Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The Growth of Live Casino and The Battle Between NetEnt and Evolution
- Casino Games Software – The 2022 Landscape
- The Big Boys – Who is Dominating the Casino Industry
- Bally
- Barcrest
- Betsoft
- Bgaming
- Big Time Gaming
- Blueprint Gaming
- Booming Games
- Booongo
- ELK Studios
- Evolution Gaming
- Eyecon
- Gameburger Studios
- Genii
- IGT
- Inspired Gaming
- intouch Games
- iSoftbet
- Merkur
- Microgaming
- Neon Valley Studios
- NetEnt
- Play’n Go
- Playtech
- Playtech Origins
- Pragmatic Play
- Push Gaming
- Quickspin
- Rarestone Gaming
- Red Tiger
- Reel Kingdom
- Reel Time Gaming
- Relax Gaming
- RTG
- Scientific Games
- Slingo Originals
- Slot Factory
- Spinomenal
- SpinPlay Games
- Wazdan
- WMS
- Yggdrasil
- What kind of casino software dominates in bricks and mortar Ireland casinos?
- What The Future of Casino Games Online Looks Like
- Casino Games Software Company FAQS
At casinos.win, we like to get right to the heart of the software issues that affect all those who love to play on the most advanced available gambling products. To see where the online casino games industry has travelled from and where it is inevitably going, it seems essential to fill you in on the backstory of the innovators that have moulded today’s online gambling industry. From Microgaming to Slingo Originals, software providers have their unique histories that often influence the games that they bring to the market.
But what of the future? Virtual Reality and the Metasphere are concepts beginning to have more influence over gambling products. How will this impact your spin at your favourite NetEnt or Evolution casino? This article predicts the future and suggests how your relationship with online casinos might evolve over the decades.
Introduction
In the beginning, there was Microgaming. The year was 1994, and the internet was a niche communications network that Sir Tim Berners-Lee had only recently dreamed up.
But, much like the advancement of society that accompanied train and air travel, the WorldWideWeb created opportunities for software firms and casino operators that had never previously existed.
The passing of the Free Trade & Processing Act in 1994 ensured that the government of Antigua and Barbuda were able to create the first-ever online casino license. A resource that many gambling firms would come to call upon in subsequent years.
Microgaming was the first firm to run with the idea that casino content could now be delivered to fans in the comfort of their own homes when the necessary technology was in place. However, Microgaming’s first-mover advantage was quickly diminished as legendary firms such as The Gaming Club developed to provide online casino content to the masses, even though The Gaming Club used all Microgaming products to do this.
But, gambling on the internet still faced problems. How could players fund online accounts, and how could casinos settle their losses? CryptoLogic delivered the solution to this problem in 1995. CryptoLogic provided the necessary infrastructure to allow Inter Casino to accept real-money payments. By 1996, this system allowed multiple bets to be taken daily. The rest, as they say, is history.
By 1998, the internet was awash with casino content from several alternative software developers who were all releasing new gambling games at a regular rate. Microgaming was concerned about its primary position being challenged and understood that further innovation was needed. Microgaming executives launched the progressive jackpot, Cash Splash. This style of game not only rewarded players with regular in-game prizes but also offered the opportunity of picking up an evolving jackpot prize as players progressed through bonus rounds.
As online players became more confident in their new surroundings, further innovation demands were voiced. These requests did not go unnoticed for long. 1998 also saw the development of the first online poker room. Planet Poker developed the necessary code to allow card games between players and the dealer and then between multiple players to compete in real time. Even chat options were now available.
By 2002, an important milestone was passed that ensured a certain amount of galvanisation overcame the fledgling industry, the first €1 million payouts. A lucky winner on a progressive jackpot game on Captain Cook’s platform walked away with this life-changing seven-figure amount.
The online gambling industry was now becoming a big international business, and because of this regulation, the sector was deemed necessary. To fill this void, eCOGRA was formed in 2003 to ensure the fairness of casino games that were being offered by remote casino sites. It was also this year that Playtech launched its first live dealer product. Never before had online players had the same access to croupiers at land-based casinos?
