UK Gambling Software Providers
The first company to create real money online casino games was Microgaming in 1994, now a household name. Since these early days, the number of casino game providers has exploded. Currently, an average online casino can have over 1000 slots games alone from more than 20 providers.
These casino software providers go from niche online slots providers like ELK Studio to giant multi-billion pound companies like Scientific Games, which provides casino games to offline and online casino operators.
Best Online Casino Software Providers
BonusFinder has listed the world’s best casino game providers in the UK below. Netent has amazing video slots (like Gonzos Quest), Evolution Gaming is the best live dealer casino game provider, and Microgaming has created the most legendary progressive jackpot slots.
1. Microgaming
Microgaming started the whole real-money online casino industry. The casino software developer has created many of the world’s most played online gambling games, including jackpot games like Mega Moolah and popular table games like European Gold Roulette and Vegas Blackjack.
2. NetEnt Casino Software
Originally Net Entertainment, was the first one to create a Flash-casino in 2001. Before then, you’d always have to download and install a casino on your computer. But Netent figured it’s easier to play through your web browser and changed the casino business for good.
3. Big Time Gaming
Big Time Gaming is the hottest company of 2024. They created Megaways slots with never-before-seen slot mechanisms. These are currently the hottest slots at most online casinos, especially since other casino slot providers have licensed the Megaways technology.
4. Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming changed the online casino world by making live dealer games a huge thing. These online casino games are played live at a real-life brick and mortar casino, and you can get in on the action by betting on your phone or computer. These live casino games are hugely popular, and Evolution Gaming is the biggest company behind them with hit games like Monopoly Live, and 2 Hand Casino Hold’em.
5. Playtech Casino Software
Playtech is the game software provider for the largest online gaming companies, like William Hill Casino UK. What makes it stand out from the other game providers is that Playtech specializes in government-run gambling sites, providing games for local gambling companies all over the world. Playtech is the creator of the Age of the Gods slot series, which has become very popular among UK players.
Full list of Casino & Slot Game Providers
Here is a full list of the most important game vendors of 2024.(Read More)
Provider | Founded | Popular Game |
---|---|---|
1X2 Gaming | 2002 | Vampire Hunters |
Ash Gaming | 2000 | Adventures in Wonderland |
Bally | 1968 | Monopoly Heights |
Betsoft Gaming | 2006 | Fruit Zen |
Big Time Gaming | 2011 | Bonanza |
Blueprint Gaming | 2001 | Buffalo Rising Megaways |
Cryptologic | 1995 | Kanga Cash |
Elk Studios | 2012 | Ice Wolf |
Evolution Gaming | 2006 | Dream Catcher |
Lightning Box | 2004 | Fortune 8 Cat |
Genesis Gaming | 2008 | Golden Children |
IGT | 1990 | Cleopatra |
Leander Games | 2007 | Kraken Conquest |
Microgaming | 1994 | Mega Moolah |
Merkur Gaming | 2001 | Extra Wild |
NeoGames | 2005 | Fruity Friends |
NetEnt | 1996 | Starburst |
NextGen Gaming | 1999 | Medusa Megaways |
Novomatic | 1980 | Bat Stax |
Play'n Go | 1997 | Book of Dead |
Playtech | 1999 | Buffalo Blitz |
Pragmatic Play | 2015 | Wolf Gold |
Quickspin | 2011 | Sakura Fortune |
Rabcat | 2001 | Castle Builder |
Red Tiger | 2014 | Dragons Luck |
Intouch Games | 2001 | Pirates Treasure |
Thunderkick | 2015 | Divine Lotus |
Yggdrasil Gaming | 2013 | Age of Asgard |
iSoftbet | 2010 | Lost Boys Loot |
Red7 Mobile Gaming | 2011 | Raging Rhino Megaways |
As you can see from the list, most of the providers are from the nineties or the last ten years. There’s a couple of older companies, like Scientific Games (owner of Bally) and Novomatic, that predate the internet.
Why Casino Game Providers are Needed
Casino game providers are a necessary part of online gambling. In the early days (pre-2000), online casinos made their games mostly by themselves. This was not a well working arrangement, as the fairness of the game depended on the slots sites. The quality of the games also left a lot to desire.
Microgaming originally ran its own casinos. Soon it realised, along with Netent (founded in 1996), it’s better if they make games for casinos owned by other companies and charge a casino for a fee. Now it’s up to the gaming companies to keep the games fair (the casino operators can’t meddle with them). Its also in the game providers’ best interest to make great casino games that the casino players love.
