Ever wondered if there are any real differences between the various online gaming software providers? In the past, different competitor services had considerable differences that generally came down to if they provided both download and flash versions and the size of the download packages.
Today, due to increased internet usage, connectivity, and technological advancements, these issues are no longer a concern. So where are the differences if any and what does it matter where you play? This article examines some major software providers to try and answer this question.
When it comes to mobile and online casinos, there are casino owners, and then there are the companies that provide the software the casinos run on. Net Entertainment (NetEnt) and Microgaming are some of the big names in the casino software industry. These are the companies used for the purpose of this discussion as they are widely known to be the most reputable currently.
There are no big differences that can be observed between the two casino game software giants. But there exists a few which can be found in the following areas:
Game Features & Selection
One difference that can be observed between these two software companies is the casino games selection that they provide. While they both offer the traditional tables and slot games, anyone would expect the games to have different titles. Some software providers acquire licenses from entertainment franchises so as to use their titles for the slots. For instance, Microgaming has a permit to use the title Batman: The Dark Knight for its games. It also holds other licenses to use Terminator, Jurassic Park & World, and Bridesmaids. Similarly, NetEnt has licenses from Hendrix Entertainment (for the Jimi Hendrix) slot, Guns N’ Roses, Monopoly, among the other main titles. Marvel slots were always associated with Playtech, but after the brand was acquired by Disney, no licenses for online gaming have been renewed so far. Still, this software giant also has titles such as Top Gun and Ace Ventura just to name but a few.
Some game features, as well as appearances, also vary depending on the software company and it is common to find some features acting as trademarks as a way of making sure that the competition does not copy. For instance, Microgaming features cinematic spins for games such as Batman: The Dark Knight and shows clips of the movie as a player continues playing. NetEnt features “Falling Reels” that can be seen in the Gonzo’s Quest Slot.
The games auto play functions are also different in that they offer different levels of how a user can control a game and the way the auto play functions play the game on behalf of the gamer.
In slots, NetEnt is said to have broken out to offer the best in recent times, and then followed by Microgaming software and Playtech respectively. There is little to no difference in table games between all the three gaming software giants.
Variance & Payout Rates
Payout rates and variance are also different between these providers, for instance, an identical game variant of for example Classic Blackjack may have varying returns for different providers. NetEnt’s Touch Blackjack gives a 99.55% return while Playtech’s Standard Blackjack has 99.51 payout. The theoretical RTP in Microgaming is 99.89% on the gold version.
In the case of slots, variances rely on your choice of machine for play and the use of overall payout percentage cannot be a real reflection of a player’s expectation when playing.
Jackpot Payouts
Both NetEnt and Microgaming pay their progressive jackpot winners in one lump sum payment. On the other hand, Playtech pays its jackpot winners in installments over time depending on the jackpot size, but there are some exceptions. It is, however, good to have this fact in mind.
These are the distinct differences that these online gaming software providers have. These differences are the same you are likely to encounter from other gaming providers that are not discussed here. Other than the few listed differences, there exists no much difference as far as security, safety, and quantity is concerned for these top providers. The mentioned casino software providers all offer mobile and online casino versions of high quality and exciting gameplay experience.