By 2004 it was becoming evident that casino access via a PC was a mature industry, but new technology was emerging, and the demand for casino games was also growing. At this point, Microgaming, once again, stole a march and developed casino content that could be exclusively used on internet-enabled mobiles.
2005 saw regulation of online gambling take place in the guise of The Gambling Act in the U.K. This piece of regulation sought to apply hundreds of rules to the operators of online casinos to ensure that the vulnerable were protected from newly prevalent forms of gambling.
Since this time, the innovation that drove the initial move toward online play has slowed somewhat. However, technological advances continue to impact the online casino market.
2014 saw cryptocurrency accepted as a means of payment at an online casino for the first time. Vera & John was the first venue to accept Bitcoin deposits. However, hundreds of casinos have also followed this lead.
In 2016, the advancement of virtual reality technology saw casino games played through this media for the first time. In the quest to make online casino play as realistic as possible, this is one area many casinos are likely to explore more closely in the coming years.
The Growth of Live Casino and The Battle Between NetEnt and Evolution
Live Casino games have been an important element of the product mix provided by all online casino venues since 2003, when Playtech released its first Live product. Many software companies have developed products in this niche. However, only a few firms ever seem to produce the realistic gameplay that online casino enthusiasts demand.
Among these names, NetEnt and Evolution Gaming commonly appear. But the crown as being the top software provider of Live Casino games appears to lie firmly with Evolution. But what has this 2006 firm done to gain such rave reviews?
Everything that Evolution Gaming creates is high quality.
The loading screens that lead you to your chosen tables are crisp and be-decked in a plush range of colours that could easily be mistaken for the palettes displayed in real-world venues.
The tables themselves are clearly set out and exude opulence. When these features are combined with crisp graphics, a satisfying soundtrack, and cutting-edge stats features, it is a slam-dunk for Evolution Gaming.
Don’t forget that although Evolution Gaming software is found at multiple roulette tables, it is also incorporated into numerous Blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, and Poker titles.
Casino Games Software – The 2022 Landscape
Discuss how many businesses there are out there and who the main players are. Also how some companies cater for certain markets, and tastes can be different around the world.
The Big Boys – Who is Dominating the Casino Industry
Bally
When you take an overview of any business sector, a brand or two stands out from the crowd. Bally is one of those iconic names in the world of iGaming and the software producers that deliver content to it. Many of you may not know the Bally backstory, but it is a long and winding one. Bally is the granddaddy of all software firms. Bally’s operations date all the way back to 1932. Obviously, at that point, Bally’s focus was the design of Slots in land-based venues.
But it is a testament to its ability to innovate that Bally has maintained its influence, even as much of the iGaming industry has transitioned online. Bally is now part of the Scientific Gaming Group, and much of its operations are maintained across North America. Bally’s leading titles include Monopoly Hot Shot and Blazing 7s. It is great to report that several online casinos in Ireland host Bally content.
Barcrest
Barcrest is another software provider that cut its teeth in the analogue age. Founded in Manchester in 1968, Barcrest games became a staple of amusement arcades across the United Kingdom before a series of expansionary moves saw it move into the digital marketplace. 1998 was a pivotal year for Barcrest. It was at this time that executives at IGT saw value in acquiring the Barcrest entity to add to its burgeoning portfolio of resources. The investment in Barcrest that this ensured was poor to fantastic use.
Soon after the two software goliaths tie-up, the Rainbow Riches game series was developed. This success caught the eye of another beast in the market, Scientific Gaming, who went on to purchase the brand from IGT. Monty’s Millions and the Monopoly slots range point to this purchase being shrewd.
Betsoft
Betsoft is a software developer that sometimes gets a little overlooked. However, even though Betsoft does not have the name recognition of a Microgaming or an Evolution, there is still much to like about this operator that came to being in 2006. This British and Maltese-based business currently employs around 100 staff members in all and generates annual revenues of €35 million.
