’t afford to have your customers playing on a platform that is slow and always experiencing performance issues.  Scalability is also important as you want something that can support your gaming endeavors now, and into the future as well.  This essentially means that you need a gaming platform with the ability to accommodate the growth of your casino and players without going down because of technical problems.

Do Your Research

Before deciding on an online gaming developer, we recommend that you conduct some extensive research so you know what you’re getting into.  You can check out a few industry reviews as well customer testimonials to see what others have to say about the company.  Most importantly, you want to converse with the developer and ask as many questions as possible about their services.  When doing this, make sure to consider their experience, level of support and responsiveness.

The continuous growth of the online gambling industry presents many new opportunities for those who want to try their hand at this highly profitable market.  However, some will succeed while others are sure to fail.  Because of this, it is vital that you choose wisely when deciding on your software developer.