Ever wondered what the actual difference between one online casinos software provider
            and another really is? In years gone by there were considerable differences between the various
            competitors and these usually came down to whether they offered both a flash and download version of
            their casinos, and how big the download packages were.
            These days, thanks to technological advancements and increasing internet connectivity none of these
            issues are a concern. So what is? And is there any difference where you play? In this article we’ll
            examine the answers to this interesting question.
            However, it is important to note that when it comes to online and mobile casinos there are software
            providers and then there are software providers. The top providers include names like Microgaming,
            Playtech and Net Entertainment (NetEnt) and for the purpose of this
            article, they will be the only properties we discuss as they are widely accepted as the only reputable
            providers within the industry at present.
            For the most part, there is very little difference between these software giants, and the only ones
            you’ll find are in the following areas:
            Game Selection & Features
            One of the main differences you’ll find between software providers is the selection of casino
            games that they offer. While all of the above offer the traditional slots and tables games
            you’d expect they have very different titles. Some groups have licenses from various Entertainment
            franchises to use their titles in their slots, for example
            Microgaming
                has licenses for Batman: The Dark Knight, Jurassic Park & World, Terminator, and
            Bridesmaids, NetEnt holds licenses from Guns N’ Roses, Hendrix Entertainment (for their Jimi Hendrix)
            slot and also other major titles like Monopoly. Playtech was always home to Marvel slots, although after
            Disney acquired this brand, no online gaming licenses were renewed, still the software giant has a
            variety of titles like Ace Ventura and Top Gun to name a few.
            The game appearances and features also differ according to the software provider and
            you’ll often find certain features are trademarked to ensure that they cannot be copied by the
            competition. For example, Microgaming has Cinematic Spins in games like Batman: The
            Dark Knight which features clips from the movie as you play, while NetEnt has “Falling
            Reels” which can be seen in their Gonzo’s Quest Slot.
            The Auto Play functions in games also differ between the providers in terms of how much you can control
            in the game and how these functions then play the game on your behalf.
            When it comes to slots, NetEnt has broken out with the best offerings of late, and is followed by
            Microgaming and Playtech respectively. In terms of table games there is not that much difference between
            the three.
            Variance & Payout Rates
            Variance and payout rates also differ between the providers, for
            example, the same game variant of say Classic Blackjack can have very different returns at the different
            providers. At Microgaming the theoretical RTP is 99.89% on their Gold version, Net Ent’s Classic Touch
            Blackjack has a 99.55% return and Playtech’s Standard Blackjack game has a 99.51% payout.
            When it comes to slots variances depend on the machine you choose to play and using the overall payout
            percentage is not really a true reflection of what the individual player can expect when playing
            here.
            Jackpot Payouts
            When it comes to progressive jackpots, both Microgaming and NetEnt pay their winners in
            a single lump sum. Playtech on the other hand pays their jackpots in instalments over a number of months
            or years (depending on the size of the payout), although there are a few exceptions, like if the
            Playtech casino is also a UK facing sportsbook they will pay a lump sum. Still it’s something to bear in
            mind.
            Other than these few subtle differences, there is not much difference between the safety, security and
            quality of the top provider’s offerings. All offer online and mobile versions of their casinos and a
            high quality game play experience.