The term “API” (Application Programming Interface) gets thrown around a lot in the digital age, but many people may not fully understand what it does and the power it harnesses.
It’s far more than a catchy buzzword, and in the world of online casinos, it is something firmly entrenched in the bedrock of the industry. Without it, online casino interfaces would look a whole lot different from what they currently do.
Fortunately, they are fluid, and ever-changing iGaming platforms that encourage engagement as much as possible.
Casinos in the UK push technology features like AI to drive personalised experiences for players, which in turn boosts retention and engagement. But without the API protocols that are in use, those sites would be static, unable to perform verifications or take payments.
Review Sites Revelation
Review sites like Legalcasino have helped people understand the iGaming landscape by reviewing things like gambling operators, their bonuses and games. But an interesting shift has come in how some of them employ API technology to help provide data transparency for players.
Instead of having people manually type out the RTP (Return to Player) percentage on a slot machine, for example, an API call can get the live data right from the source. That’s then presented to the reader, painting an accurate, up-to-the-minute picture of the slot.
Live RTP tracking can be done through the game’s metadata, for example, and this is important because RTP percentage can change, especially from one jurisdiction to another.
This can go further as well, like using an API to verify the status of a casino’s licence from a regulator such as the UK Gambling Commission or the Malta Gaming Authority. The power of API’s is boundless.
The Big Plug In
A casino site uses API protocols to plug in different services to make its site functional. The casino backend is a fascinating web of API calls that work in harmony to make something greater than the sum of all of its parts.
All interactions when playing a game on the site rely on this network of APIs, and one of the main ones is the game catalogue itself.
A Game API links the casino to the game studio, and this produces the instant loading of hundreds of different slots and live dealer tables. But then, further API action enters the fray when a player actually goes to play at one of them.
Spin a reel on a slot, and a request will be made to the game provider’s server to produce a result. A provider, such as industry leaders NetEnt, Microgaming, and Pragmatic Play, will then randomly generate the result and send the data back to the casino.
A Payment API simultaneously deducts the stake as well, and if the return from the provider is positive for the player, it will update the balance instantly with any winnings.
This all happens instantaneously, and it’s a remarkable process as the end-user gets immediate results, despite all the API calls going on for every spin behind the scenes.
The benefit for a casino is that they themselves don’t have to have expensive hosting of hundreds of games; they can just get the API’s in, and it’s the game providers that set the game mechanics, like the RTP, and are audited for game fairness, not the casino.
Financial Systems
An online casino doesn’t directly handle payments, either when a player makes a deposit or a withdrawal to their balance. Instead, payment information is handled through a secure, specialised Payment API, so the casino never sees the raw data of the financial transaction.
This also goes for security ID checks, as they are third-party verified through an API as well. All the casino knows is what the API sends back to them, whether that’s a success or a failure for the check or payment request.
Speed and Security Priorities
The majority of connections used by an online casino are RESTful API protocols, which wait for a command of what to do (GET, POST, PUT, or DELETE). A RESTful API doesn’t remember previous actions; it simply produces the same process every time for all requests that it receives.
It securely handles processes regardless of how many of a casino’s customer base are using it at the same time, whether that’s a request to update or save new information, account management, transactions, game playing and more.
The power of API protocols allows for lightning-fast connections, and players get to experience high-quality games without the dreaded lag.