However, the small segment of the marketplace that Betsoft currently holds is likely to expand shortly. This confident prediction can be made because of Betsoft’s specialisms. Out of all the software providers that compete in the iGaming sphere, Betsoft is one of the best at delivering 3D content. As the consumers of casino content continue to demand gameplay innovations and technology develops in a way where more players can easily play this game type, 3D slots are likely to corral an increasing market share.
If this change comes to fruition, businesses such as Betsoft will surely benefit. Until this turn, Betsoft can rely on a stellar range of Slots that it is marketed to date. Greedy Goblins, The Slotfather, and The Slotfather II, all hail from the Betsoft vaults.
Bgaming
Bgaming is the new name for SoftSwiss. Brought to the market in 2018, all Bgaming titles are proposed to be provably fair, playable in multiple languages and incorporate features that players wish to incorporate. If you wish to check up on the work that Bgaming has completed to date, Lucky Blue and Aztec Magic Deluxe are two slots that are worthy of further investigation.
Big Time Gaming
Big Time Gaming takes its place in the upper echelons of the casino software industry, with its BTG moniker attaching itself to many of the iGaming industry’s finest slot games. Based in Australia, Big Time Gaming has the swagger of a firm that is confident in the products that it has developed and is clear-eyed about the path that it needs to walk to stay with the pack of top-draw operators.
Formed in 2011, BTG has a history of being a game-changer. This is illustrated by the firm’s development of MegaWays machines, games that are now adopted by licensing by nearly all other big-name software developers. Who Wants To Be a Millionaire and Bonanza are two Big Time Gaming products you should watch when you visit a BTG casino.
Blueprint Gaming
Blueprint Gaming is extremely well-connected in the world of land-based and online slots. As part of the mighty Gauselmann Group, Blueprint Gaming delivers to many of the top online casino sites, ensuring that its name is well known and respected by most casino enthusiasts.
Founded in 2001, Blueprint Gaming lays claim to some of the industry’s most captivating slot titles. Ted and Rick and Morty Megaways are two franchised titles it has assisted in developing in recent times. At this time, Blueprint generates annual revenues of around €10 million and employs around 60 members of staff.
Booming Games
Booming Games is one of the new kids on the block regarding online casino software developers. Indeed, Booming Games only first entered the public consciousness in 2014. But what it has given up in terms of brand recognition, is quickly recouping when the quality of its content is considered. Booming Games also understands where the hotbeds of the iGaming industry are.
As such, Booming has offices in both the Isle of Man and Malta. With a workforce totalling 80 and annual revenues that currently top €20 million, Booming Games is making noise in the software world. Booming Games that will be of great interest to you include Booming Seven Deluxe, Cosmic Fruit, and Wunderfest.
Booongo
Booongo is almost unique in the world of casino software providers. Why do I say this? Well, Booongo was founded in the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine. Has many of you will know, Ukraine is some way away from the online casino hotbeds of the United Kingdom and Malta. However, this detachment has done little to prevent Booongo from becoming one of the industry-leading lights. Indeed, since its formation in 2015, Booongo has gone from strength to strength.
The opening of offices by the firm in Curacao and Taiwan means that Booongo has a presence in all the major regions for online casino development. Booongo currently employs a team of twenty-eight and secures annual revenues of €50 million. Gold Express, Candy Boom, and Golden Dancing Lion are slots from the Booongo archive that you will most likely come across at your favourite casino.
ELK Studios
ELK Studios, as you might have guessed, are another example of a software firm that hails from the frozen tundras of Sweden. Why Sweden has provided the genesis for much of the best online casino content is not easy to explain, but ELK Studios holds up well when it is compared to local firms such as NetEnt and Quickspin. Founded in 2013, ELK Studios has shown steady growth in recent years.
ELK Studios is a privately-owned enterprise that is estimated to induce annual earnings of €8 million per year. ELK’s pool of 70 staff assists in this pursuit. ELK has brought a succession of slots with strong storylines to market in recent years. Among the variants that you may well come across at venues in Ireland are Wild Toro, DJ Wild, and Bloopers.
