Playtech Company Overview
|
Founded | 1999 |
Headquarters | Douglas, Isle of Man |
Key People | Brian Mattingley, Mor Weizer, Chris McGinnis |
No. Of Employees | 6.600+ |
Stocks | LSE: PTEC |
Gambling Licences | UKGC, MGA |
Testing Labs Certificates | GLI, ISO27001 |
Types Of Games | Video Slots, Bingo, Live Casino, Poker, Sportsbetting, Scratch Cards |
No. Of Games | 900+ |
Awards | Bingo Supplier of the Year, Poker Network of the Year, Slot Provider of the Year, etc |
Whether you are an experienced gambler or new on this journey, you must have heard about Playtech at least once by now.
It is one of the leading online casino providers on the market, rivalling the likes of Microgaming (now part of Games Global), IGT, NetEnt, and Pragmatic Play.
Playtech has over 24 years of experience and has opened offices in around 26 countries across the globe to this date.
It is regulated by the UKGC and MGA, has 180 global licences, and activates in 30 different jurisdictions.
Author Input
"But why is Playtech so well-known?" you may ask yourself.
In my opinion, it's thanks to its comprehensive games portfolio of over 900 titles that span all kinds of genres and often feature beloved characters from popular franchises.
Should I Give UK Playtech Casinos A Try?
If you're asking yourself this question, you likely need a slight push towards the right direction for you.
Here are my two cents on why it is a good idea to play at UK Playtech casinos, based on other player's experiences:
1. It Stays Modern
The casino experience is ever-changing and ever-evolving, meaning that the providers who stay up to trends and also come up with unique ones, are those that last.
Playtech has definitely tried to live up to that. Here are some examples of what it did:
- Omni-channel approach: play from the same account on different devices
- Joined the Social Casino scene by acquiring companies that produce slots for free to play social markets (e.g. Quickspin and Eyecon)
- Created games based on popular media (Marvel, DC, Pink Panther, The Walking Dead, etc)
- Optimised games for mobile devices & incorporated HTML5 technology
- Localised content for various markets: you can play its games in several different languages and currencies
- Created multiplayer video slots, bringing the social land-based casino experience to online casinos.
- Incorporated Augmented Reality in its Live Casino games, allowing players to interact with the host and the game.
2. Omni-channel Platform & Play On The Go
Playtech makes playing in UK mobile casinos quite easy. This is because it uses the latest HTML5 technology.
On top of that, you can access your favourite games via your desktop, mobile device, or even a land-based slot terminal, with the same account and wallet, all thanks to the Playtech ONE platform.
3. Leading Creator Of Branded Slots
Are we even talking about Playtech if we don't mention its impressive collection of branded video slots? After all, it's one of the first things that made it famous in the first place.
Playtech entered the world of licenced slots in 2009 by collaborating with Marvel, and is nowadays one of the biggest creators of branded slots worldwide.
What Happened to its Marvel Slots?
Back in the 2010s, Playtech was best known for its collection of Marvel-themed slots. These were very popular, so their disappearance from online UK Playtech casinos came as a big surprise in 2017.
To understand the situation, you only need to know these three things:
- Disney bought Marvel a couple of months after Playtech signed a deal with it.
- Disney declared that it did not want to be associated with gambling, but wanted to honor Marvel's prior deals.
- The licence that Playtech obtained expired on March 31st 2017.
In a nutshell, Disney did not renew the licence after it expired and forced Playtech to remove its Marvel-themed slots from casinos.
It has since re-branded its previous Marvel-themed slots to the Age of the Gods series. For instance, the Iron Man 2 slot is now King of Olympus.
DC-themed Video Slots
After the Marvel collaboration ended, Playtech went straight for its biggest rival, DC.
It got the rights to create branded content based on the DC Comics via the Warner Bros partnership.
This led to the "birth" of standout titles like Batman vs Superman, Batman & The Joker Jewels, and Green Lantern.
Other Licences
Now, DC isn't where Playtech's collaborations end. The company also collaborates with other entertainment companies, such as Sony Pictures Television and AMC.
4. Wide Variety Of UK Playtech Games
Last but not least, Playtech is a software provider that keeps pumping casino games yearly, amassing over 900 titles by 2023.
It did not focus solely on one area but rather did a bit of everything. It has separate branches for video slots, bingo, table games, sports betting, poker, scratch cards, and Live Casino games.
Slots
Playtech boasts over 600 video slots. Its most popular ones pertain to the Age of the Gods Franchise, which has a mythological theme and progressive jackpots.
Other noteworthy top Playtech slots include:
- Buffalo Blitz
- Green Lantern
- Justice League
- The Matrix
Did you know
The slot with the biggest RTP in Playtech's portfolio is Ugga Bugga. Released in 2006, it features an impressive 99% RTP alongside an African tribal theme.
