Pop into any online casino today. What do you see? A wealth of games. It may be tempting to assume that each casino provides its own titles. They don’t though; on the contrary, casino games are provided by software providers. Moreover, these software providers tend to have multiple partners. In fact, it isn’t uncommon to see a developer provide their games at hundreds of casinos.
Who are these software providers that seemingly power our favourite online casinos? On this page, we’ll discuss the key things you need to know about casino software providers, and we’ll introduce you to some of the major players. Let’s begin.
What Do Casino Software Providers Offer?
As you have probably gathered, online casino software providers provide the very thing you’ve come to the casino for – the games. It is true that some offer back-end software that helps run promos and bonuses alongside various and sundry, but for the most part – it is the games that they bring to the table.
Casino software providers may have content partnership deals with individual casinos or parent operators that run several sites. Similarly, casinos themselves may sign deals with individual software providers or game amalgamation platforms that feature the software of several providers in one package.
5 Things You Need to Know About Software Developers
If you’re new to the online casino world, there are a couple of things you need to know about software providers before we dig into the market leaders. Here are five key things you should make a note of:
Big Name Brands Can Be Trusted
Firstly, there are all sorts of casino software providers. Some are fledgling developers just finding their feet in this industry. Others are global giants with years of experience, widespread availability, and the best reputations. Generally, you can’t go wrong with opting for titles from the biggest players in the game – they will all be licensed, RNG-certified and have a proven track record for developing fun, fair, friendly and exciting titles.
Some Providers Work Together
Some casino software providers are known to work together. Games Global is a classic example of this. They take other developers under their wing. By having open gaming platforms, software providers such as this can give smaller-scale developers a foothold in the industry. When you join a Games Global casino, for instance, you’ll also get titles from all the providers they are affiliated with.
On a larger scale, you also have game aggregation platforms, such as SoftSwiss. SoftSwiss doesn’t develop games. Instead, it provides all the back-end software an operator needs to run a casino. However, brands such as this are so vast that they feature content partnerships with dozens, sometimes up to a hundred software providers. Choose to join one of these casinos, and you’ll get to play games from many providers under one roof.
It is also true that some software providers own other brands. For instance, Evolution Gaming, the king of live dealer games, actively owns NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming, Ezugi, and a few other brands. Where this developer (or others like it) appears, you’ll also find the titles from its subsidiaries.
Each Software Provider May Develop Specific Games
Don’t be surprised to see that some developers have a penchant for developing specific games. For instance, Evolution Gaming only produces live dealer casino games. Other brands, such as Red Tiger Gaming, only produce slot machines. Then you have jack-of-all-trade software providers such as BetSoft Gaming and NetEnt – they are just as at home developing RNG table games as they are slots.
Each Software Provider Has Its Own Skillset
Every casino software provider does things differently. Some focus on making highly volatile games, while others tend to cater to casual players. You have developers who love to produce crypto-friendly games, and others may focus on networked jackpot games. Ultimately, it is up to you to peruse the special skills offered by each provider and see if they match your needs. Here at Gamesbelt, we’ll help you do that with our in-depth look at software providers.
Some Titles Are Region-Specific
Casino software providers are licensed, just like the casinos they offer games to. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that some titles aren’t available in every jurisdiction. For instance, some Canadian casinos can’t access NetEnt games, while some Spanish and Swedish casinos won’t always have access to Evolution Gaming’s live dealer options. For this reason, it is important to check Gamesbelt’s reviews to see exactly what types of games you can play at each casino in your region.
In some jurisdictions, such as the UK, games from a software provider may be legally available, but some features of them may not be. Take Pragmatic Play, for instance. You can play their games at UK casinos, but the bonus buy mechanics in their titles are disabled.
Meet the Best Casino Software Providers Online
By now, you should have a good idea of what casino software providers bring to the table. The next thing we want to do is introduce you to some of the major players in this space. Join us as we share our top recommended software providers with you based on the types of games you want to play.
Who Are the Leading Live Casino Game Providers?
