There are many advantages to playing at an online casino as opposed to the brick-and-mortar variety. For starters, you don’t even have to leave your home. Imagine if you took all the money you would have spent on travel expenses, accommodations, meals, entertainment and everything else that generally racks up hundreds, if not thousands, in extra expenses, and put all of it into your bankroll? Now, imagine doing it from the luxury of your own computer chair – even sitting comfortably in your underwear if you like! Any time, any day, (anywhere, if you have a laptop), you can log onto an online casino and play for real money, or just for fun.

You’ll never again deal with the crowded rooms, full tables or the inability to play that special slot machine that always paid off for you because some old lady won’t give up the seat. No matter how many people are logged onto the online casino, every single game will be open to you.

Above, I mentioned ‘loss of money’ as a negative aspect of land-based casinos. You’re probably thinking I’m crazy, because every casino, online or not, can result in loss of money, right? Yes, that is correct, but online casinos have a much better payout percentage than the land-based variety. Walk into any casino – in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Reno, Macau, the location doesn’t matter – and the average overall payout percentage is going to be 80-85%. Log onto an online casino and you’re privy to payout percentage averaging 95% and up. I’ve even seen payout percentage exceed 100% – it’s rare, but it happens.

Have you ever noticed how land-based casinos generally offer their patrons free alcoholic beverages? It’s hard to say no to a free drink, especially when you’re having such a good time, but I think we all know exactly why they do this. An inebriated player is a liberal spender. You may have walked in with the determination not to spend more than $100, but get a little alcohol running through your veins, and you’ll likely be broke before morning.

Playing online casinos from the comfort of home gives the player an extreme advantage in the sobriety department. Yes, you may certainly walk to the fridge and crack open a beer, but you did shell out some cash to get it, and there is no one over your shoulder encouraging you to drink it; then drink more, and oh, here’s another one! Now, would you like to purchase a room for the night since you can no longer walk straight? I think you get the point.

Unless it is truly the glitz and glamour of land-based casinos that attracts you to them, you simply can’t deny the favorable advantages that come from playing at an online casino.

With hundreds of online casinos on the Internet today, it can be difficult to choose where to place your wagers. One of the easiest ways to sort through the madness is to first choose the best online casino software that suits your style of play. In this article, we’ll describe each of the leading online casino software brands to make your decision a little easier.

The leading online casino software developers are:
Microgaming/Viper
RealTime Gaming
Vegas Technology
Rival Gaming
PlayTech
CryptoLogic

Microgaming Online Casinos
Microgaming is currently the number one leading online casino software, offering both downloadable casino software, known as Microgaming Viper, and an instant play Flash version. Viper is highly preferred because it offers the full selection of games, with the highest quality graphics. However, the Flash version is compatible with PC, Mac and Linux operating systems, where the download is PC compatible only.

Microgaming online casinos provide user-friendly, stable software and frequent updates that are not known to interrupt game play. The most significant aspect of Microgaming online casinos, however, – the key to its number one positioning in the industry – is the massive game variety. Microgaming software supplies well over 300 casino-style games to choose from, including 200+ online slots games alone. Among those online slots is the highest starting progressive jackpot slot known to the Internet, Meg Moolah, often paying out $3 million or more to those lucky enough to strike the jackpot.

RealTime Gaming Online Casino
RealTime Gaming, better known as RTG, is another top supplier of online casino software. RTG also has a fairly large game variety, but instead of focusing on the quantity of games, the developer’s goal is set on playability. The enjoyment, realism and user-friendliness of each game developed by RTG takes precedence.

RTG supplies a very fast and stable software platform, with the download version compatible with Windows PC only. A Flash version is also supplied for all operating systems. RTG presents online casino fans with more than 100 casino-style games to choose from, especially noted for its excess of Video Poker variants.

Vegas Technology Online Casinos
Vegas Technology was formerly known as OddsOn. At that time, the software was not very well liked by veteran online casino fans, for it was often buggy and unstable. However, the company shut down its OddsOn operation and revamped the entire software platform, re-launching in 2005 under the name Vegas Technology (or VT). Immediately, online casino players found the software to be incredibly improved. That same year, Vegas Technology received the Best New Online Casino Software Award.

Vegas Technology online casinos supply about 100 different games to choose from, with progressive available in the slots and card/table game sectors. VT is also well known for its networked promotions, including tournaments, bonuses, loyalty program and other rewards. Like most online casino software brands, VT provides both a download and no-download version for convenience, since the download is PC compatible only.

Rival Gaming Online Casinos
Rival Gaming is one of the most overlooked online casino software brands in the industry. While other leading brands are found in a multitude of online casinos, Rival software is currently only licensed to 15 online casinos. While Rival Powered online casinos offer a lower number of casino games to play – little more than 60 – its the sheer quality of the software that makes it so remarkable.