Evolution Gaming
For any Live Casino fan, the name Evolution Gaming is most probably etched on your sole as the epitome of quality and exhilaration. Evolution Gaming has focused all its energies on bringing land-based standard casino play to the heart of your front room. Any of the best Roulette, Baccarat, Blackjack, or Craps live dealer games that you stumble across at your favourite online venue usually have embedded Evolution Gaming technology powering it. Evolution Gaming has come a long way since its creation in 2006.
Evolution now employs 4000 people worldwide, with these individuals contributing to the firm’s revenues of €980 million in 2020. This Swedish firm is a master of everything it surveys, with its penchant for developing top-notch live table games only surpassed by the creation of its live game show range. Top titles, including Dream Catcher, Monopoly Live, and Crazy Time, have become more of a focus for the stellar software firm since 2017.
Eyecon
Eyecon is a software business that is close to achieving veteran status. Founded in 1997, Eyecon has been supplying high-quality content to several online casinos from its Brisbane base. Eyecon games are fully-focused on their visual appeal. Indeed, if you come across a game that exhibits superior artwork or 3-D designs, you may have found one of Eyecon’s latest imaginings.
Eyecon must have been successful in everything that they have attempted to date. Indeed, Eyecon caught the eye of gaming giants Playtech in 2017. This led to Eyecon being purchased and taken into the Playtech fold. Eyecon titles that you are likely to see wherever you access content include Fluffy Favourites, Shamans Dream, and Irish Luck.
Gameburger Studios
Gameburger Studios is a fantastic play on words that does much to describe the underpinning philosophy of this software house. Founded in 2019 as a spin-off from Microgaming, Gameburger Studios has been created to bring all-American classic slots into the digital age. Based in the Isle of Man, Gameburger has achieved some big successes quickly. Titles such as 9 Masks of Fire, Hyper Strike, and Playboy Fortunes have all been created in the Gameburger labs.
Genii
Genii came into being in 1996. However, it was not until 2008 that the small software firm devoted itself to creating top-class slot and table game content. Based in Malta, Genii has done well to develop a range of Keno, Poker, and Blackjack games, as well as market-leading slots that include 7 Chakras and Return of Ra.
IGT
For those of you who are not in the know, IGT is an acronym for International Game Technology. IGT has chosen its name wisely as it is now delivering its content to online casinos in all corners of the globe. IGT has taken a different route to growth for many of its peers. IGT has developed near Las Vegas. Although Vegas is the world’s gambling capital, it must be suggested that it is the centre of the iGaming industry in Europe.
Hotspots, including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Malta, often attract clusters of software firms that help to drive local innovations and efficiencies. IGT has made the best of these choices. Figures for 2020 suggest that IGT continues to make annual earnings of around €4.8 billion whilst it employs 12000 operatives globally. If you are unaware of IGT’s top slots, I can recommend titles such as Cleopatra Plus, Da Vinci Diamonds, and Family Guy Slot.
Inspired Gaming
Inspired Gaming is just one strand of the mighty Inspired Entertainment Group. Specialists in the production of Virtual Products as well as more traditional video slots, the firm has been creating gaming content in various guises since 1998. Some of the titles that Inspired has created are in the highest echelons of games ever produced.
Who could go for a gambling life and not come across Reel King, Big Bonus, or Rainbow Cash Pots? Without Inspired Gaming, these offers may never have come to market, so we can only be thankful that this U.S/British enterprise continues to punch its sizable weight.
intouch Games
Intouch Games has been in the business of providing entertainment to the masses since 2001. Admittedly, in its formative years, much of the firm focused on producing Jukeboxes and coin-operated slots. Still, many producers in this list have also had similarly meandering histories. The British firm has gone from strength to strength over the past two decades. Intouch now employs over 400 operatives worldwide, and offices in the U.K. have been augmented with new sites in Romania and Taiwan.
