How Online Casinos Work
Have you ever wondered how online casinos operate? Our review will delve into the mechanics that make online casino games possible! Knowing how some of these apps operate can give you key insights into how these platforms conduct business, ensure fair play, and keep their customers’ personal information safe and secure.
- Software Providers
- Random Number Generators
- Game Mechanics
- Backend Operations
- Payment Systems
- Customer Support
Overview of Online Casinos
Let’s start at the beginning—we’ll talk about the basic structure of any online casino. What is it that makes up a real money casino app? The answer is that many different parts work together to make the online casino functional, offering customers front-to-back support from the moment they make their first deposit until they cash out their winnings.
Basic Structure
Check out the main components of any online casino and its basic structure.
- The Overall Platform: If you were talking about the human body, the online casino platform would be like the skeleton. It’s the rough structure in which all other aspects are contained. It includes navigational elements like the menus and tabs for finding things like the game library, customer service, or bonuses/promotions.
- Game Library: This is the app area where you’ll find the casino game library and the available game categories—slots, table games, video poker, Keno, bingo, live dealer games, etc. The game selection is usually along the top main menu, where you can choose the games you want.
- Bonuses and Promotions: In a separate section, you’ll find the bonuses and promotional offers the online casino offers its users. Click “Promotions” or “Bonuses” to determine which welcome offers, reload bonuses, or cashback/loyalty schemes are available. The content in these online casino sections works in conjunction with the game library and payment systems to benefit the gambler.
- Payment Systems: These refer to the deposit and payout methods available at the online casino. These allow gamblers to deposit funds into their accounts and withdraw winnings when the time comes. The banking options are available under the “Banking Methods” menu or “Deposits and Withdrawals.”
- Customer Service: This separate section assists when problems arise in your online casino gameplay experience. Customer service centers usually consist of an FAQ menu and some form of direct contact with the support team, such as a generic contact form, email, phone number, or live chat option.
Software Providers
Software providers play an important role in maintaining, developing, and updating the software platform, which allows gamblers to access and enjoy online casino gameplay. Gaming software is basically the engine room of online casinos, driving the action you find with dynamic online casino gaming.
Top Software Providers
After reviewing the market, these are some of the most well-known software providers that power the games in any casino’s game library. Typically, the more software providers a platform partners with, the better. It makes for a good mix of content.
- Microgaming
- Playtech
- NetEnt AB
- Playson
- Evolution Gaming
- Novomatic
- Pragmatic Play
- Aristocrat Leisure
- Big Time Gaming
- Betsoft
- Euro Games Tech
- Authentic Gaming
- Blueprint Gaming
- Hacksaw Gaming
- IGT
- Realtime Gaming
- Red Tiger Gaming
- Amatic
- Bally Technologies
- CyrtoLogic
- Gamingtec
- iSoftBet
- Thunderkick
- Wazdan
Microgaming is credited with the birth of the online gambling industry, which began in 1994 and launched Gaming Club Casino, the world’s first online casino site. In its first year, Gaming Club Casino offered blackjack, roulette, and slot machines. However, it didn’t become a fully functioning casino until 1997, when it stopped exclusively dealing in manual transactions for payouts.
Game Development Process
Game development involves everything from concept to launch. Even with the most brilliant minds working on them, it can take a long time to get these games up and running. All game developers follow this rough guideline when introducing and bringing new game concepts to market.
- Brainstorming and idea generation
- Market research
- Outlining requirements
- Initial sketching, wireframing, and mockups
- Creating a prototype (MVP)
- Designing the game
- Development of the game
- Quality assurance and testing
- Launch and marketing of the game
- Updates for the game
Random Number Generators (RNGs)
Many of the real-life casino games that appear at online casinos contain a physical action on the part of the gambler or the dealer that requires the use of random number generators (RNGs) in the online version.
For instance, card games have dealers who shuffle the decks. In craps, the gambler must toss the dice. In roulette, the croupier must spin the wheel. In the online versions of these games, these physical actions are replaced with RNGs designed to perform these tasks while keeping the results wholly randomized.
RNGs are pivotal in online casino gameplay to ensure fair play. The use of these programs is the biggest argument against the idea that online casinos rig their games against players to ensure they have no chance of winning. While it’s true that there’s a built-in house edge with online casino games to ensure the business turns a profit, random number generators are responsible for generating random results that the operator doesn’t predetermine. Some even third parties conduct audits of online casinos to ensure they are using these systems correctly and offer games entirely left to chance.
How RNGs Work
A random number generator can be a software algorithm or a hardware device that draws a random number from a limited or unlimited distribution and outputs it into the casino game. If cards need to be shuffled for an online blackjack game, these RNG machines ensure that players get a random hand dealt to them as they would in a real-life game. The same applies to the results of spinning slot reels, tossing dice, or spinning a roulette wheel. The RNG program has all possible results at its fingertips and generates random results using advanced algorithms, leaving all results entirely up to chance.
