Recommended Downloadable Casinos
Download casinos were the original software platform developed by online casinos to play their games and in many ways they still offer the best gaming experience over their no-download cousins when given a choice, offering a more comprehensive game selection and marginally superior graphics. See our list of the best download casinos in the table below
LeoVegas
Bank Wire Transfer accepted
InstaDebit accepted
Interac accepted
MasterCard Credit accepted
PayPal accepted
Paysafecard accepted
Visa Credit accepted
Visa Debit accepted
Neosurf accepted
iDebit accepted
MuchBetter accepted
MasterCard Debit accepted
Apple Pay accepted
- Games 4999
- Payout Pending time: 1-5 business days; Processing time: up to 5 business days;
- Wagering req. 20
Royal Panda
Bank Wire Transfer accepted
Interac accepted
Maestro accepted
MasterCard Credit accepted
Paysafecard accepted
Visa Credit accepted
Neosurf accepted
Payz accepted
iDebit accepted
MuchBetter accepted
MasterCard Debit accepted
Apple Pay accepted
- Games 4679
- Payout 1-5 business days
- Wagering req. 20
Rooster.bet Casino
Bank Wire Transfer accepted
Interac accepted
Maestro accepted
MasterCard Credit accepted
Paysafecard accepted
Visa Credit accepted
Visa Debit accepted
Neosurf accepted
Payz accepted
iDebit accepted
Bitcoin accepted
Litecoin accepted
Ethereum accepted
Bitcoin Cash accepted
Dogecoin accepted
MuchBetter accepted
Ripple accepted
Tether accepted
TRON accepted
MasterCard Debit accepted
MiFinity accepted
Cardano accepted
- Games 6288
- Payout KYC: up to 72 hours; Pending time: 0-24 hours; E-wallets: Instant; Bank Transfer: 3-10 business days;
- Wagering req. 40xB
What are download casinos?
Downloadable casinos are as the name suggests casinos that you download to your personal computer. After following the download process the casino software is installed onto your hard disk, with a shortcut icon then placed on your desktop. From then you just need to click on the desktop icon to play on the casino, you don’t need to return to the website of the casino itself.
What are the advantages of playing at a download casino?
Despite the development and increase in popularity of flash/no-download casinos there’s still a number of advantages to playing at a desktop casino when the casino offers both options.
1) Superior collection of games: The selection of games available via download casino software is generally greater than via flash casino. Normally download casinos have at least 1/3 more games than their no download counterparts. There are two main reasons for this i) desktop casinos were the first platform so flash casinos are still playing ‘catch up’ ii) cost to casinos of providing games in flash or java format.
2) Better Graphics: The software on download casinos can support non-vector graphics which create much sharper graphics than the vector form on flash casinos. The difference may not be so important when playing blackjack or a simple 3 reel slot – but if video slots are your thing then won’t be getting the full gaming experience when playing The Dark Knight and other 5 reels with cut-away movie scenes.
3) Tournament Participation: Often slots and other game tournaments are only offered or can be played via the desktop platform
4) Live casino games: To play on a casino’s live casino i.e. against real life dealers via video streaming technology you will normally have to do so via the download platform. For example Playtech casinos such as Casino.com which are known for their great live casino can only be played via their download casino
5) Free to download: A common misconception is that you have to pay to download casino software, but all download casino games are free, after all the casino wants you to deposit and play why would they put a barrier in the way by charging?
6) More reliable software: Generally there are less disruptions and more in the way of recovery options with download casino games compared to flash casino games
How do you download a casino?
It’s a very simple process to download casino games, below is a representative download process.
1) On the homepage and other pages of the casino website you’ll see a button labeled ‘Download’ or similar words distinguishing that platform from the flash or instant play casino
2) Click the button and a button for the exe file or another button such as show here for Spin Palace’s download casino will show
3) Click the .exe file button to start downloading the software
4) Follow all the prompts and click the check-box to agree to the casino’s terms and conditions if prompted to do so
5) The download process will continue, lasting between 2-3 minutes. Many casino download software will show how far in the process is left
6) When completed a shortcut icon will be created in your desktop from where you can access the casino
Are download casinos becoming obsolete?
The gaming landscape has changed significantly since the first casinos like 888 came out onto the market. In fact, the very same company, 888 holdings, launched their new and exciting 777 casino in 2016 without a downloadable version. Most casinos are now browser instant play based with HTML5 technology which is also apt for mobile devices (or at the very least, Flash, which is not mobile-friendly but is playable on any desktop without downloading).
Very few new Canadian online casinos have a download version and none of our best rated Canadian casinos is a “download-only” software. So why do people still seek for a casino software they can download to their PC? For two main reasons.
- Download casinos usually have better graphics. The flash/HTML5 version can’t have the same standards because it will crash your browser.
- Download casinos are known to be more reliable in terms of disconnections. They use a different protocol to the browser one. There are also less possible mistakes like hitting the “back” button amid a session.
Final word on download casinos
If you’re playing on a Microgaming ‘only’ casino such as Lucky247 or Royal Vegas, the free download casino software is still the best way to get the most from your gaming experience with regards to absolute number of games and graphics quality. But whether you’re playing on the download casino or flash casino you are guaranteed a safe, secure and entertaining experience at all our recommended sites.
Visit LeoVegas
Author: Tom Wilson
Chief editor and creator, Tom drives the direction of CanadianCasinos.ca with the goal to provide the best and most honest resource for online gambling enthusiasts in Canada