In 2020, annual revenues for the business weighed in at an impressive €170 million. Figures of this sort are expected, considering the range of games that Intouch continues to produce. Sun Kingdom, Big Wheel Wins, and Big Money Vegas are among the hit titles that have been released from the Intouch stable.
iSoftbet
What can be said about iSoftbet that is not already in the public domain? Well, did you know that iSoftbet was founded in 2011 and now has a presence in the United Kingdom, Malta, Cyprus, Romania, and the Phillippines? iSoftbet must be doing something right. This business now employs over 300 members of staff globally and annual revenues for the firm are close to topping €100 million. When it comes to content, there are a few iSoftbet titles that you should seek out.
These include Scrolls of Ra, Super Fast Hot, and Megaboy. It is the mission of the executive team at iSoftbet to create amazing gaming experiences that are both entertaining and innovative. These aims completely align with those of most casino players. Because of this harmony, you should enjoy any iSoftbet game you encounter on top casino platforms open for Irish custom.
Merkur
Merkur, along with Bally, has one of the longest of all histories of firms that currently impact today’s software industry. Merkur has been a part of the German-based Gauselmann Group of entertainment businesses since 1957. Since 2005, Merkur has predominantly focused its efforts on developing gaming content for the wealth of online platforms that sprung up around this time. It must be said the efforts of the staff at Merkur have been fruitful.
Fruitinator, Magic Mirror Deluxe 2, and Ghost Slider are all highly respected slots formulated within the Merkur operation’s bowels.
Microgaming
In some discourse, Microgaming is perceived to be a bit old-fashioned. It is not a surprise that Microgaming is often labelled in this. Still, this perception has more to do with its first-mover status in the online casino software industry than a reflection on the products that it continues to offer in Ireland and beyond. The health of the business group illustrates Microgaming’s special place in the online casino industry.
Currently, more than 300 people are employed at Microgaming’s headquarters in the Isle of Man or its hubs worldwide, with annual revenues of €900 million being generated. Perhaps Mega Moolah is the most recognised game emanating from Microgaming’s plush studios. This progressive slot has delivered several of the biggest online casino payouts of all time.
Neon Valley Studios
It is fair to say that Neon Valley Studios does not have the impressive backstory of some of its more illustrious rivals. However, this does not mean that Neon Valley is an insignificant player in the software market. Founded in 2019, Neon Valley Studios hails from Las Vegas itself. If you were ever going to cherry-pick an address for a gambling-related business, then the status of the world’s casino capital would have to be high on your list.
Neon Valley Studios is another off-shoot of Microgaming. Its short history belies its heavyweight impact. The new progressive game, Mega Moolah – The Atlantean Treasures, is one of the first games to roll off of Neon Valley’s production line.
NetEnt
Nearly every online casino accessible to Irish hosts content from NetEnt. Many of the games that software specialists at the firm have developed since the firm was founded in 1996 are iconic slot variants. Starburst and GoIrelando’s Quest are two names from NetEnt’s back catalogue that will instantly be recognisable to anyone that has ever entered one of Ireland’s successful NetEnt Casinos. When Pontus Lindwall created NetEnt in 1996, there must have been little expectation about the seismic impact that the Stockholm-based firm would have on the iGaming world.
NetEnt’s 2019 Annual Report detailed that the software giant had 1100 employees globally and revenues close to €300 million. However, NetEnt is not a company to rest on its laurels. Recently, NetEnt has refreshed its offering with titles like Hell’s Kitchen and the progression monster-hit Mega Fortune. Huge jackpots and high RTP rates are the order of the day whenever you play a NetEnt slot.
Play’n Go
Play’n Go has established itself as a leading light in the casino market since its inception in 2007. The Swedish firm is commonly known for its advertising slogan, “We Are Game”. This is some boast in an industry that is dedicated to the development of enthralling gaming titles. However, Play’n Go back this claim up with some of its greatest hits. I’m fairly sure that most of you reading this column will have come across games of the calibre of Book of Dead, ReactooIreland, and Troll Hunters 2.
Of course, each of these slots began life as an idea from within the walls of the Play’n Go studio. Play’n Go has evolved. The company now employs over 400 staff at its bases in Sweden and Hungary and has built up annual revenues of €30 million.