As mentioned, some software providers excel at producing live casino games, and those developers don’t usually get involved in other titles. Here is a brief look at five of the top live casino game providers:
- Evolution Gaming: The number one brand. Evolution Gaming effectively created the very first live casino games, and they are known for producing anything from baccarat, blackjack and roulette games to game shows, money wheels and dice-based options.
- Ezugi: For years, Ezugi was Evolution’s chief rival. Nowadays, they are owned by Evolution but still produce viable alternatives to Evolution’s top titles.
- Playtech: Popular with UK and Asian-facing live casinos, Playtech’s live dealer library is smaller than Evolution’s but offers more realistic titles with fewer game show releases.
- Pragmatic Play Live: Evolution’s primary rival nowadays, Pragmatic Play Live, is more than a match for its competitor, with many of its games just as good, if not better than Evolutions. Some of its titles can also be played in live tournaments.
- Asia Gaming: The smallest of the live dealers listed here, Asia Gaming offers live options for basic baccarat, blackjack, and roulette for the Asian live casino industry and a few European sites.
The World’s Best Software Developers for Slots and Casino Games
Not everybody wants to play live casino games. If you want to play slots, RNG (random number generator) internet table games, video poker, and instant win titles, where should you turn your attention? Here are the ten biggest and best all-round casino software providers you need to know about:
- BetSoft Gaming: BetSoft Gaming excels at producing 3D slots but is also known for conjuring up table games. Wagers cost a bit more than some providers, but imaginative features in slots are assured.
- Big Time Gaming: Big Time Gaming is an Australian casino software provider. BTG is most famous for producing the Megaways gaming engine in slot titles.
- Blueprint Gaming: Blueprint Gaming is a popular Austrian provider that commonly appears at UK casinos. They are known for focusing intently on slot machines.
- Games Global: The world’s first internet casino software provider was Microgaming. Microgaming was bought out by Games Global a few years back. Today, their open gaming platform, Quickfire, is a market leader. Games Global is also notable for its networked jackpot games and legendary slot titles.
- IGT: IGT is the world’s leading land-based slot provider. However, many of their brick-and-mortar titles have been ported to the online world, where they represent the most realistic slot experience you can have.
- NetEnt: NetEnt develops slots and table games. Their live casino wing was shut down by its owners, Evolution. NetEnt is most renowned for its imaginative mechanics, such as Cluster Pays games and its mobile-optimised slots.
- Play’n Go: Play’n Go is most famous for its book slots. These highly volatile releases were loosely based on what others, such as Novomatic, had created. However, their titles are renowned for being mobile-optimised. They prefer to focus mainly on slots.
- Playtech: Another of the big four (alongside Games Global and NetEnt), Playtech produces slots, table games and live casino releases. Its progressive jackpot slot network is one of the most revered in the casino world.
- Pragmatic Play: Pragmatic Play started as the small and untrustworthy Top Game. A rebrand (and new policies) saw them turn the top three into the top four. Today, they are one of the most trusted and well-liked developers, producing slots and live casino games, many of which feature in top tournaments and competitions.
- Yggdrasil Gaming: Yggdrasil was once a small-scale Swedish software provider. A partnership with NetEnt, saw them expand. Today, they are known for their online slots, and success branded slots.
Of course, no list would be complete without a couple of honourable mentions. Other leading and established software providers you may wish to consider include Barcrest, ELK Studios, Endorphina, NextGen Gaming, Nolimit City Studios, Novomatic, Real Time Gaming (RTG), Red Tiger Gaming and Thunderkick. That’s just our opinion, based on our years of experience. Don’t hesitate to explore other casino software providers to find something to your liking.
Top Advice for Finding the Best Casino Software Providers
Now that you know about casino software providers, it may be time to explore them for yourself. Of course, your starting point should be any of the top-rated casinos recommended here at Gamesbelt. We only choose the cream of the crop on our page, and each site has been personally vetted to ensure that it offers high-quality gameplay.
Once you sign up to one of our trusted casinos, don’t hesitate to search for games based on their software providers at your preferred casino. A drop-down menu will typically be available to let you do that. Once you’ve found the games from a single software provider, you can generally play the game for free in a demo mode to help you discover if it is for you before you risk your hard-earned cash.
