Is high CPU usage normal for browser-based casino games?
Do you expect high CPU usage from browser casino games? Or is it a red flag that there might be something shady going on, like hidden scripts or malware? I'm noticing some games are particularly taxing on my machine, and I'm not sure whether that's simply due to them being poorly optimized, or if it's worth being wary about. Any developers or power users care to weigh in?
3 Answers
Best AnswerSurely, you might say, browser-based casino games have a right to gobble up CPU power, particularly when there are animations, graphics, and other visual effects involved. After all, think of the bandwidth it takes for your browser to stream a 4K video. Complex graphics and animations in a browser-based online game will inevitably require more resources.
All that said, if it’s permanently stuck on 100%, and your browser slows down or freezes, then something fishy is going on. Either the game itself has bad code, or it is surreptitiously executing other scripts in the background as well. Use your browser’s task manager (hit F5, or look under the menu) to see how many processes are hogging CPU. And, of course, run the same game on another browser, or even another device, to confirm. Your processor shouldn’t overheat because you’re playing a simple video game.
In many cases, high CPU usage by web-based casino games is perfectly legitimate – particularly with more resource-hungry games (like 3D graphics-rich titles) and those employing JavaScript libraries. However, if the application takes your CPU to its limit for no obvious reason – for example, when it’s unresponsive, or when it consumes an inordinate amount of your laptop’s battery power – then you need to tread carefully. Badly optimized applications are one thing; but excessive CPU usage can also indicate that malicious scripts, malware, or even crypto-mining algorithms are lurking on the page. It would be prudent to use browser add-ons such as NoScript or uBlock Origin, and run suspect applications in a browser sandbox.
Right, browser-based casino games are pretty CPU-intensive. After all, an online casino has a lot of assets to cram into your browser (images, video, animations, JavaScript) without the benefit of locally installed software. You should expect to see CPU usage go up while you play.
To be clear, if your computer is getting hot or the tab consumes 100% of your CPU even while you are not doing anything, that’s a problem. The game may simply not be all that well coded and optimized; then again, there could be something shady going on in the background. In all cases, a task manager (or a browser extension such as Lightbox) will help you detect resource-intensive processes.
If the problem persists across devices or browsers, it may be worth contacting the casino’s customer service department. Otherwise, exercise caution, as there are many scam websites!