Other Software Providers
List of CasinosWhy Online Casinos Use Certain Software? Casinos that do not use one of the established software manufacturing companies are automatically at a disadvantage. Most of the successful online casinos do not develop their own software. Firstly, the main players in the software developing industry have been around for about a decade. This may not seem like a long time compared with other corporations, but one must be cognisant of the fact that the e-commerce market is very young and therefore ten years worth of experience is veteran status.
Because this industry has exploded in its growth, the rate of change is also huge. This means that companies who wish to stay ahead of their competitors need to invest millions of dollars in doing so. The companies that survived the dot com crash are the ones who took the risks, put in the capital and weathered the storm. These companies also head hunt the best software developers to ensure that they always remain ahead of the competition.
Limited Choice Means a Monopoly. The fact remains that there are not that many online gaming software developers to choose from and those that are on top command and monopolize the market. Due to the fact that the online casinos run off this software, there is no logical reason to develop their own. The software offered is a complete package and takes care of all administrative and back-end solutions.
With the billions of dollars spent by software development companies to keep re-inventing themselves, it is the online casinos who are sitting pretty by jumping on this bandwagon. Many of the more savvy online gamblers are now choosing their online casinos based on the software it runs as opposed to the actual casino itself. There is very little to differentiate online casinos. They all offer similar games with similar odds. When an online gambler parts with his or her credit card details, that person wants to make sure that the software collecting this data is safe from foul play.
It has reached a stage where the major software companies can be fussy as to which online casinos they want to be associated with. It is not the case that they are jostling for business as the amount of online casinos exponentially exceeds the reputable software companies. Many online casino owners do not know the first thing about gambling but have the capital entrepreneurial expertise to run a successful business. The software available means that once the online casino has been established, only the basic marketing principles of advertising, customer service and public relations need to be applied in order for it to be a success. The software provides everything else from data capturing to billings and customer support. As previously stated, it is a complete package.
Smaller Companies Trying to Get Into the Market. This has not made it any easier for smaller software developers to enter the game. Not only do they not have the capital might of the established companies but they do not have the experience. Although they may come with novelty innovations, the online casinos want to make money. Nothing more. Nothing less. If the current customer base is satisfied with the product offering then the old saying applies: If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.
The larger software developers are also associated with the major players in the regulation of online gambling. Having the expertise and financial clout, these companies are able to not only comply with new regulation, but sway regulation in a way where software changes are always necessary to meet new industry standards. These software changes cost millions. However, these companies can afford this capital outlay as it results in new players not being able to get a foot into the market. Many independent bodies also refuse to accredit online casinos unless they are running one of the major software packages.
A Curveball. When a UK-based gaming company recently announced that it would be using the lesser-known Canadian-based Chartwell Technology to power their new online casinos, there was a slight ripple through the software market. Although this will make little dent in the major players’ coffers, there was a slight uneasiness. This uneasiness was probably a result of complacency. The reasons for Chartwell Technology’s appointment was due to the fact that many gamers are not looking for something new as there is little to differentiate between the major online casinos’ product offerings. The GetMintedMax online casino now enjoys a customer base of over 300,000 and this is still growing.
This may be an exception to the rule. It may be a sign of things to come, with online gamblers demanding a change in the way things are done. The fact remains that with the monopolizing effect of the larger players, newer companies can not compete on the same playing field. They will have to be innovative and completely revolutionary to succeed.
