Fear not Linux loyalists, online casinos know you’re out there and they do want your business. The majority of today’s casino sites have options in place that work with all operating systems, Linux and its Ubuntu offshoot included. There’s no need to get technical, either. All you need is a gambling site with no-download instant-play capability.
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There are actually a few ways to play casino games on any Linux OS. The easiest way to get started is to find any casino that hosts instant play games. These games are displayed in your browser and require no download or software installation. All you need is a way to browse the internet and you can play these games for real money.
The above linux casino websites get the top pick because they all feature high quality instant play games. Today’s internet has come such a long ways that there’s little difference in quality between playing a game online and installing it on your computer. With widespread high speed internet and increasingly talented developers, instant play casinos are constantly improving.
Even better, most casinos now have a no-download option. In fact, some online gambling websites are exclusively no-download. Finding the best Linux casino sites is a simple task as a result. Just find the best overall casino sites and the odds are every single one has instant play software that work with any OS.
The recommendations on this page meet all the most important standards of quality. What that means is these casinos are established as safe places to play, they have high quality games and lots of games to choose from. Trust always plays an important role in online gambling, so the number one factor in my opinion is a site’s reputation. It’s important know that you’ll be paid when you win and that you’ll get a fair game every time.
How Instant Play Games Work on Linux
For all you Linux lovers out there, your most convenient option will be to find a casino with no-download games. The way they work is simple. First, visit the casino’s website to sign up for an account. After you log in to your new account, just choose the game you want to play and a new browser window will open to display the game.
At no point are you asked to download anything. As long as you’re connected to the internet, you can play from any OS. It doesn’t matter if you’re on a PC, Mac or Linux machine; instant play games work with them all.
Once you have an account, you can browse and try free-play versions of the games without making a deposit. This will give you a chance to see what the casino is all about and determine if the games are worthwhile. Once you decide you’re ready to play for real money, you can log in to the casino’s cashier to make a deposit.
In the past, instant play games skimped on graphics and game selection in favor of faster loading times. This is mostly an issue of the past however, as high speed internet is prevalent around the world now. It’s difficult to note any significant differences in performance between instant play games and games that are played after downloading the software.
One issue that still plagues some instant play Linux casinos is limited game selection. At gambling sites that offer both a regular download and an instant play option, the download option sometimes has the most games. However, this isn’t the case for all casino sites. My top picks listed above all have a strong game selection for no-download users.
Instant Play Advantages:
- Convenience: There’s no need to download an emulator and find a way to get the casino software to work on your Linux machine. All you need is an account, a computer and an internet connection.
- You don’t have to store a bunch of casino files on your computer. Casino downloads don’t take up a whole lot of space, but some of us are just picky and like to keep our machines clean without random files cluttering things. This is especially convenient when you branch out and try multiple casino sites.
- It’s a fast and easy way to test the software to see if you like it.
Instant Play Disadvantages:
- The graphics and sound may be a little degraded when you play through your browser as opposed to downloading the software. However, this is becoming less of an issue as time passes.
- Games will take a little longer to load if you don’t have a blazing fast internet connection.
- You may have fewer games to choose from compared to the full download.
At the end of the day, playing games through your browser is still the best choice for Linux users. A good portion of PC users even choose this option out of convenience. Industry improvements in no-download games are quickly closing the quality and game selection gap.
Other Linux Gambling Options
If you’re bound and determined to use the download option at your favorite casino, there are a couple other options. These alternatives require a little more setup and are more prone to error, but they can get the job done if you’re willing to put in the work.
WineHQ
Wine (which stands for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”) is an application that allows Windows programs to run on Mac, Linux and other operating systems. It works by translating Windows API calls into POSIX calls on-the-fly, whatever that means. Long story short, Wine is free and can be used to run a wide assortment of Windows programs on Linux/Ubuntu systems.
Visit at: www.winehq.org
Dual Boot
You can always just install both Windows and Linux on the same computer. This requires lots of space and a willingness to comb through various tutorials to get it all set up and deal with problems. I definitely wouldn’t recommend going through all the trouble just to play casino games. Save the dual boot option for when you have lots of reasons to switch back-and-forth between operating systems.
Finding the Best Linux Casinos
This title is a bit misleading since there are no Linux-specific casinos. It would be better to look at it as finding the best no-download casinos. And we can zoom out even further from there since almost all gambling sites have an instant play option: which are the best overall online casinos?
There are so many things that go into ranking online casinos, but it primarily comes down to trust, game selection, banking options and availability in your country. Here’s a quick overview of each factor.
- Trust: Always stick with casinos that have longstanding reputations for fair games and fast withdrawals. The casinos on this page fit the bill. You can also do your own research if you’d like to consider other options. Trust should always be number one on your list of “must have” traits.
- Games: A big game selection is always nice. If you have specific games in mind, you’ll want to make sure those games are also available in the instant play casino.
- Banking Options: Most casinos have enough banking options that you won’t have any trouble finding one that works for you. It helps a lot to have a bank account and credit card. Also, do a little research to see what each casino’s cashout speed is. Some casinos are notorious for taking way too long to pay winners.
- Availability in Your Country: Gambling laws vary greatly from country to country, so not all casinos are available in all locations.
Wes Burns co-founded OnlineCasinoSites.com with a mission to help gamblers understand and navigate the regulated online casino market in all countries around the world. Wes is a respected gambling journalist, working in the industry since 2008.