Playtech
Like Microgaming, Playtech has been a big player in the provision of software for online casinos since the “big bang” that the founding of the internet created. If you have not yet experienced the delights of a Playtech branded slot or table game, you are in for a treat. The Playtech library includes over 700 titles with Age of Gods and the DC Entertainment offer, Justice League, included in this list.
Teddi Sagi founded Playtech in 1999 in Estonia. Since this time, Playtech has experienced a meteoric rise. The group now employs 6400 people in twenty-four different jurisdictions. The business now generates annual revenues of around €1.8 billion. Playtech has an eye on the future, though. New to the market offers, including Monty Python’s Spamalot and Frankie Dettori’s Magic Seven, continue to ensure that Playtech enjoys substantial cash flows.
Playtech Origins
Playtech Origins is a trailblazer in the world of online software creation, its track record of delivering some of the industries top games is undiminished after two decades in its field. Founded in 1999 in Estonia, Playtech Origins has been on a global expansion ever since. Gibraltar, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Israel now also play host to Playtech Origins offices. Their time in the software industry has not been wasted. The development of titles such as Buffalo Blitz MegaWays and Mega Fire Blaze Roulette are a testament to that.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play has made great use of its short history to become one of the leading players in the online casino market. Formed in 2015. Pragmatic Play continues to deliver a conveyor of impressive slot and table games. Pragmatic Play understands that innovation is the key to maintaining a prominent position in the iGaming industry. With this in mind, the Malta-based firm aims to deliver two new gaming titles weekly.
Push Gaming
Push Gaming has been trying to create stellar casino content since 2010. These efforts are beginning to reap the rewards they deserve as several leading online casinos in Ireland are stockists for Push Gaming’s top titles. Jammin Jars and Tiki Tumble stand out among the Push Gaming slots that you will be instantly familiar with. These cutting-edge titles display everything that Push Gaming stands for. An experience must be delivered and the opportunity to land a substantial jackpot prize. The British and Maltese based business currently employs nearly 100 staff members and generates around €25 million in annual revenues.
Quickspin
Quickspin content sometimes goes under the radar. Unfortunately, this is the case as I am a big fan of this operator, as many of the games this Swedish producer has developed have been massively playable. Founded in 2011, Quickspin has continued to create slots and table game content that fits with its core philosophies.
Superior graphics and innovative functionality underpin everything that Quickspin does and is one of the reasons that the fans of Quickspin products remain steadfastly loyal to the brand. Quickspin has expanded over the past decade. The firm now has offices in Sweden and Malta and employs over 100 designers and backroom staff. Estimated annual revenues for the Quickspin group now exceeds €50 million. Such success is unsurprising considering the products that it has already released.
The Big Bad Wolf slot, Goldilocks and the Wild Bears, and the Three Musketeers, must surely account for the best Slots that Quickspin has created for the benefit of Irish to date.
Rarestone Gaming
Rarestone Gaming has only existed for a matter of years, but the firm has done enough to develop an enviable range of gambling games and get bought out by one iGaming’s most iconic names. Founded in Australia in 2017, Rarestone Games has been on an upward trend ever since. The creation of games like Blue Wizard, Amazing Factory, and Golden Macaque brought the firm to the attention of Playtech. This interest was piqued to such a level that Playtech decided to purchase Rarestone Gaming to add to its collection of gaming houses that are currently held within the wider Playtech Group.
Red Tiger
Red Tiger roared into life in 2014. Since then, the software firm that forms a central part of the Evolution Gaming Group has delivered all that could be expected. Red Tiger has developed a great range of table and slot games. Looking at the titles that Red Tiger has put its name to, I’m sure that you will be quick to agree. Gonzo’s Quest MegaWays, Reel King Mega, and Lion’s Hoard are all titles built on Red Tiger’s expertise.
Reel Kingdom
Reel Kingdom is based in the relative backwaters of Cardiff City Centre. However, this off-the-beaten-track persona has not stopped Reel Kingdom from making a big splash in the world of online casino content. Formed in 2020, Reel Kingdom has brought several top titles to life. The top of this list must be Big Bass Bonanza, Bigger Bass Bonanza, and Hot To Burn.
