Are Mac Users Ignored in the Online Casino Industry?

There is no doubt that Windows systems make up the largest number of users.  May 2010 statistics show 88.3% of operating systems run some variation of Windows, 4.5% run Linux and 6.7% use a Mac system.  The leftover 0.5% run another type of operating system.  When looking at online casinos, most offer a download version that is only Windows compatible.  Flash based, instant play games are sometimes also provided and will likely be accessible to Mac and Linux users but it is typically not guaranteed.  Plus, the instant play games do not include all titles.

Download casino software versus instant play games

There are some online casinos that require no software to be downloaded for play.  However, the vast majority of online casinos require a download in order to play their full spectrum of games.  These downloadable casinos invariably support only Windows systems.  Most online casinos that provide a download version of their casino, though, also offer an additional instant play, no download required version of their games.  

These are primarily designed for those who are gambling using computers they do not own and the assumption is that the majority using the instant play option also are using a windows platform.  While they are Flash based and most Mac and Linux users can access them, they may also have some problems on occasion.  The may advertise that the instant play versions are Mac and Linux compatible but support is not guaranteed for those operating systems.  Additionally, only a sampling of the titles provided in the download version is available via the Flash program.  

Why should online casinos bother being Mac and Linux compatible?

Clearly Windows is the prevalent operating system comprising nearly 90% of all users.  When looking at percentages it may seem like there are way too few people using Linux or Mac to bother making sites accessible to them if it requires additional work or coding.  But this logic breaks down somewhat when you consider the loss of income online casinos may suffer by not catering to these users.  

There are over 115 billion adults over the age of 18 in the United States.  In the UK there are over 42 billion adults over the age of 18.  It is estimated that 2/3 of the adult population makes at least one bet each year.  Between the UK and the US this is over 100 billion people annually.  Of this, over 11% use either a Mac or Linux system totalling over 11 billion people.  If 11 billion people wagered a mere penny, the online casinos that do not cater to Mac and Linux users stand to lose over $110,000.  But really, who only wagers a cent?  The online casino industry stands to lose much more than that if they continue to ignore the needs of Linux and Mac users.

Do any sites offer Linux and Mac support?

The good news is that many online casinos are starting to realize that there is a huge segment of the population that is untapped.  So, they are either making their Flash based games more robust or recoding areas so that non Windows users have better access.  Many newer online casinos that launched in the last few years have Mac compatible systems or are about to launch Mac compatible systems.  While many casinos still do not cater to Mac and Linux users, the good news is that more are starting to realiz the importance of becoming Mac and Linux compatible.

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About the author

Simon Mathews is the author of this article on UK Casinos Online. Find more information about Betfred Casino Review here.

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