The world of online gambling, which has now grown to be a $100 billion a year industry, might seem like it strictly runs on software. After all, there are no high-grade specs required to play online slot games, nor do you need controllers or headsets to play (although these can enhance the experience for some players).
However, the online casino industry requires some top-of-the-line hardware to function, while players themselves will also need to meet certain hardware requirements before they can play real money games. Check out our two-minute explainer on hardware in online casino gaming.
What hardware do online casinos use?
First off, it’s worth looking into the hardware that online casinos use to run their sites securely and offer popular real money games to players around the world.
One of the most important things in this regard is physical server technology. If we look at the slots online at a major provider such as Betfair, for instance, we see that many of the slots are provided by server-based gaming technology companies such as Inspired Gaming.
By storing slots on dedicated servers, games can be tweaked and controlled from a central location, so that the casino can better meet the needs and expectations of customers.
Meanwhile, casinos also make use of extensive camera and streaming equipment for the live casino games, as well as high-speed router technology to ensure that anyone around the world can enjoy HD casino games in real-time.
What hardware do online gamblers need?
If you’re an online gambling fan and wish to try out real money platforms for the first time, you might want to do a hardware rundown before you create your casino account. Fortunately, most online casino games have low-spec requirements, with even live casino games now available to play via a smartphone browser, without the need to download a dedicated app.
Nonetheless, you will need a solid internet connection no matter the quality of your device. You can always check your internet speeds to see if your current hardware offers enough bandwidth for HD live casino gaming if that’s what you’re interested in. When it comes to your computer, your hardware requirements will not be too high.
You should have a quad-core processor at the very least or a Mac with an M1 chip or Core i5 Processor or higher. This will enable the vast majority of online casino gameplay. Meanwhile, a mere 4GB of RAM will pretty much guarantee smooth gameplay for most casino games, including 3D video slots.
When it comes to graphics cards, there is no graphics card on the market today that is not powerful enough to run any online casino game you will encounter, so you are probably good to go on that front. Finally, a solid-state drive (SSD) should take care of all of your casino game processing needs.
Software gets a lot of attention in the online casino world, but hardware also plays a crucial role. Check that your device meets these specs before you play your first online real money games.
