Online Casino Software Providers

Elena Rosu
Written by Elena Rosu
Iasmina Bunea
Reviewed by Iasmina Bunea

Software providers are the backbone of any casino, and wise gamblers know what to expect from an operator based on their provider list. You can use this page to sort through various online casinos based on the software they use or learn a bit about these companies and what makes them indispensable to the gambling world. 

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All Online Casino Software Providers

United States
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Why Should I Care About Casino Providers?

That's a totally understandable question, and I've got just the answer for you. There will be a time when - if you're anything like me - you'll scout the web for new online casinos regularly to play new games or enjoy new bonuses and promotions. 

Getting vaguely accustomed to casino software providers will allow you to pick or skip various brands in the blink of an eye - and stay confident you've made the best decision. 

What Does a Casino Software Provider Do?

These companies’ importance stems from the very simple fact: you can't gamble in a casino without any casino games. Games are the foundation, and games are developed by software providers. 

Not only does your choice of provider affect the games you play, their odds of winning, table and bet limits, but it can also grant access to certain payment methods or account functionalities. 

Casino software providers are in charge of developing games but also the turnkey solutions that power most of the online gambling sites available on the market. 

The extent to which a casino brand is involved in its platform can vary, but some brands rely solely on ready-made software solutions offered by providers. 

Most Popular Casino Software Providers

These are some of the most successful and well-known software providers, each with a quick list of pros and cons. 

games global logo

Games Global

As the current home for Microgaming's game portfolio and the parent company of more than 35 game studios, Games Global brings three decades of industry experience and over 1.000 games to the table.

Pros Cons
  • Guinness World Records-breaking progressive jackpot wins on Mega Moolah
  • Games certified for fairness and randomness by eCOGRA and GLI
  • Licensed and regulated by over 10 regulatory bodies, including the UKGC and the MGA
  • Most of its subsidiary game studios are rather unknown in the gaming scene
  • Players who don't know about Games Global buying Microgaming's collection might be confused as to why they can't find their favorite Microgaming games under the original brand name

Freak’s Verdict

Games Global is a solid company with plenty of great titles and an obvious commitment to fairness and compliance.

However, despite having an extensive games catalog, its most popular ones remain those acquired from Microgaming.

The studios working under Games Global (e.g., Alchemy Gaming, Blue Ring Studios, and Infinity Dragon Studios) still have work to do to establish themselves in the mainstream gaming scene. 

Personally, I prefer the games made by the smaller game studios over those by Microgaming, as I find them innovative and fresh. Foxium and Rabcat are my favorites, and I particularly like their logos as well.

evolution gaming

Evolution Gaming

With several gambling brands under its umbrella, Evolution powers some of the biggest casino networks worldwide, with a strong emphasis on innovation and originality.
Pros Cons
  • Winner of EGR’s Live Supplier of the Year for 11 consecutive years
  • Creator of several entertaining and innovative Live Game Shows
  • Owner of several reputable brands, like NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming, and Big Time Gaming

Freak’s Verdict

Evolution Gaming casinos always have the best live dealer games, and their live game shows are a lot of fun. It’s also impressive to see such a big and rapidly expanding company keep a somewhat spotless reputation. 

playtech logo

Playtech

Powering the world's most diverse online casinos, Playtech's all-encompassing software suite offers a seamless gaming experience, spanning from feature-packed slots and virtual sports to its progressive Live Casino platform.
Pros Cons
  • Developer of state-of-the-art software solutions for casino management
  • Extended collection of more than 600 omnichannel casino games
  • Their Playtech Protect uses the latest technology to mitigate problem gambling and protect players
  • Some Playtech casinos were found to limit the payouts of progressive jackpots with unfair terms and conditions
  • It was acquired by the casino network William Hill

Freak’s Verdict

The “tech” in “Playtech” is completely warranted, as this company places a strong emphasis on developing new software solutions to the benefit of operators. 

The “play” section of their name fades in comparison, as their games don’t exactly reinvent the wheel and can get rather boring at times. Nevertheless, Playtech casinos have great management platforms and player account functionality. 

igt logo

IGT

A pioneer in the casino industry, IGT handles physical slot machines and digital products equally well. They’re a consecrated name credited with some important developments in the gambling industry. 
Pros Cons
  • The inventor of Megaways slots, a breakthrough in casino games
  • Winner of several annual industry awards
  • Decades of experience in traditional lottery games
  • Were fined $500k for punishing a whistleblower
  • Numerous of their slots look outdated or are not well-optimized with modern mobile devices.

Freak’s Verdict

I don’t want to sound ageist, but it’s clear that IGT has been in this business for a long time. Bringing Megaways slots to the table was, indeed, a power move, but they haven’t exactly been trailblazing in recent years. 

Pair this with their retro - to put it lightly - looking games, and you realize that IGT casinos are amazing if you’re generally annoyed by modern casino games. I said what I said. 

netent logo

NetEnt

Renowned for its innovative and visually stunning online slots, NetEnt captivates players with its immersive storytelling and captivating gameplay mechanics.
Pros Cons
  • The premium supplier for branded slots and developer of the beloved Starburst
  • Global market reach, with more than 200 active B2B customers
  • Record-breaking pooled jackpots

Freak’s Verdict

The internet generally has a great opinion of NetEnt, and I think it’s warranted. Their branded slots model is not only profitable, but really fun for players, and they’ve steered clear of any scandals and lawsuits. 

It’s not ideal that NetEnt casinos are restricted in so many regions, but they need to comply with the various copyright contracts that allow them to develop slots around famous brands. 

Software Provider Popularity by Region

There are various criteria that influence the popularity of a software provider, and these are generally region-dependent. 

