With the explosion of interest in online gambling, companies have developed all kinds of online casino software to make the playing experience more like a brick-and-mortar casino. The science of online gaming has reached a level where there's nothing you can do in a live casino that you can't do in the online version.

Several companies are famous for their casino software. Microgaming, CrytpoLogic, Playtech and Realtime Gaming are the big four online casino software companies. Proprietary Software and Boss Media are also famous competitors. You will find that most online casinos use software from one of these operators.

That being said, I have seen a list of over 110 reputable software vendors. Casino software has become a huge industry, with many fine companies selling their product to online casinos.

Of course, the whole idea of online casino software is that you don't notice it. You should be able to sit down at your computer and play your favorite game as if you were sitting down at a blackjack table at The Bellagio. With the many innovations of the past ten years, online casinos allow you to do that.

The various options might be confusing to someone new to online gambling. Terms like "browser-based", "Java" and "downloadable" might have no meaning to you. So here is a quick tutorial on the basics of casino software so you can find a safe casino online.

Online Casinos

This is software which allows you to play online without downloading game software. You simply play the game in your browser. Players still on dial-up won't be able to use this browser-based option, because the sound and graphics interfaces require bandwidth.

Gamers who simply don't like waiting to download something to their computer for any reason might prefer this. The list of games are the same whether you use the web-based or the downloadable option.

The first successful web-based software was Java. These days, software like Macromedia Flash and Macromedia Shockwave are available.

Download-Based Casinos

This option requires you to download software to your computer before play begin. Once you have the software, you are free of the connection to a web software. This means that game play is a little faster and more efficient.

The graphics, sounds and animations also run better through the downloaded software. Whether that is important to you is entirely a matter of preference. Of course, if you are still on dial-up, this is the only option available to you.

Live Online Casino Games

The downloaded software is perfect for non-interactive games like online slots, video poker and roulette. For players who enjoy interacting with a dealer, though, there is a new generation of software which allows for real time interaction.

This is called the live-based casino. The connection is so fast that you can see the dealer while they deal your hand. You can send the messages which he or she replies to in real time.

Most of the time, the dealers are attractive young women. I've seen a few examples where these attractive live dealers perform their duties free of such constraints as clothing.

Linked Games

Networked games became a fixture in live casinos during the nineties. The concept came from the invention of the worldwide web. The idea was that you could link the jackpot of a whole row of slot machines, for instance. Every time someone played a machine and didn't win the jackpot, the size of the jackpot would grow or progress. This became known as the progressive jackpot.

Soon, games in different casinos or even different states were linked. Once this became possible, it was possible for progressive jackpots to grow into the six and seven figures. This is no different with online casino software. In fact, with the software powering games in every corner of the world, the jackpots associated with networked games are every bit as big as you will find in any live casino.

So if you see phrases like "networked games" or "linked games", you will know you have a chance at a big progressive jackpot.