Some of Us Still Prefer Download Casino Software
If you're like me - an old-school online casino gambler who has been around since the early days of the internet - you might still prefer the "old school" way of finding new slot machines, table games, and specialty games to play for real money. Back in the day there was no "instant play". No "mobile casino". The only option was a download casino. And frankly, for many games (and at many casinos), that still is the best option.
Sure, it would be more convenient if I could just visit any random casino site from my smartphone and instantly play all my favorite slots and other games. But we all know that's not reality yet. Sure, the top-tier mobile casinos have most of the important bases covered but if you want the full enchilada on all your desktop or laptop computers you've got to install the casino's software on each device you plan to use. That's just a fact. Embrace it.
Party Casino Review - Games & Slots + Bonus for UK Players.Finding the Best Real-Money Download Casinos
On this particular web page I want to focus on the best real-money download casinos on the Internet today - especially those with large selections of quality slot machine games. To give you some context, let's quickly review how online casinos have evolved over the last decade or two. If you already know the history of online casinos you can skip ahead to the next major heading below.
Online casinos have come a long way, baby!
Reasons Why Playing Online Slots Is Better Than at a CasinoOnline casinos have certainly come a long way over the past decade or two - both in terms of the technology powering them as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks which now allow scores of reputable, honest online gaming operators to offer their services to players in various countries around the world. It's truly a global industry now with plenty of good options for players willing to do a little research to find the very best online casino sites.
In the old days - circa 1996 to 2005, roughly speaking - everyone used download casinos. That made sense back then because bandwidth was scarce, expensive and slow. It took forever to load even a simple text page on the Internet so graphically-rich websites were few and far between.
That all changed with the proliferation of high speed DSL and cable modem connections plus the creation of wireless cellular networks. Suddenly it made sense for online casino to offer two main types of access - either through a downloadable "casino client" program or through a series of web pages that emulated casino games directly in a web browser window.
The former are known as DOWNLOAD CASINOS while the latter are generally called INSTANT PLAY, FLASH or BROWSER-BASED casinos. More recently MOBILE CASINO GAMES have become increasingly popular as smart phones and tablet computers have grown in popularity among gamblers young and old alike.
Today, the best online casino operators offer all three options to their customers - often with slightly different game selections at each. For example some slot machines may only be available via the download casino while others are only playable through a smart phone or tablet. Meanwhile, many of the most popular slot games will be available across all three platforms.
Are Download Casino Games Really Better?
The biggest advantage to using casino software you've downloaded to your computer is simpler game play.
two rivers casino washingtonThere's no question about this. Graphics and animations are smoother. Betting limits are easier to navigate. It's simpler to see your current account balance, how much you've won or lost on individual spins / hands / rolls, etc. The sound effects are sharper and clearer. Even the help files and rules explanations are usually better designed within the casino software itself rather than as a separate web page. Basically, everything just works better when playing games inside the dedicated casino software environment.
Another big benefit to using download casino software is faster access to specific games and features. Within the main casino software program, each individual game type (slots, blackjack, roulette, etc) has its own icon or selection menu item. That makes it easy to jump straight into your favorite game without first having to browse through multiple page listings. Plus, once you do find a particular game you like you can often create a "favorite" shortcut to it right on your desktop for one-click access.
Finally, another minor advantage to download casino software is fewer connectivity problems. All the graphics, sound files and game programming are already installed on your computer so you don't need an active Internet connection to play. You can load up your favorite casino games and play for fun (free) anytime with no internet connection whatsoever.
To play for real money you obviously do need to be connected to the internet - but even then the demands on your Internet service provider (ISP) aren't all that great. Mostly you just need a reliable, moderately fast connection. If you can stream Netflix movies to your TV with out buffering issues you'll have more than enough bandwidth to enjoy lag-free online casino game play.
