Quick Guide to Online Casino Games

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Deni

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Expertise: Casino Content Writing, Journalism & (PR), Gambling Regulations, Dutch & German Gambling Markets

Hi, I'm Deni! I'm a research obsessive with a passion for gambling regulations, market trends, and casino news. I dig deep into every topic I cover - so every article, review, or guide I write is built on solid research and real detail.

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Published: January 6, 2019
Updated: August 19, 2025

Gone are the days when you had to go into a land-based casino to be spoiled with the full experience of gambling. The online or iGaming arena has made huge inroads into fulfilling your gambling delight from your desktop, laptop or mobile device.

With just a few clicks, players can explore various casino games, from popular online slots to classic table games like blackjack, roulette, and poker. Many platforms also feature live dealer games, combining the convenience of online gameplay with the excitement of the real casino experience.

Guide to online casino games — Everything you need to know about the online casino games

Whether you’re new to online gambling or a passionate player, this quick guide will walk you through the most popular casino options and what makes each type of game unique.

Desktop or mobile? Choosing your platform

Before we discuss the variety of games and game providers available in the online gambling marketplace, you must select your online platform device of choice. The first step of your journey is choosing how you want to play: desktop or mobile.

There are certainly more games available to play via Flash from your desktop computer or laptop, but huge strides have been made to accommodate the mobile gaming sector. Mobile games can be played from just about anywhere.

Take your phone out during a lunch break or on your taxi ride, and enjoy gambling entertainment to pass the time away.

HTML5 advancements mean that data-heavy applications need not be used anymore at many online casinos. You can now play from the browser without any lag or graphics compromises.

Choosing a reputable game provider

After selecting your platform of choice, it is necessary for you to select your game of choice from a reputable games provider. Choosing reputable developers ensures a safe, fair, and high-quality gaming experience, something every player deserves.

We at CasinoWow cannot over-emphasise the importance of making sure that you get the quality experience that you deserve, and as such, have compiled a list of some of the more reputable game providers that produce games throughout the various categories.

Below is a quick overview of some of the industry's leading names. We have curated our list carefully so that players can choose easily from the best of the best:

Microgaming

This is the world’s oldest and largest online gambling provider. Their promise is to provide 2 new titles every month. Though the greatest number of their titles are slot games of various types, Microgaming also produces table games and others.

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NetEnt

NetEnt is the benchmark in the industry as far as innovation and graphical quality and gameplay are concerned. They are truly the cream of the crop when it comes to video slot development, but also produce top-notch table games, scratch games, and other offerings too.

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Quickspin

Quickspin is one of the fastest-growing developers in the world at the moment. Their name is synonymous with quality, and they produce beautiful games with smooth gameplay.

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Evolution Gaming

Evolution Gaming is the leader in Live Casino Gaming. Their two state-of-the-art studios allow for real dealers to interact with players via a live stream-type interface. This is truly an advancement in online gambling, as it makes you feel like you are right on the casino floor, interacting with players and dealers alike.

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Variety of online casino games

The online variety of casino game offerings is rather impressive and encompasses a rather large variety of some of the more popular slot games, table variations, scratch games, video poker, live games, and keno styles offerings.

Slots

The online slots segment is by far the biggest genre/category of gambling games produced online. Within this category are further sub-categories under which games can be identified. They come in countless formats, including:

Video slots
Progressive jackpot slots
Classic fruit machines
3D and themed slots (e.g., adventure, horror, ancient civilisations, movies, holidays)
High roller slots for bigger stakes

Wins are made by matching combinations of symbols that appear on spinning reels across set paylines. To prevent tinkering with the game results, the combinations are landed via a random number generator. The return to player percentage ranges from 92% to 98%, depending on the game's features.

These types of games usually feature heavy, which means that the monotony of the base game can be broken by special features unique to the game, as well as special bonus rounds to help you on your way to decent wins.

For more information on online slot games, please visit our guide on Online slots and their main features.

Table games

This category encompasses some of the more traditional forms of gambling known for hundreds of years. Many of the table games are played with cards, some with a wheel, and others with dice. Popular table games include:

Roulette - Both American and European versions of the Roulette game can be found at reputable online casinos. The game revolves around the spinning of the ‘little wheel’. Prior to its spinning, players place inside and outside bets on where they think the white ball will land on the wheel. This game pays up to 36:1. Refer to the online Roulette guide for a more thorough look at the game.
Blackjack – There are many variations of this game available online, but the basics of them all are this: Beat the dealer to 21 or force him/her to bust and reap the rewards for doing so. Blackjack has one of the best odds in favour of the player, with an average return to player percentage of 98% - 99%. Refer to the online Blackjack guide for a more thorough look at this card game.
3 Card Poker – Play the traditional card game of flushes, straights, pairs, and trips. This 3-card variant of Poker usually offers a great return-to-player ratio. Play against others, and may the highest hand take it all. Refer to the online 3 Card Poker quick guide for a more in-depth analysis of this game.
Baccarat – Baccarat is an age-old classic card game that sees you pitting yourself against the dealer to get the closest to 9. The twist in this tale is that you can bet against yourself. Yes, that is right, you can opt to bet for yourself, in favour of the dealer, or in favour of a draw. Refer to the online Baccarat basics if you would like to have a closer look at this game.
Craps – Craps has been made popular through the movies, as just about every Vegas-themed film has its characters playing craps surrounded by crowds of people cheering them on. This game revolves around the roll of two dice. Bets are placed in the grid in the hope of guessing the outcome of the next throw. Refer to the online Craps quick guide for more on this high-tempo game.

Keno games

Keno combines elements of bingo and lottery. Out of 20 randomly drawn numbers (out of a possible over 80 numbers), you will need to correctly pick 2 to 10 numbers that match the numbers drawn to win cash rewards. It’s almost a hybrid game that combines lotto-style games and bingo.

Scratch card games

Digital Scratch cards mimic the classic instant-win format. Usually costing between 0.50 and 5 credits, you will have the chance of scratching a 9-grid (3x3) block to reveal matches of 3 or more symbols to gain cash rewards.

Video poker

Although there are a number of variations of Video poker, the premise remains the same. You will be dealt five cards with one chance at swapping between 0 and 5 cards for new ones. Payouts are based on poker hand rankings, and unlike live poker, you play only against the machine. A correct strategy can make this one of the more skill-based casino games.

Live dealer games

This is quite a decent-sized category on its own, as numerous live casino games are available to play. Players can chat with dealers and other players, making it the closest digital experience to a land-based casino.

Find an Evolution Casino to try out the best sort of gambling experience available online.

Popular live dealer options include:

Live Roulette
Live Baccarat
Live Blackjack
Live Hold’em Poker
Live 3 Card Poker

With live dealer games, you get the perfect mix of real-world casino excitement and the convenience of playing anytime, anywhere.

Now that you’ve discovered the different categories, you can choose the one that excites you most and explore the many variations available. Explore them now:

Online Slots Learn more

Table Games Learn more

Keno Learn more

Scratch Cards Learn more

Video Poker Learn more

Live Casino Games Learn more

From online slots and table games to keno, scratch cards, video poker, and live dealer experiences, the online casino world offers endless variety to suit every type of player.

CasinoWow's final thoughts

No matter your gambling fetish, the online gambling arena can cater to your fantasy. What’s more, many of the above-listed slot games are available to play for free.

Playing the free version is advised for beginners, as you may want to get accustomed to the dynamics of each game. So, go through the list of online slot games for free before staking your hard-earned cash on them.