Reel Kingdom is a new project that has been brought to life by the executives at Pragmatic Play. If the Reel Kingdom continues to deliver the goods, this investment will appear to be a snip.
Reel Time Gaming
Reel Time Gaming has been a force to be reckoned with in the world of game design since 2009. Reel Time Gaming forms a small club with Eyecon and NextGen as a software provider that hails from Australia. Having a unique perspective on the world has assisted Reel Time Gaming in being hugely productive. Reel Time Gaming has built up a games catalogue of over 100 features. This list includes the ever-popular Fishin’ FreIrelandy, Eye of Horus, and Thai Flower MegaWays.
Relax Gaming
Relax Gaming has always displayed a chilled approach when it comes to conquering the iGaming world. Founded in 2010 by Jani Tekoniemi and Patrik Osteraker, this Finnish enterprise believes that the best way to become the world’s best software provider is to team up with the world’s best online casinos. This philosophy must have paid dividends as Relax Gaming has quickly become a global venture.
Operations now exist in Sweden, Estonia, and Malta. Relax Gaming now employs over 100 technicians and delivers annual revenues of €40 million. You will likely be very familiar with some of the recently released games that Relax Gaming has released. Epic Joker, Tower Tumble, and The Great Pigsby are some of the firm’s top offerings.
RTG
Real-Time Gaming entered the field of play way back in 1998. Initially based in Atlanta, Georgia, RTG has done many scintillating things during this period. RTG slots are renowned for their graphics and sound quality. These features are especially evident in some of the most popular games that RTG has recently created. Shopping Spree, Enchanted Garden, and Fruit FreIrelandy are all audio and visual delights. RTG content can be accessed at dozens of casinos that provide their services for the benefit of Irish.
Scientific Games
Scientific Games is now one of the leading players in the casino software industry. This primary position has been gained through developing its products, but also by making astute purchases of rival providers who fit well with the philosophy of the whole group. Effectively, Scientific Games has been in business since 1983, when the Autotote business was incorporated in the United States.
However, due to its purchase of Bally, Scientific Games traces its complete history back to the 1930s. Scientific Games businesses generate €4 billion in annual revenues and employ over 9000 staff. Top games from the Scientific Games library include Perfect Potions MegaWays, Tiki Magic, and DJ Wild Stud Poker.
Slingo Originals
Slingo Originals are, to coin a phrase, original. Slingo, for those who have never played the game, utilises the best slot features and transposes these into a game of bingo. Wild symbols are offered on each variant, with prizes being built as the number of lines on a table bingo card are filled.
Formed in 1994, Slingo Originals are masters of their genre and can now turn almost any theme into a Slingo-style game. Some of the best recent releases from this iconic software house include Slingo Rainbow Riches, Slingo Monopoly, and Slingo Extreme.
Slot Factory
Slot Factory was created in 2019 as a side hustle by executives at intouch games. The U.K. firm aims to develop casino content that carries impactful storylines. To date, Slot Factory has delivered on this aim. Some of the top titles from its impressive range include Cleopatra Prizes, Jurassic Wins, and Book of Apollo.
Spinomenal
Spinomenal was formed in 2014 to send players into a dizzy daydream. This Malta-based operation employs over fifty staff members and has gone a long way to delivering on this purpose. Over the past eight years, Spinomenal has published hundreds of games, many of which can be accessed at top Ireland platforms. Toys of Joy, Golden Piggy Bank, and Reels of Rio are all titles that will entertain and reward in equal measure.
SpinPlay Games
Spin Play Games were founded in the casino hotbed of Nevada. At the time of the firm’s creation in 2012, there was plenty of room available for a new entrant to deliver a unique take on what makes a top-quality Slot. SpinPlay has sought to develop a range of multiplayer games that provide an alternative perspective to traditional games. However, if you are searching for Spin Play content, you are more likely to come across 25 Diamonds, American Gold Rush, or Fiesta Senorita.