Bonuses for Top Casino Game Providers
You can receive a casino bonus for any of the top game providers. Online casinos have welcome bonus offers for any slots provider you happen to like, as you can see from the table above. Even the biggest casino software provider in the world, Netent, can be enjoyed with a good deposit bonus.
There are subtle differences between different casino game developers when it comes to bonuses:
- Play N Go: Best for free spins, Book of Dead is the free spins game of many Play N Go UK casinos
- Microgaming: Top deposit bonus offers, you can get up to £100 from Microgaming casino sites like Fun Casino.
- Netent: Starburst is often the video slot of choice when NetEnt casinos hand out loyalty bonuses.
- Playtech: There aren’t that many PlayTech casino sites available, but they have plenty of free spins.
- Big Time Gaming: Similar to Microgaming, BGT games are rarely present in free spins offers, but you can play for example Bonanza and other Megaways slots with many deposit bonuses at Big Time Gaming casino sites
The other providers are best accessed with deposit bonuses. Top casino gaming software for bonuses, besides the ones listed above, is Blueprint Gaming, whose Megaways slot machines are often prominently featured at top casinos. Casino sites also have special offers for live dealer casino games.
Jackpot Providers
If there’s one thing casino game providers love to compete on its jackpots, whoever has the biggest jackpot has bragging rights. Online progressive jackpots have been around since the late 90s, and by now, all the major casino vendors have one.
The biggest jackpots and providers:
- Mega Moolah / Microgaming Jackpot Network
- Mega Fortune / Netent
- Beach Life / Playtech
- Millionaire Genie / Random Logic
- Millionaires Club / Cryptologic
Mobile Casino Game Developers
The first major game provider to fully go mobile was Netent in the early 2000s. While Microgaming had created a few mobile games as early as in the 1990s, it and other companies still relied on downloadable gaming platforms.
Netent changed mobile gaming in around 2002 by creating instant play games that load in your web browser. This Swedish company has produced two of the most played virtual slot machines ever, Starburst and Gonzos Quest. This ensured that you can play on a computer, Android phone, or iPhone. Netent was also the first to understand that touch screen devices are actually better for casino games than computers and created the patented Netent Touch technology, which makes it easy to play online slots and table games on phones and tablets.
Once Netent had figured out the mobile technology, the rest of the casino industry followed. Nowadays, all casino software development aims for the perfect mobile gaming experience, and each provider has its own mobile gaming platform (like Microgaming with QuickFire). Many of the companies, like ELK Gaming, have actually been founded by former Netent employees, so mobile gaming is very familiar to them. Every new UK online casino works marvellously both on desktop and mobile devices.
Safety & Security
Online casinos are licensed and regulated by the authorities of their home countries. The same logic applies to casino games. Selling (licensing) a real money gambling software requires a licence and to acquire one you need to show that your game software runs fair. For example, a common requirement by licensing authorities is that the game plays the same in play money and real money modes.
The biggest and most trusted authority to license gaming providers is the UK Gambling Commission. UK Gambling Commission ensures that a software company adheres to the casino industry standards, ensuring the software, be it a slot game, roulette or other gambling, is fair and safe to play.
Gaming Platforms
Besides just game providers, there are also casino platforms. These platforms combine games from many different providers, as well as different kinds of games like casino, betting, card games and poker. Well-known casino platforms include:
- Relax Gaming
- Nyx Gaming
- White Hat Gaming
- Microgaming Quickfire
- Softswiss
- Every Matrix
- SkillOnNet
- Inoru
One not that well known casino game provider is Intouch Games. They were founded in 2001, and they only produce games and casinos only for the UK market. Their casino brands include for example mFortune and PocketWin Casino, both which gives its new UK customers up to £10 free no deposit money. You should check out their slots, if you want to test out these exciting casino slot games developed specially for the UK market.
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FAQ
- What are the most popular casino game providers?
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NetEnt and Microgaming are probably the most popular casino vendors integrated into online casino CasinoEngine. They've been in the industry for decades creating legendary slots and continue to improve the gaming experience through software development. Evolution Gaming is the top choice for live casino games.
- Can I play Microgaming slots with my casino bonuses?
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Yes, that's possible at some online casinos. We've listed the best Microgaming casinos in the UK. When you claim a Microgaming bonus via our site, you can enjoy your favourite casino slots with more - Just remember responsible gambling!
- Are online slots rigged?
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Absolutely not. Real money slots are regularly tested by third party gaming authorities (Malta Gaming Authority, the UK Gambling Commission) to secure fair casino gaming for online gamblers. BonusFinder only list legit and trustworthy sites in the casino gaming industry.