Instant play casinos are online gambling sites which require no download in order to play their games. Usually these sites are powered by Flash, but sometimes their games use Javascript or even just HTML in order to generate the game’s results. Mac users are often especially interested in instant play casinos, because many of the software programs in this niche are incompatible.
What to Look for in an Instant Play Casino
When you’re trying to choose an instant play casino at which to play, the overwhelming number of choices available can be baffling. How does a player decide where to deposit their money?
I can offer a few tips for choosing a legitimate and safe instant play casino.
- Look for notices of certification on the casino’s site. One of the more important certifying bodies in the industry is eCOGRA. The name is short for “e-Commerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance”. They’re an independent regulatory service that casinos voluntarily take part. The purpose of the organization is to promote responsible behavior on the part of the operator.
- Look for player complaints. Search a legitimate casino player forum for the name of the casino you’re considering to see what other players are saying about the business. Keep in mind that some people are just sore losers, thoughso you should take what you read there with a grain of salt. With a little bit of discernment and thought, you should be able to tell the legitimate complaints from the spurious ones. If you get a bad feeling after reading about the property on a forum, then don’t play there.
- Look at the licensing authority for the casino. Most online casinos are licensed by some governmental authority, but some of those governmental authorities are more attentive than others. For example, if a casino is licensed by the Isle of Man, you can feel more comfortable with the safety of the casino. On the other hand, the Kahnawake Gaming Commission has a reputation for being somewhat lax with its licensees. That’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s one factor to consider among others.
- Try the free games. If you don’t like the free games available at an instant play casino, then you won’t enjoy those games when you play them for real money. And if you don’t enjoy the games, then what’s the point of playing there in the first place?
What Kinds of Games Are Available at Instant Play Casinos?
Most instant play casinos offer the same casino games that are available via their downloadable version of the software. The most popular games online are slot machine games.
The variety of slots available at instant play casinos is usually excellent. Some casinos limit their progressive jackpots to the downloadable version of their software. If you’re a jackpot hunter who wants to play at a no-download casino, you should make sure the casino in question offers progressives in the instant play version of their casino.
Most table games and video poker games are also available in the instant play format. That includes the most popular table games like blackjack, craps, and roulette. Popular video poker games like Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild are also almost certainly available.
Live Dealer Casinos
Most players don’t think of live dealer casinos as instant play casinos, but they are essentially the same thing. Live dealer casinos use flash-powered webcams to deal real table game action over the Internet. So if you’re playing blackjack, you’ll be watching a real dealer use real cards to determine your outcomes. For table game players, this can be an exciting and fun way to experience gambling games on the Web.
Popular games using this format include baccarat, blackjack, and roulette.
Bonuses and Banking
The signup bonuses and banking methods at instant play casinos generally work in the same way as they would if you played at an online casino where you downloaded the software. They don’t make a distinction for purposes of offering a signup bonus. Whatever deposit and withdrawal methods that are available at the downloadable version of the casinos are also almost always available at the no download version, too.