Wazdan
Wazdan celebrated its tenth anniversary in 2020. Since its creation, in Malta, in 2010, Wazdan has developed rapidly. Key to this growth is the attention that the programmers at Wazdan pay to the themes of the slots that they create. A good storyline often leads to casino fans returning to play a title time after time. With annual revenue of €27 million and a workforce of more than 100, this focus is likely to remain. Fortune Reels and Unicorn Reels are two games from Wazdan that you are likely to run into regularly.
WMS
WMS has a very long history. Created in 1943 in Chicago, WMS has maintained its position as an important provider of both land-based and online casino content by constantly evolving its product range. This method has proved so successful that Scientific Gaming was happy to purchase the business to add to its portfolio in 1991. Top WMS titles include Filthy Rich and Jackpot Party.
Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil Gaming is a relative newcomer to the iGaming block. Created in 2013, Yggdrasil has made a big (if unpronounceable) name for itself as a leading software provider to many of Ireland’s top online casino websites. Yggdrasil games have many fans who enjoy the high RTP rates and cutting-edge graphics that underpin the soul of these offers. Like many other firms in this field, the home for Yggdrasil is Sweden.
As part of the wider Cherry AB group of businesses, Yggdrasil operatives can be located in Malta, Gibraltar, Poland, and Malta. Yggdrasil still has a way to go to achieve the scale of others in the market. However, amassing over 200 employees and creating annual revenues of €35 million is impressive. Yggdrasil goes to great effort to distinguish its games.
The use of Gigablox and Splitz mechanics has done much to assist this effort. Notable titles in the Yggdrasil games library are the blockbuster progressive Joker Millions and the Viking-focused offerings, Vikings Go To Hell, Vikings Go Berserk, and Vikings Go Wild.
What kind of casino software dominates in bricks and mortar Ireland casinos?
Software firms such as Evolution Gaming are at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to brick-and-mortar Ireland casinos. The whole reason for being for Evolution Gaming is to provide casino-quality content to the online masses. At a brick-and-mortar casino, this is an entirely unnecessary pursuit. What you will find, however, in Irish venues are numerous slots designed by traditional game designers like BTG, WMS, and Barcrest.
These firms have been traditional slot games for decades, so it is no surprise that SkyCity has sought to use its expertise in this area.
What The Future of Casino Games Online Looks Like
The future of the casino industry is likely to rely on Virtual Reality technology and the Meta world that will use this media. One of the chief reasons to visit a brick-and-mortar Ireland casino is to experience the buzz of a real casino venue. If this buzz can be re-created through VR, allowing you, your friends and your family to simultaneously share in heightened levels of excitement, this trip might no longer be necessary.
However, a trip into this new Meta world is unlikely to happen any time soon as the technology will need to iron out a series of problems, such as how you will pay for your bets, and a break in service will be rectified. A visit to a virtual casino is moving ever nearer, but Irish, just like citizens of other prosperous nations, may be waiting for a few years.
Casino Games Software Company FAQS
Which Slots Software Is Better, Microgaming Or NetEnt?
The answer to this intriguing question is highly subjective. Just as some people prefer cats to dogs, or vice-versa, some casino fans prefer Microgaming slots while others prefer NetEnt. Each provider’s games have pros and cons, and you are open to judge for yourself!
Are The Live Casino Games By Evolution Rigged?
Live Casino games by Evolution are not rigged. As with all casino games, a casino has a built-in profit level on all products. However, the tables and wheels that Evolution employs on all of its live table games are assessed by eCOGRA for their fairness. In general, 99% of all stakes that are placed on Evolution products are returned to players.
Does Evolution Have A Live Baccarat Game?
Evolution has created several Live Baccarat games to add to its burgeoning library of Live Casino offers. Speed Baccarat and Live Baccarat Squeeze are good examples.
Does NetEnt Have Any Big Jackpot Slots?
Absolutely. Progressive jackpots Slots such as Mega Fortune, Arabian Nights, and Hall of Gods all have the potential to pay out huge sums.
What Is The Most Popular Pragmatic Play Game In Ireland?
Wolf Gold is generally considered the most popular Pragmatic Play title available to players in Ireland.