Linux Slots Sites
Over the past decade or so, Linux has become extremely popular in the open source community. There are a number of great operating systems that can be run in Linux, most of which offer a great mix of accessibility for users and power for programmers and developers. And while many people worry that using Linux means you won’t have access to many of the great programs available to Windows or Mac users, there are actually plenty of ways to get around that problem. This is just as true in the online casino world, where Linux users can play online slots just like anyone else.
Can Linux Users Play Online Slots?
The answer to this is an emphatic yes: Linux users can play online slots, and can do so nearly as easily as any other computer user. To be sure, online casinos definitely favor windows users when it comes to the amount of time they spend developing clients and adding new features. In fact, few (if any) casino site offer clients that were actually designed for use in Linux systems. That said, there are a number of ways to work around this fact and enjoy a great online casino experience on your Linux machine.
How to Play Linux Slots
There are essentially two types of online casino programs, either of which can be used to play slot machines on a Linux computer. The first is the “instant play” casino, which can be played directly from your web browser. The other option is to use a downloadable casino client, one that was likely developed for Windows. Both of these options have certain advantages and difficulties, which we’ll discuss below.
No Download Linux Slots
The simplest option for playing slots on a Linux OS is the no download, browser-based casino. Today, almost all casinos offer players the option of playing games directly from the casino website, usually through a Flash or Java interface. Because these games are played directly in your web browser, the operating system you use is virtually irrelevant to your ability to use these sites; whether you choose to use Windows, a Mac, Linux, or some more exotic OS, these sites will be available to you. The only requirement is that your browser software is up to date and can handle Flash (or whatever system the site uses to host its games).
The obvious advantage to playing this way is simplicity. Any Linux user can just hop online and play slots or other casino games without needing to install special software or worry about compatibility issues. In addition, an instant play casino can be used from anywhere; if you have a Linux system at work, for instance, and just want to spin the reels a few times while you’re on your lunch break, you can do so without having to download anything you wouldn’t want to put on your work computer.
The only downside to these browser-based casinos is the fact that some do not carry the full range of games offered by their casinos. For instance, some sites only carry a limited number of gaming options through the instant play version of their software, while the downloadable client has the full selection. However, this is becoming less of an issue every year, as more and more games are added to online casino sites. A few sites have even eliminated download casinos entirely, switching over to offering their entire line of casino games through their browser-based casinos.
Using Windows Casino Clients in Linux
Another option available to Linux players is to use a downloadable casino client. The obvious complication here is that almost all downloadable clients are designed for use on Windows systems. This means that using one of these clients isn’t as simple as installing the software and starting to play.
Luckily, Linux users can use a piece of software called Wine in order to emulate a Windows environment inside of their OS. This method isn’t foolproof; some Windows programs don’t work at all through Wine, while others only have limited functionality. However, most online casino software programs seem to work well in the Wine interface, losing little or no functionality while running in Wine.
The advantage to using a downloadable casino client through Wine is that you’re likely to gain access to a wider variety of games than you would see in a no-download casino. If having the complete selection (as well as having the earliest access to new games) is important to you, it may be worth going through the trouble of getting a client to work on your Linux OS to do so.
However, this method is a little bit more complex than just using an instant play casino. While setting up Wine isn’t difficult, you may need to play around with settings for a bit before getting your casino client to function properly. If that sounds a bit intimidating to you, it may be best to just log into a browser-based casino site instead.