Fairness and Testing
There is an RNG certification process overseen by an independent third party to ensure that an online casino uses software that generates genuinely random results from the games in its library. The process is designed to uphold integrity and fairness for online casino players and other regulatory bodies. If an online casino isn’t compliant with upholding fair play practices or willfully submitting to examination by a third party, its licensing could be at risk.
Game Mechanics
Let’s dive into how online casino games operate. Depending on the game, the process of how these games are powered looks different from one title to the next. Still, they all function thanks to the help of random number generation technology, aside from the live dealer tables.
Slot Machines
While slot machines come with many different themes, special features, or specific symbols, the idea behind how they work is the same. Any slot machine you’d find at a legit, regulated online casino uses a random number generator to ensure fair play and completely randomized results.
First, players must spin the slot machine’s reels to find out what results it will generate. The “spins” are powered by RNGs, and the results are random symbols that appear on the reels, which are vertical columns where the symbols are generated and displayed. Most slots have five reels, but some have three, six, or seven. Payouts are determined by lining up symbols in particular sequences.
Table Games
Online tabletop games are one of the primary categories where the content operates on random number generators (RNGs). In the real-life version of these games, cards need to be shuffled, wheels need to be spun, and dice need to be tossed. These functions are left to the RNGs to ensure random results on everything.
In these games, you’re playing against the house instead of against other players, so there aren’t any live feeds like you’d see with live dealer games. Instead, you can see the table along with the cards—you’re in the virtual setting of the online casino. You place your stakes digitally and can use a basic strategy to drive down the house edge just as you could in real-life hands of blackjack or poker.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer games are online casino games in which players can enjoy the company of a human dealer who handles the duties of the table, like shuffling cards or spinning the roulette wheel. Gamblers can see the dealer through a live video feed, and they place their bets virtually. To show that the video feed is occurring in real-time, dealers will have some live broadcast going on in the background behind them, like a news report on a TV screen.
Through the video feed, the players can interact with the dealer and sometimes other players. These games are suitable for those who like traditional table gameplay and feel better about the duties of the table being overseen by a human and not a computer program or algorithm. In live casino games, the bets are submitted digitally.
Backend Operations
Let’s examine the technical infrastructure supporting online casinos, also known as backend operations. We’ll explain this briefly and in layman’s terms.
Servers and Hosting
Reliable servers are the key to successfully hosting online casinos. What exactly do these servers do to improve the online casino experience? We’ll address the critical functions of this tech and how they keep things running smoothly.
- Load Balancing: Diverting traffic to multiple services ensures that one server isn’t overworked.
- Caching Strategies: Reducing the burden on databases by taking frequently accessed data and temporarily storing it.
- Microservices: The application gets split into smaller, more easily developed and deployed services.
- Cloud-Based Services: The ability to scale resources up or down in response to demand.
Security Measures
The top security measures that any reasonable, regulated casino app must carry include an encrypted connection, two-factor authentication, and firewall protection. If you’re choosing a casino app for the first time and they don’t meet these criteria, we’d suggest finding another platform that does!
SSL-Encryption
Players’ personal or financial information is never at risk of being shared with third parties or of getting into someone else’s hands. SSL encryption is the primary tool for doing this job. Anyone who might intercept the connection between the gambler and their online casino won’t get any private information because it is presented as a bunch of jumbled symbols and characters.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
An added layer of protection for online transactions is two-factor authentication, where gamblers provide two authentication factors during the login process. With this safeguard in place, you log into your account and send a secret code to your mobile device that you must send back. Some two-factor processes require you to answer a few more security questions when entering your login terms.
Firewall Protection
Firewalls are barriers that help keep online casino systems secure from unauthorized access. They control incoming and outgoing internet traffic as a barrier between the casino’s internal network and the Internet. They are almost like a home security system.
Payment Systems
A significant part of using an online casino is depositing money into your account for your casino game bets and collecting your winnings when your luck is firing on all cylinders. These are the payment systems, and they vary from one casino app to the next. However, each platform offers a large enough variety of deposit and withdrawal options where customers can find decent options that work for them.
Types of Deposit Methods
For the most part, you can deposit funds into your online casino account, and there’s no fee involved. You can typically get instant access to your funds, though some bank or wire transfers can take longer. Check out the most common deposit methods available at the best real money casino apps.