One additional note here... Online casino operators typically offer various sign-up bonuses or ongoing loyalty rewards to their players. These can take various forms including cash back, free plays (of various kinds), entry tickets to tournaments, and more. Whatever the details, these promotional offers are almost always credited automatically by the casino software when you meet the applicable conditions. While it's technically possible to earn and collect bonuses using instant play or mobile casino games, it can sometimes get a bit complicated. For maximum fidelity and reliability nothing beats the download casino software in this regard.
Instead of trying to convince you further, why don't I just show you what I mean instead. Below you'll find logos of what I consider to be the four best download casinos currently operating online. They vary in many respects - where licensed offer adherence to strict international gambling regulations while less transparent jurisdictions tend to be less restrictive and offer greater freedom for innovative game design.
Nonetheless, all these casinos have earned strong reputations for fairness and timely payouts over many years of operation. As of 2023, they also all offer large selections of top-quality downloadable casino games – with hundreds of different slot machines alone.
Casinos That Offer a Status Match Program (2023)Ignition Casino - Our Top Pick for 2023
The Ignition Casino has always offered downloadable casino software along with instant play and mobile accessible versions of their entire casino game catalog. In our experience it stacks up particularly well against its competitors in several key areas. First, it offers a huge selection of high quality slot machines - over 100 at last count. Second, it has a strong track record going back many years now - something of a rarity in the constantly evolving world of online casinos. Third, it focuses primarily on anonymous, RNG (Random Number Generator) slot and table games instead of live dealer games or poker rooms. This means they don't have to maintain multiple sets of ledgers and accounting systems. Everything is nice and simple which, in turn, facilitates fast payouts - sometimes within hours of processing.
Here's a few bullet points highlighting more of Ignition Casino's strengths…
- Big Slot Selection - Over 100 hand-picked favorites from Rival, BetSoft and other top software providers
- Generous Welcome Bonus - Up to $3,000 on your first bitcoin deposit or first three deposits (depending on which offer you choose). Ignition also accepts Visa and MasterCard credit and debit cards.
- Provably Fair Audited Games - Ignition was one of the pioneers of providing players with the ability to verify the true randomness of individual slot spins, card shuffles, and dice rolls using cryptographic hash totals. See our for more information.
- Strong Reputation - Ignition Casino has been in business since 2013 and has earned a solid reputation for fairness and quick payouts during that time.
- Full Mobile Casino - Instant play and mobile accessible games can be played directly in your browser with no download required, but we think the full featured downloadable casino software is still king of the hill.
Bovada Casino - Best for US Players
Bovada used to be called Bodog before it split into several regional sites serving different parts of the world. Today, Bovada.lv serves customers in the USA and Canada while Bodog.eu serves most of the rest of the world. Bodog.net is their UK-only site while Bodog.com is now a poker-only site openly targeting the Asian market. We know it all sounds confusing, but don't worry too much about the branding because the same company essentially owns and operates all these sites. Bovada is easily the largest of the group in terms of revenue and staffing.
🎰 Caesars Slots Casino Review & Download Free for 2023Bovada’s online casino offers an eclectic mix of betting opportunities including more than 150 different downloadable slot games plus a full complement of popular table games, video pokers, specialty games and a few unique novelty bets. Their famous sportsbook and full service poker room are also available via the downloadable casino software. Bovada has a good reputation for honest dealing and prompt payments.
Here’s a recap of the main reasons to consider Bovada as your next download casino home…
- Great for US Players - Bovada is based in the British Virgin Islands with a license from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission. While US residents may sign-up to play at most online casinos, Bovada is probably the most popular choice for American gamblers.
- Lots of Different Wagering Options - Bovada's download casino software ties into their famous sports book, live betting suite, poker room and race book for a virtually unlimited variety of ways to risk (and possibly win) your hard-earned dollars.
- Loads of Slot Machines - With dozens of multi-spin slot machines and several dozen 3 reel and 5 reel slot games complemented by a half dozen progressive jackpot slots, Bovada's casino patrons rarely lack for something new to try.