The developers of Rival Gaming put the entire focus in authenticity and the player’s overall experience. Rival online casinos present the most exceptional 3D graphics in the business, and are renowned for the illustrious innovation of the I-Slots. I-Slots are interactive slot machines that play out like a video game/soap opera, with versatile plots that take a new twist every time you play them. If you’re choosing your online casino by who supplies the most enthralling online slots, Rival powered online casinos are definitely the way to go.

Another major benefit of Rival powered online casinos is compatibility. While other brands strive for PC-friendly downloads with a lower grade Flash version for other operating systems, Rival actually took that extra step to supply its software in both PC and Mac compatible versions. You won’t even find a Flash version available at Rival powered online casinos.

PlayTech Online Casinos
PlayTech once held the position as number one online casino software developer, but Microgaming pushed them back with its expansive game variety. PlayTech offers a solid platform with user-friendly navigation and aesthetic graphics. PlayTech online casinos offer about 80 games with numerous progressive jackpots.

In recent months, PlayTech has become known to license its software to a growing number of online casinos who process payments in South African Rand (ZAR), offering an entire promotional scheme directly geared towards SA players. PlayTech licenses its software to a vast number of online casino operations, but since PlayTech also develops online poker, bingo and other online gaming software, the online casino software is not updated with new games very frequently.

CryptoLogic Online Casinos
Once considered a top online casino software developer, CryptoLogic has slipped through the competitive cracks in recent years. You’ll only find about 20 CryptoLogic online casinos left on the Internet. Most of them are actually highly regarded operations with a large fan base, but most are associated with online casinos that are part of a bigger scheme. By this, I mean online Sportsbooks or Betting Exchanges that expanded into the online casino, poker and other online gambling industries.

If you’re looking for an online gaming site that offers more than just online casino games, CryptoLogic may be the way to go. With little more than 15 games to choose from, most players simply use the Flash version, but there is a downloadable casino available.

Online casinos are found in abundance across the Internet, offering the thrills and excitement of a land-based casino without the hassles of traffic, crowds or even the mandatory requirement of wearing pants. However, there are two major aspects that differentiate gambling operations found on the Internet – those that require a typically large software download, and online flash casinos.

A no download casino presents many advantages not found in most downloadable versions. The largest of which is compatibility with major operating system brands. A casino that requires a software download is only compatible with Microsoft Windows. An online flash casino, on the other hand, is most often compatible across all platforms, Windows, Mac and even Linux.

Players who choose to download the casino software should expect anywhere from a 5-15MB file size. This has the player investing time and computer space into an online casino before they even know whether they’re going to like the site. No download casinos offer the chance to try out the games with no additional time invested. The only drawback is that the computer must download the graphics each time the player opens the java-based casino.

For this reason, many players who still run on a dial-up server may actually wish to download the casino software. While it may take a long time to download, the gameplay may be more stable with fewer interruptions. Players with more advanced connects – high-speed dial-up, DSL or cable modems – may find more online Flash casinos to be more advantageous.

Many people believe all no download casinos are run in Flash. While this is true of many of no download casinos, others are run solely on java clients or Shockwave. Java-client versions require no extra programs on the computer, so long as the computer is java enabled. All computers should come pre-equipped with java capabilities.

Flash and Shockwave powered casinos run in the same manner as java-based casinos, but may require a Flash or Shockwave plug-in. Again, most computers will come pre-equipped with this technology. If not, player’s can expect a little pop-up window asking them if they’d like to install the plug-in – a quick and painless procedure.

No download casinos have become increasingly popular in the European market, preferred mostly for their compatibility and ease of use. Because of this statistical fact, PlayTech, the world’s leading non-private gambling software developer, has recently integrated Online Flash Casino and Poker software for use at their clients gambling operations.

Since the enactment of the United States Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006, PlayTech, along with many other online gaming software development companies, have sought refuge and revenue from the European market. In this region, the ability to provide no download casino software is virtually imperative for the future success of the business.

Currently, the majority of online casinos and poker rooms do not offer a no download version of the software. However, with PlayTech’s enormous client base aiming their sites on flash casino provision to European gamblers, this fact will likely make a quick turn around. Any online gaming software developer with an eye for business should be expected to follow suit, developing online flash casino and/or no download casino software in the near future.

It has even been noted that online casinos and poker rooms have been sprouting up offering only a no download casino version. The option to download the software isn’t even presented, as these operators have followed market trends and felt it would be merely a waste of money to implement such software. Let’s face it my fellow gambling enthusiasts and industry analysts – the world of no download casinos is taking over!