Internetcasino
Basic facts about Online Casino
An internet casino, also known as an online casino or virtual casino, is an Internet version of traditional casinos. An internet casino allows players to bet on gambling through the internet.
The entire internet casino market in Sweden was estimated to have sales of SEK 3 billion as early as 2003, and globally, the corresponding turnover was estimated at just over US $ 35 billion. Growth has continued to be strong, not least because the gaming industry has converged with other industries.
How an online casino functions
Internet casinos usually offer players similar odds to their land-based counterparts. In the listed companies annual reports, you can find statistics on the average payout percentage for the players. .
These companies use random number generators to ensure that the numbers, playing cards, or dice values appear random. Online casinos usually publish certificates on their web sites from independent companies that have tested the random number generator to be reliable and not tampered with.
Many online casinos are also licensed in some countries, such as Malta, Gibraltar and Alderney, where the regulators in each country have regulations that apply to the online casino and a licensing authority that checks and inspects that the games are fair.
Many games in a regular land-based casino use the same technology and are controlled by the corresponding regulatory authorities like the Internet casino. The regulators are usually then located in the same country where the casino is located, while for an internet casino based in Europe it is relatively common for the regulator to be located in Malta, Gibraltar or Alderney.
Some Swedish gaming companies, such as Rizk, thus have their headquarters outside Sweden but turn to the Swedish gaming market.
Internet casinos can be grouped into three categories depending on their user interface:
Web-based casinos
These are casinos where the player can play the casino games without having to download software on the computer. The games are usually developed in Macromedia Flash, but there are also games developed in Macromedia Shockwave or Java, and requires the browser to support them. It is also good not to have bandwidth, as all graphics, sound and animation must be downloaded over the web. The games are usually one or a few MB heavy. Some casinos also allow gaming through a simple HTML interface.
Downloadable casinos
These require the player to download software and install it on his computer. The software then communicates with the casino servers without having to use a browser. This software is generally faster than it's web-based counterpart since graphics, sounds and animations are already in place and do not need to be downloaded from the Internet. On the other hand, the first download and installation of the software takes a long time, and binds the player to a computer. As with all downloaded software from the Internet, there is also the risk that the casino software may contain malware.
Live Casinos
Live casinos are a way to participate in a land-based casino from home. New advances in communication technology allow players to follow and participate in the game in real time at a gaming table in a real casino with a human (usually female) dealer. These live casinos are usually custom-built casinos located in a studio from where the broadcasts are conducted. The two biggest players when it comes to live casinos are Netent and Evolution Gaming. Both Netent and Evolution Gaming have their offices in Malta.