- Good Reputation - Bovada has been in operation under various names and under various licenses since the late 1900s. Few online gaming organizations have weather more industry scandals and changing political climates than Bodog / Bovada. They have consistently paid winners even when others in their industry have faltered.
- Mobile Accessible - Bovada's download casino software is clearly designed to work with their mobile website and applications as well. Everything seems to sync up nicely no matter which devices you use to play.
BetOnline Casino - Excellent Real Money Download Casino Games
BetOnline has built a solid reputation since joining the Bovada family of brands a few years ago. Where Bovada caters mostly to North American gamblers, BetOnline has focused on building a customer base throughout Europe and other parts of the world. BetOnline offers over 175 downloadable slot machine games plus all the typical assortment of table games, video pokers, and specialty games. Like Bovada, BetOnline gives their customers access to a full service sports book, live betting, race book and poker room.
Here’s a summary of the key advantages BetOnline Casino brings to the table compared to its competition…
- Live Dealer Casino Games - In addition to the traditional RNG (Random Number Generator) casino games, BetOnline also offers live table games where you place your bets and interact with real human dealers via web cam and chat. It's as close to being in a Las Vegas casino as you can get without leaving your house (or mobile device).
- Many Payment Processing Options - Unlike many other online casinos, BetOnline gives their customers a wide variety of payment processing choices. You can fund your account with VISA, MasterCard, American Express, money order, person to person transfers (via Western Union or MoneyGram), the payment transfer apps Square Cash (formerly known as Square), Skrill, Neteller, UKash, PayZac, BitCoin and BitCoin Cash. That's more options than most online casinos offer for deposits and withdrawals combined.
- Reload Bonuses and Loyalty Rewards - Not only does BetOnline offer a generous welcome bonus to first time depositors, but they also reward repeat customers with usable bonuses on subsequent deposits. If you like getting regular reload bonuses, BetOnline should be near the top of your list.
- Long Term Operational Provenance - BetOnline has been in continuous operation since the mid 2000s. Few online gaming operations have survived the industry upheavals of the last 15 years as well as BetOnline. That says something.
- Full Mobile Casino - BetOnline's download casino software integrates seamlessly with their mobile friendly website and mobile app, making it easy to switch from one platform to another.
Slots.lv Casino - Top Pick for High Quality Slot Machines
Slots.lv is a relatively new entrant to the online casino business but it has one simple goal - to offer the best selection of slot machines online. As of 2023, they boast over 450 different slot games in their inventory - the vast majority of which are available through their downloadable casino software.
No Deposit Bonus Casinos in the USA (2023) - Non-Deposit BonusSlots.lv doesn't offer a sports book, poker room or any of the usual distractions. It's just slots (and a few table games and video pokers). Here are the main selling points of Slots.lv Casino...
- Huge Slot Machine Selection - Slots.lv currently offers download access to over 450 slot machine games - one of the largest inventories on the Internet.
- Deposit $500, Get $5,000 bonus - That's not a typo. Slots.lv offers a 300% match bonus good for up to $5,00 in extra playing capital. Of course, clearing the full bonus requires quite a few spins but it's still a generous offer.
- Well Established Management Team - The people behind Slots.lv have been successfully running online casinos and sports books for over a decade. While the Slots.lv brand name is relatively new, the organization behind it is anything but green.
- Popular Software Providers - Slots.lv sources its slot machine games from respected industry leaders like Betsoft, Realtime Gaming (RTG) and Rival Gaming.
- Mobile Friendly Website - Although Slots.lv is perhaps best experienced through the downloadable casino software, their instant play website is also quite good and fully compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android mobile devices.
Downside of Download Casino Games
Not as many games are available through download casino software.
The main downside to using online casino software you've downloaded to your computer is simply the narrower selection of games you can choose from. Each online casino operator can afford to offer fewer games through their download software because that's really all their customers can play - one variation of each popular game (blackjack, roulette, etc).
