Online Slot Machines for Macintosh Owners
Why do you need a page covering Mac slots?
Are Mac slot machines different than other online casino slots?
Mac is short for Macintosh, the company that is also called Apple by many. Though Mac computers don’t have the market share that Windows based computers have, the users they do have are overly loyal and most wouldn’t consider using anything else.
The company also has a strong foothold in the mobile market with their popular iPhone and iPad products.
The reason a Mac slots page is needed is because not all online casinos are Mac friendly and just because you can play using a Windows computer doesn’t mean you can play using a Mac.
To answer the second question, the slot machines you play on your Mac are usually the same ones played by Windows users. The slots game designers come up with the game and (hopefully) make it available to both Mac and non Mac users.
Best Mac-Compatible Online Casinos
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Most of this page covers slots you can play on Mac computers in your home. A desk top or lap top computer qualifies.
I don’t cover slots for iPads and iPhones because they qualify as mobile casino gaming and most people don’t think of them as the same as Mac slots in your home. However, most of the solutions I discuss below also work on iPads and iPhones using the browser instead of an app. The games might be smaller than using a lap top or regular computer, but they’ll often still be playable.
Windows Emulator
Mac users have a healthy mix of software applications they can use, but sometimes they need to use a Windows based software platform. When there’s no other way around the problem a Mac user can use a Windows emulator.
I’m far from an expert, but in simple terms a Windows emulator runs a program that acts like Windows within the Mac structure.
You then run whatever software you need to use that’s designed for Windows systems through the Windows emulator on the Mac.
In theory this sounds like a great way to access programs you wouldn’t otherwise be able to use, like online casino slots.
I’ve been told by more than one Mac user that emulators can have glitches and don’t always offer a stable environment. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want anything funny happening while I’m playing online slots for real money.
Popular emulator software packages include Parallels, Virtual PC for Mac, Virtual Box, VMware Fusion, and Cross Over Mac. (This list is not one I update so depending on how long it’s been between publishing and when you read this be aware the list may be outdated. It offers a place to start your search if you need an emulator program.)
Flash Slots
Flash is the name used for a computer program that doesn’t have to be downloaded to your computer. I’m not sure if the original flash name was supposed to be used in this way, but computer users from around the world started calling any game that could be played without downloading a flash game and the term stuck. It’s still used today.
Mac users are able to play slots offered on a flash platform because they don’t have to worry about the software download (because there isn’t one) being compatible with their operating system.
Browser Based
Browser based slots are the same as flash slots for purposes of online casino players. I’m sure you can find experts who can describe the different types of flash and browser based game technology, but all I really care about is if I can play slots on my computer or not.
Any game that loads and can be played in the Internet browser you’re using without downloading any software is a browser based game.
No Download Slots
No download slots are any that can be played without downloading a software platform. Both flash and browser based slots, discussed above, are example of no download technology.
Most software companies that develop downloadable slots platforms only build hem for Windows based machines. When they want to access the Mac market they build no download solutions instead of creating download applications that work with the Mac operating system.
More online casinos are launching no download only platforms because they offer the largest user base.
The downside to no download slots platforms in the past was they required a faster Internet connection than many players had. At one time the majority of Internet connections were by dial up which could create issues for no download applications. Now more users have access to broadband or other types of high speed Internet so they can play no download slots.
How to Find
The easiest way to find Mac slots is by following recommendations from trusted web sites like this one.
You can also check the main page of any casino where you’re considering playing. Any casino that has a no download, flash, or browser based version of their software is a place you should be able to play Mac slots.
Look on the home page of any online casino offering slot machines for information about their software. Many online gambling businesses offer both a download and no download option. If you don’t see any details on the home page send a message to the support department.
Another thing you can do is ask your friends who play slots online where they play. The community of Mac users tends to be fairly tight, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a few that play slots.
Conclusion
Though the computer world has been dominated by Windows based machines for years, Macintosh has a loyal base of users and they hold enough market share to cause online casino operators to take notice. More and more options are opening up for Mac users every day.
Instead of Mac users being treated as an afterthought by online slots providers in the past, now it’s rare for a casino to open without support for Macintosh players. As long as Mac users represent enough profit potential the online casinos will keep offering solutions for them.