Before you start with your online gambling foray you must ensure that you have a decent computer. At times it can be a nightmare to wade through the cyber gaming world especially if you are not familiar with it. Ask yourself a couple of questions before you start playing online. Is the software of the site safe to download? What is Java? In the event of malware will my computer be able to get rid of unwanted viruses?

We have outlined some of the basic necessities that you must follow to ensure that your online gambling endeavours is not only an entertaining one but a memorable one too.

Proper Hardware

Before you start with your online gambling endeavours your computer must be equipped with the latest antivirus and spyware. If your computer is more than five years old chances are pretty slim that it won’t be compatible with the latest antivirus programs. Most online gambling sites provide a list of the minimum requirements needed to handle their software. This information can be found on the site’s ”Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) section. Here is a list of the minimum system requirements:

  • Windows 7 or higher
  • Pentium 500 MHz or higher
  • 48MB RAM
  • 4 MB video card with 32-bit colour (800×600 or higher)
  • DirectX 7 or higher
  • Macromedia Flash Player 5
  • 35 MB hard drive space.

In addition to these requirements, you will also need an Internet browser such as Microsoft Explorer, Google Chrome, Opera, or Safari. For Macintosh users online gambling can be quite a complicated issue. The software of the casino is available to Mac users through the ‘no download’ whose formats include Flash or Java.

Gaming Software

Once your computer meets the minimum requirements. The next step in turning your computer into a casino, poker room is to install the gambling software onto your system. This software contains all the information needed to allow you to gamble via your computer.  Where can this software be found? It’s simple really, just pick a site. All online gambling sites offer their software for free. Players only need to visit the site, click on the correct link (such as ”Download Casino”) and follow the onscreen instructions. The latter will instruct you on how to properly install the internet casino’s software onto your computer.

Software Options

Just as there are different types of sites and different types of game genres, there are different types of software platforms. The software of the online casino can be played in either the downloadable or Flash platform. Let’s take a brief look at the pros and cons of each.

Downloadable Platforms

This is the original gambling software. Downloadable gaming platforms compelled customers to visit the site and download the entire software package from the casino’s server onto their own computer. More often than not these packages were bulky, typically running as high as 15MB  since they contained all the data required to play each game in the casino. Not only were these files too big but it nearly took an hour to download the entire software package!

As technology became more advanced the downloadable software package installation become more streamlined. It allowed players to download only the basic casino components with additional downloads later.

For example, a player can now quickly load the casino’s basic software package. It consists of 4MB and contains general casino images and only a few basic games such as blackjack, slots and a video pokers. Once the casino shell is downloaded onto your computer, you can now log on to the site and start wagering. If you want to install additional games later, simply select which ones you want and download them individually by clicking on a link from the original software package.

This method for installing the casino software is essential especially for the “larger” sites that have more than 400 casino games. It allows players to selectively add games and to start playing immediately without any loss of time.

Flash Platforms

Flash technology is regarded by many as the latest innovation in online gambling software. It enables players to start playing without the need for lengthy software downloads. However, while JAVA software sometimes has graphical limitations, Flash uses streaming technology to create a very realistic, hassle-free gambling experience. The only real drawback to the player who uses this platform is the need to download the Flash plug-ins. This is the software needed to run this program. The plug-ins are easy to download and updates automatically once it is installed onto your computer.

However, it is up to you to decide which format suits you best. The good news is many casinos are now offering both options to their customers. Some players prefer the downloadable software whilst others prefer the Flash format. We must point out that the download software offers more stability and superior graphics. When a player downloads a site’s software they are more likely to return to that site which enables them to earn more comp points over a period of time.

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