For offline fans
If you're interested in learning about Playtech's retail games, check their website for more info. You can find a list of their available games and a short description of each one, to help you get an idea of what to expect.
Live Casino
Playtech is among the biggest Live Casino suppliers in Asia and Europe. You can enjoy Live Dealer games from this provider via 24/7 dedicated tables with native-speaking dealers (English, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Romanian, and more).
Its offerings include Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Casino Hold'em, Hi-Lo, Sic Bo, Grand Royal, and many more.
Poker
The company's poker offerings are available on the iPoker network. They encompass many games, including Cash Games, Multi-Table tournaments, Speed Poker Cash Games, Omaha, and Soko.
Bingo
Playtech Bingo is renowned in the UK, holding more than 40% market share. It has a large selection of daily bingo draw games to choose from in UK Bingo Casinos, including 90-ball, 80-ball, and 75-ball variants.
Example
A standout Bingo title by Playtech is Rainbow Riches Bingo. The company prides itself on creating the first-ever bingo adaptation of the renowned licenced UK retail slot.
Note
Since it acquired Eyecon, you can now find popular bingo titles from it, such as the UK fan-favourite Fluffy Favourites, in UK Playtech casinos.
Online Rumours Regarding Playtech: Is It Rigged?
You may or may not be familiar with internet chatter regarding Playtech's Live Casino games being rigged. There are multiple talks about this on UK Trustpilot, as well as on YouTube videos.
This likely raises some alarms for you. However, rest assured that there is no concrete evidence of any Playtech games being rigged whatsoever.
On the contrary, there is evidence in the form of certificates (GLI & ISO27001) from independent testing laboratories, which say that Playtech's games are fair and random.
Freak Tip
I prefer to stick to Playtech's video slots section and avoid its Live Casino games.
Whether there is truth to the claims or not, I prefer to be safe. Plus, I much prefer spinning the slots reels anyway!
Addressing The Elephant in The Room - Problem Gambling
I cannot stress enough the importance of minding your gambling habits and ensuring that you only play for fun and do not consider it a full-time job.
The bigger a UK casino software provider is, the more it has to offer, and the bigger the risk is of getting too hooked on the games and losing track of time and, sometimes, of yourself.
What Does Playtech Do About This?
Black Stain in The Past
In 2020, the UKGC found social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures at its subsidiary PT Entertainment Services. After the investigation, Playtech donated £3.5 Million to charities combating problem gambling.
Looking Towards The Future
Nowadays, Playtech is more involved than ever in encouraging Safer Gambling. Here are some of its initiatives:
- Incorporates responsible gambling tools in its games (e.g. self-exclusion tools & reality checks)
- Supports & engages with non-profits such as GamCare, GambleAware, Gamban, and GAMSTOP
- Explores the use of AI to improve Anti Money Laundering detection
- Initiated the "A Safe Bet: design and evaluation of a player-tailored online responsible gambling promotion framework" project
- Integrated the BetBuddy Responsible Gambling analytics platform to help identify and engage with players who seem to be struggling
- Donates to charity organisations
Playtech Company Timeline
Playtech is an industry leader nowadays, and its expertise is undeniable. But things weren't always like this.
It started out as a small business back in the 90's, when Teddy Sagi and a couple of other experienced entrepreneurs decided to create a company.
Here's a brief overview of Playtech's journey throughout the years:
- 1999: founded in Tallinn, Estonia
- 2001: launched its first casino product
- 2004: introduced the iPoker poker network, one of the largest poker networks to date
- 2008: acquired Gaming Technology Solutions, an iGaming platform aggregator & signed an online gaming software licence agreement in the UK
- 2009: partnered with Marvel & launched its first branded slots
- 2010: merges with Virtue Fusion Limited, a developer of Bingo products
- 2011: acquired various land-based casino management systems, mobile platform developer Mobenga, and the game development studio Ash Gaming
- 2012: listed on the London Stock Exchange & acquired Geneity Limited, a sports software supplier
- 2013: acquired PokerStrategy, an online poker affiliate site
- 2014: showcased Coral Connect, a multi-channel solution that later led to the creation of Playtech ONE & merged with Psiclone Games, a retail casino games manufacturer
- 2015: purchased Yoyo Games, a game development technology that allows programmers of any level to create games
- 2016: acquired the Swedish games studio Quickspin
- 2017: integrated the responsible gambling analytics platform BetBuddy and acquired the game development studio Eyecon & partnered with Warner Bros
- 2019: Teddy Sagi sold his last shares in Playtech & the company purchased Rarestone Gaming, a game development studio
- 2021: opened its first Live Casino in Southfield, Michigan & acquired Aristocrat Lotteries
Time To Go
….and start playing some Playtech slots, if that sounds good to you. Whether or not you decide to play at UK Playtech casinos, I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours. Stay sharp and play responsibly!