It’s common to see multiple crypto casinos offering the same games. But I promise you, they’re not always identical.
I’m not talking about fake providers creating knock-off copies of popular slots, with lower RTPs, or whatever. That’s a discussion for another time. But whenever you see a game listed in two different casino libraries, don’t assume you can play both titles in exactly the same way.
Table Limits
The most obvious manner in which two seemingly identical games can differ, is the amount you can actually bet. Look at this screenshot of Evolution’s Infinite Blackjack game, taken from my own Vave casino account:
As you can see, the minimum stake is $1, with a maximum bet of $1,000. But the following images, all taken within seconds of each other, reveal some marked differences.
Whale.io, for example, has the same minimum bet requirement, but it offers a much higher maximum bet of $25,000. It seems fair to conclude, then, that Whale is a better option for high rollers – at least for this specific game, if nothing else.
Punkz, on the other hand, has imposed a lower minimum bet requirement of just $0.50 per hand – a more suitable choice for casual gamblers. It also boasts a higher bet limit than Vave, though it’s still five times lower than Whale.
More Examples
This doesn’t just apply to table games, by the way – it’s a universal experience, across the entire casino.
Here’s an image of Pragmatic Play’s popular game show Sweet Bonanza Candyland, taken from my Betpanda account. I’ve expanded the chart so you can see all of the specific limits, not just the overall stakes range.
You’ll notice a minimum bet of $0.20 with a maximum of $3,000. You can only stake $100 on Sweet Spins, with a $200 limit on the other two bonus game segments. Specific numbers are capped at $1,000 and $500.
However, if you look at Punkz, the limits on the exact same game are extremely tight:
You’re not allowed to bet more than $20 on a specific number, with an overall wager limit of just $60. I don’t know what happened to spook the finance and security teams so much at Punkz – perhaps a whale recently dropped a big win?
Possible Implications of Different Limits
I won’t list more examples – though I easily could. This is true for every type of casino game, whether it’s slots, crash games, live dealer tables or game shows. And it can have a big impact on your strategy.
Imagine you normally employ a progressive betting system, and you fancy trying a new casino. You load your favourite game, take a few early losses and increase the stakes as usual. Only then do you realise you’ve hit the upper limit, much quicker than expected.
Now you can’t recover the earlier losses – strategy ruined.
But it’s not not just about tactics. If you’re Elon Musk, how much fun can you possibly have betting $10 a spin on Sweet Bonanza Candyland? You’ll want to play for much higher stakes than Punkz allows.
Similarly, if you’re a low-stakes punter, you don’t want to waste your time signing up, only to discover a minimum bet limit of $500.
Same Providers, Different Games
Something else to consider is the casino’s choice of games. Just because two sites both feature a specific game provider, it doesn’t mean they’re both carrying the full suite of products.
There are two factors in play – geography, and individual business decisions taken by specific casinos.
Geography
First of all, the casino might partner with a provider, but that company isn’t able to serve your location for legal reasons. The platform really does offer these games – but not to you.
In the image below, you can see I’m playing Piggy Riches Megaways from my place in the Philippines:
However, switch my VPN to the United States, and look what happens. The exact same account, at the exact same casino, suddenly denies me access:
In this case, the game tile still appeared in the lobby, and I was allowed to click on it – I just couldn’t load it. Some casinos remove such games entirely, while others grey them out, or display some sort of warning.
Betpanda, for instance, explains that certain providers are restricted due to my IP address:
Business Reasons
Regulations obviously shape what games a casino may or may not offer. But sometimes, it’s nothing more than a simple business decision.
The same way Punkz decided to restrict bets on Sweet Bonanza Candyland, they could also just choose not to offer it at all. They might let you play several Pragmatic Play live games – but not that one.
Ultimately, it’s their business, so they can do as they please. It’s up to us players to research things, ensuring our chosen casino has not only the providers and games we want, but suitable limits too.