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The online casino industry is in the ascendant, gaining traction in every market that embraces it and generating healthy tax revenues as a result.
There are many factors which contribute to the success of web-based gambling sites, from the tried and tested popularity of land-based casinos from which they take inspiration, to the broader success of online gaming as a whole.
Software developers also deserve their share of the credit, so let’s look at the different areas that professionals in this field influence in an online casino context.
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Adapting existing games for the digital world
If you strip away all of the technology, the core principles of online casinos are basically the same as those that fuel their bricks and mortar counterparts. They are based on games of chance which have been around for centuries, and so software developers have a firm foundation on which to base their work.
Of course this comes with its own challenges, as for well known and established casino games like blackjack and poker, you already have a target audience that knows how the experience should feel. And with blackjack basic strategy for new players isn’t too tough to get to grips with, so if developers aren’t on-point with their creative efforts, they could fall flat.
Thankfully, it’s apparent from the record-breaking amounts wagered on casino sites that the audience is completely convinced by the adaptations of classic games. That is not to say that every site gets it right, but there’s enough competition out there to create quality experiences for the discerning gambler.
Recreating randomness
Another essential part played by software developers when adapting casino games for the internet is replicating the randomness that is key to the thrills and spills of the land-based casinos we know and love.
This is where random number generation (RNG) comes into play. Complex Algorithms operating under the surface of even seemingly simple games like slots are crucial to ensuring that every outcome is as close to truly random as is possible with software.
What is more, these aspects are evolving all the time, and there is a fine balance to be struck between giving the player an opportunity to win, while still ensuring that the game brings in enough money for the operator to make it profitable.
This is why progressive slots in particular are able to offer such huge jackpots. While the payout might run into the millions of dollars, the odds and the RNG are adjusted in such a way that they won’t leave the casino site out of pocket.
Randomness is also partly related to guaranteeing fairness in online casinos. Developers are never permitted to fix games so that they are impossible to win; regulations forbid this. As such, generating random outcomes reliably is how players are always given a chance to win, no matter how slim the odds.
Optimizing for mobiles
In the early days of online casinos, players had no choice but to use a desktop or laptop device to access gambling sites. With the rise of smartphone technology, the importance of mobile optimization became apparent, and online casinos were among the first to catch onto this trend.
Software developers were once again at the heart of the process of both adapting existing games to run on portable handsets, and also of making the sites and services that surround them adaptable and responsive, so that they looked good on screens of all sizes.
Today, we have moved towards a mobile-first approach to software development, although desktop hardware is still popular enough to necessitate this remaining a consideration during the development process.
Ensuring security
Another behind-the-scenes aspect of the work that software developers do for online casinos is implementing adequate security to protect players from exploitation, and also to fix vulnerabilities as and when they are detected.
Leveraging encryption and keeping player data safe from malicious third parties is part and parcel of this process, and reflects wider trends in software development that have been necessitated by the growing cyber threats that are out there right now.
Final thoughts
They might not grab the headlines or earn accolades that the general public are aware of, but software developers are a crucial part of the online casino puzzle, especially in light of just how much success it has enjoyed recently.
Going forward, they will continue to innovate in their work, with improved graphics and new ways to play, while also focusing on elements like the user experience.