In contrast, when a customer uses the instant play or mobile versions of an online casino, she has the choice of playing any of the games available in the casino's entire inventory. Thus, the incentive for the casino operator is to stock as many interesting variations of as many games as they can afford inside their instant play / mobile platforms to attract and retain customers.
This is especially evident in the case of SLOTS. As game developers continue to crank out higher quality slot machines with better and better graphics, more winning features and broader audience appeal, online casino managers rush to add them to their instant play / mobile menus to grab as much of the spotlight as they can. That means the best and newest slot machines are often only available to play on your mobile web browser or the latest instant play casino interface.
That's not to say there isn't still a lot of value to be had sticking with the tried and true download casino software. As noted earlier, the game play is faster, slicker and more reliable. It's generally easier to manage your bankroll and keep track of your winnings and losses. Plus, as mentioned previously, the process of clearing sign-up bonuses and other loyalty rewards is usually more straightforward with a full download casino.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to use a reputable download casino, instant play casino or mobile casino to play real money gambling games is up to you. We suggest sampling each type of online casino to find out which one you prefer. Or, more accurately, which ones you prefer for different times and different situations. We know many serious slot machine enthusiasts, for example, who swear by the download casino software for leisurely weekend play at home but reach for their smart phone to kill time waiting in line somewhere.
We hope this page has helped shed some light on the benefits and drawbacks of download casino software. Have any questions? Post a comment below or visit our to see other people's queries.
Dowload Casino FAQs
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Do I Need Special Computer Permissions to Install a Casino Client?
No, you shouldn't have any trouble installing most casino software clients on your Windows, Mac or Linux computer. If you have been given administrative privileges on your personal computer then you automatically have "permission" to install software of your choosing. If you normally use a shared computer at work or school and do not have administrator rights, you might need to ask your system administrator for assistance. In truth, though, downloadable casino software poses minimal risk to anyone's computer and most savvy IT personnel would likely view such concerns as nit picking.
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Will My Computer Be Slower with Another Program Installed?
Not necessarily. Modern computer hardware and operating system software are designed to handle many programs running simultaneously without significant performance hits. Indeed, most computers are capable of playing an online casino in one window whilst burning a CD in the drive, instant messaging friends, and running an anti-virus scan in the background. That being said, however, some older computers - especially those with only 128 MB or 256 MB of RAM - might notice a slight decrease in overall responsiveness if they're pushing the limits of available resources. If your computer is already running a handful of programs and you start an online casino game, you might momentarily experience slower loading times for new screens or a slight hitch when clicking certain buttons. Generally though, the effects are fairly minimal and most casual computer users wouldn't even notice.
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What About Viruses or Spyware?
Computer viruses and spyware programs are more often associated with certain types of computer software than all software combined. Online gaming software, for instance, is held to much higher standards of security and integrity than file sharing, peer to peer networking or other types of software. That's not to say it can't happen. Anytime you download a software program, you run a very small risk of receiving a corrupted copy that has been maliciously altered. However, the likelihood of receiving a virus or spyware program from a reputable online casino is infinitesimal.
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How Much Room Does Online Casino Software Take Up?
Every casino is a little different, but most online casino client programs take up less than 30 MB of hard disk space on your computer. Rest assured, we're talking about tiny amounts of space here - literally a few percentage points of the average hard drive. To put it in perspective, a single MP3 music file could occupy several hundred megabytes. A standard definition movie download could easily exceed 1 GB. That's many, many thousands of casino megbytes.
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Could I Get Addicted to Gambling Through the Internet?
Yes, absolutely. The medium is irrelevant. People can - and do - become obsessed with gambling at casinos, on the Internet, in parking lots, at the office water cooler ... Well, you get the idea. Problem gambling is a psychological condition unrelated to the mechanism or venue used for gambling. Men can cheat with Monopoly money, too. The point is, online casino software is no more dangerous in that regard than any other form of gambling. Like everything else in life, it's up to you to use it responsibly and within appropriate limits.
