Mac Slots

Going back a few years, you needed to search for casinos which had a Mac compatible download to find online slots for your machine. Things have changed significantly since then. Not only will you find download software at a lot more casinos, there are also no-download slots which Mac users can enjoy. This guide takes you through the different options for Mac compatible slots.

First below downloads are covered, including an explanation of how these work. Next the in-browser Mac games are covered – before I weigh up the benefits of download and browser games. You’ll find the key factors which differentiate great slots casinos from the rest outlined at the bottom of this page.

Download Mac Slots

Although more and more casinos are moving towards the in-browser model, you can still find software to download at a lot of casinos. These casino packages take the lobby, cashier and the graphic elements which are shared between many games onto your Mac. What surprises many people is that the games are not downloaded.

Since the average casino has 100+ games, and most players will only play a small selection of their favorites – the games come down separately. What happens is that each game is separately downloaded when you first play it. From then on it sits on your machine, and will only be downloaded again if there is an update or change.

No Download Mac Slots

More and more casinos are moving towards in-browser play, which does not require a download. Technology (and bandwidth) has improved to the point that these games are now just as good as the full download versions.

One issue is that the technology has to be right for Mac users. Many casinos use Flash, which is not compatible with Macs without a 3rd party browser plug-in (emulator). You’ll instead need to focus on HTML5 or Java powered games. Casinos are aware of this issue, and many have adapted their technology to ensure that Mac users can access the games. What I recommend is that you test out any casino with a no-download version in practice mode before you play the slots for real money.

Which is best for Mac users?

There are pros and cons of both download and no-download Mac compatible slot games. The key benefit of the download games is that you are letting your own machine handle most of the processing of game-play and graphics. This reduces the amount of data which you’ll be receiving over the internet, making the games generally smoother and faster.

The downside of the downloads is that you’ll be ‘stuck’ with one casino – at least until you go through the entire download and registration process all over again. With the browser games you can be far more nimble, switching between casinos to find your favorite slot games – or to take advantage of short term promotions.

Browser games are also ideal for shared (work) computers, where downloading casino software might not be an option. The final big advantage is that you can play from a single casino account on multiple devices in your browser, for example your iPhone or iPad.

Whichever method you choose, the good news is that the full range of online slots are available to Mac users nowadays.

What to look for in a Mac Slots Casino

Before you rush to the first casino offering Mac compatible slots, you should be aware that there are some huge differences between the best and the worst in terms of quality.

I recommend you check out the terms and conditions of their bonus offers, the range of slots and different software providers they offer and (importantly) the license and game fairness certification. This only takes a few minutes and will help to make sure that you can play with peace of mind and with the best possible terms too.

Casinos are tricky when it comes to bonuses. The headline offers all look very attractive. When you check the terms, you’ll find some major differences. For example, one Mac casino might need you to play through your bonus 20 times before withdrawing, while another might stipulate 60 times. Whether you can withdraw the bonus cash or just winnings and whether playing certain games voids your bonus are also worth checking for.

The slots themselves are created by 3rd parties, and licensed to the casino operators. Some casinos only have the games from one provider, while others integrate titles from many software houses. Make sure that your Mac compatible casino gives you the best possible choice of titles before you join.

Finally, legitimate casinos will have licenses from known jurisdictions, and will also have the fairness of their games certified by 3rd party organizations. You’ll usually find this in the footer area of your casinos homepage. If you find a legitimate casino, with a great selection of slots and fair bonus terms – you are ready to enjoy the games.

Associate Writer: Suzie has extensive experience writing on a number of different topics, but writing on slots remains her first love, and it really shows.