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
Credit Cards | Credit cards are usually offered as a deposit method only, forcing gamblers to choose another method for collecting their payouts. They’re one of the quickest ways to get money into your casino account, but they’re also the ones with the most direct link to your bank account, making them less than ideal if you struggle with going over your gambling budget. |
PayNearMe | This is strictly a deposit method, so you must collect your winnings using a different banking option. It’s a way to fund your online account using cash. Your online casino will let you print a barcode, which you can take to a participating retailer (drug stores or dollar stores). The cashier scans the barcode, and you can deposit cash into your online casino’s bank account. |
E-wallets | Venmo, Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal are all examples of e-wallets in regulated online casino apps. These digital online accounts are entirely separated from your regular banking account. You download funds into these accounts linked directly to your online casino. It’s the perfect banking option for sticking to a strict budget and not getting tempted to overspend. |
Play+ Card | Like e-wallets, the Play+ Card is in a separate online account away from your bank. This option is popular because the deposits are instant, and many online casinos offer this as an instant payout option, which isn’t so common because so many other options make you wait 48 hours or more. |
Withdrawal Processes
Let’s examine how you can securely collect your winnings. Some methods offer a quicker experience than others, but your ideal choice really depends on your banking preferences.
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
E-wallets | Just as you can deposit funds using e-wallets, you can use them to experience speedy payouts. They usually take 48 hours to process, which is pretty quick considering other banking methods. |
Play+ Card | The prepaid credit cards let gamblers get their money instantly at some online casinos, making this one of the better options if you want to collect your winnings ASAP. |
Collecting Cash at the Casino Cage | This is another instant payout method. However, you must physically go to a land casino to pick up the money you win playing casino games online. Walking or driving alone is one of the few ways to collect your money right away! |
Security and Fraud Prevention
All regulated casino apps must have security and fraud prevention programs to keep their licenses. They are held accountable for these actions via third-party audits from their licensees and the authorities of the jurisdiction where the casino app can operate.
Customer Support
Customer service is not an important factor in choosing the right online casino. Still, from personal experience, it’s the most important thing in the world when a pressing issue needs to be addressed. Good customer support is critical in solving problems quickly so you can get back into the game! Each help center will look different depending on which online casino you’re using, but each is highly effective at helping its customers resolve issues promptly.
Support Channels
Online casinos offer several ways to contact the customer service center. The options will differ from one app to the next, but they usually have at least two support channels, listed below.
Live Chat: This might be the best way to contact the support center quickly, but a human representative does not always staff it. Some live chat functions are designed where you can speak face-to-face with someone. However, many are staffed by a chatbot or remote representative who has an IM conversation with you in the small chat box in the screen’s lower right-hand corner. Most of the time, it’s a 24/7 contact option, making it one of the most popular choices for gamblers looking for solutions.
Phone: The direct phone line is another contact option that could be 24/7 access, but it all depends on which online casino you’re using. Sometimes, there are restrictions on when you can use the phone line. The hours could be limited to weekdays only and not include times during the night. It’s one of the quickest ways to chat up someone in the customer service department, but there’s also the chance you could be waiting on hold.
Email: Most online casinos have a direct email address where customers can send messages and get a response to their questions generally within 24 hours or less. Weekend hours could impact this, though. It’s not the fastest way to deal with problems, so it tends to be a lesser-used option.
Generic Contact Form: This option functions a lot like email, but instead of sending messages to the online casino’s direct email address, you write your message in a blank contact form and hit a “submit” button to send it automatically to the service center. The response times are about the same as contacting the help center via email.
FAQ Menus: An increasingly popular way to deal with problems, the handy FAQ menus in the help center are the perfect go-to for customers who want quick answers but don’t want to speak with someone over the phone or face-to-face. These common questions and answers are ideal for troubleshooting problems and doing so in a timely manner.
Common Issues and Resolutions
If you’re curious about the common issues customers face when using online casinos, you can find out quickly by simply browsing any FAQ page in the app’s customer service center. To give you a rough idea of what kind of questions you’ll find in the online casinos’ FAQ centers, we looked at the BetMGM Casino, which had several categories of question types and several questions under each category.
These are some examples of questions at BetMGM, but they don’t even scratch the surface of all the questions posted in that help center. These menus can be pretty extensive!
Account Verification
– What is account verification?
– How do I register?
– Why do I need to verify my account?
– How do I verify my account?
– What documents can I upload for account verification?
– How long does it take to verify my account?
– What if the online verification fails?
– Is it safe to upload my personal documents?
Deposit
– What payment methods can I use?
– How do I deposit using VIP Preferred?
– Why was my deposit declined?
– I had an error during the deposit process
– Why hasn’t my deposit been credited to my account yet?
– Why hasn’t my deposit bonus appeared yet?
– How do I set/change my deposit limits?
Casino
– Why won’t my game load?
– My game is unresponsive
– Are the games fair, random, and tested?
– Can I see the history of my casino games?
– What do I do if I’ve been disconnected during a casino game?
– I think something has gone wrong
– Where can I find the game rules?
Enjoy the Safest, Securest Casino Apps!
Understanding how online casinos work isn’t too complicated. We did our best to explain it using broad strokes so as not to weigh you down in techie jargon. There are many systems in place on the platforms to ensure fair play and keep gamblers’ private data completely secure!
For more information on the inner workings of online casinos, check out our Online Casino Guide for more detailed information and tips.