Local regulatory requirements, cultural preferences regarding themes and features, as well as a provider's history with a certain market, can greatly tip the balance in favor of certain developers. 

Here's a handy table mentioning some popular providers in various regions:

Region Popular Providers Main Products
Europe NetEnt, Playtech, Games Global, Evolution Gaming, Yggdrasil Slots, Table Games, Live Dealer Games
North America IGT, Light & Wonder, Bally Technology Land-Based Casino Software, Slots
Latin America Games Global, NetEnt, Playtech Slots, Table Games
Asia Playtech, Asia Gaming, BBIN Baccarat, Sic Bo, Mahjong

How to Rate the Best Online Gambling Software Providers

revenue

Gross Gaming Revenue (CGR) Contribution

The GCR can speak volumes about a provider's success. There's no need to reinvent the wheel. If you'd like to know which providers are worth it and which ones aren't, their gross revenue should give you a good idea of whose games people like to play. 

security

Fairness and Security

Casino suppliers undergo audits from independent testing agencies to ensure their games employ Random Number Generator algorithms fairly. In this context, "fair” means that the game outputs its results randomly or down-to-chance. Whether you land a winning combination or not depends purely on luck since the game is set up that way through the use of RNG. 

game quality

Game Assortment and Quality

A casino's primary purpose is to engage as many players as possible, so operators often prioritize partnerships with established providers who've got a few great titles under their belt. 

The game quality is paramount since it directly impacts the level of enjoyment a player will get out of the game. Crisp graphics, good sound effects, and cross-platform availability are some of the things that add value to a game title. 

mobile compatibility

Mobile Compatibility and Integration

Casino games developed on anything other than HTML5 technology are the stuff of legends. You'll hardly find any casino title released during the last few years that won't work beautifully on any mobile device. 

But the casino industry is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. Be wary of casino games that lag or have functionality issues when you play them on mobile. 

licensing

Licensing and Regulation

Casino suppliers need to comply with the local legislation of every area they're looking to operate in. This means providers also need various licenses and certifications to prove their games offer a fair chance at winning and keep the player's data safe. 

reputation

Reputation and Track Record

Unfortunately, stories of regulatory mishaps or predatory practices by some software providers are not enough to make us grasp. Like in any other industry, bad people will do bad business. We can all mitigate the dangers of such providers by avoiding those with less-than-spotless reputations. 

How Do I Know Casino Games Aren’t Rigged?

Surveys by YouGov showed that one of the most common barriers to online gambling is the belief that the odds are stacked against the player. Googling "Are slots rigged?", you'll get more than 2.5 million results.

Most answers include mentions of RNG - Random Number Generators that dictate the outcome of each game. eCOGRA, the independent testing agency, mentions their RNG testing methodology was approved by leading online gambling jurisdictions. 

One such jurisdiction, we can assume, is the UK and the Gambling Commission states in their licensee requirements that the game outcomes resulting from RNG should be “acceptably random.”

But algorithms are the furthest thing from random. Computers take in sets of instructions and output results based on them, so if you dig long enough, everything is ultimately deterministic. 

What Is Acceptable Randomness in Casino Games

RNGs are used for several real-world applications, from statistical analysis and research sampling to video games and art generation. In a nutshell, these algorithms take a small number sequence, called a “seed,” and generate longer sequences based on it.

Different seeds result in different results, so to predict the output of a casino game, you’ll need to get your hands on the seed and reverse-engineer the algorithm. However, this is nearly impossible since each game instance utilizes a unique seed. 

Real-World Example

Some slots will look at your system’s time and date and use that as a seed to generate the outcome. Effectively, each time you load that slot, a different seed will be used to determine the results.

So, the question on everyone’s lips might be: can you beat RNG? What does it take to cheat the system and get rich in the process?

Well, considering that RNGs are not truly random, you could, in theory, beat the RNG. But if you’d have access to the kind of time and computing power needed to do so, you’d make a lot more money by just… hacking the Treasury. Kidding, don’t do that. But you get the point. 

This Was Useless! What Is the Best Software Provider?

It’s NetEnt. 

But that’s only my personal opinion. And no one can preserve complete objectivity and answer that question. The best software provider is that which ticks all the boxes for your particular play style. 

Many people say Evolution Gaming is the best provider, but I don’t like live dealer games that much. Some will say it’s Games Global but the symbols in Mega Moolah, their most famous slot, give me the creeps. 

You might like a provider’s game collection but hate their media presence or the way they do business. Or you might think that your choice of software providers doesn’t matter, but it does. You are betting real money, and that money fuels the game developers, which, in turn, will change the gambling industry for better or worse. 

It’s essential that your gambling choices are well-informed and deliberate, so software companies can continue to serve your best interests and adhere to high ethical standards. I’m counting on you! 

Casino Software Providers FAQs

Do all software providers make live casino games?

No, not all software providers focus on live casino games. Live games require the casino operators to have specific pieces of hardware to ensure quality 24/7 streaming, high-res audio as well as staff for each room. 

Consequently, studios providing live dealer technology will also cover the hardware aspects, but not always. The bottom line is that live dealer games require more effort and coordination with a casino operator, and not all providers will include these in their collections. 

Do I have to download casino software to play casino games?
In many cases, no, you can play directly from your computer or phone's browser. However, some platforms have optional downloadable clients or mobile apps. It's your choice whether you want to download these for better connectivity, interface, or just a different casino experience. 
Are all software providers the same?

Software providers are definitely not the same, although, on the surface, they do the same things. There are plenty of software solution categories a provider might tackle, including games, account management solutions, payment platforms, player tracking, and more. 
Each studio focuses on certain aspects of its games, with some preferring excellent graphics and others capitalizing on innovative features. 

What is a game aggregator?
A game aggregator is a software solution that lets online casino operators add games from several software providers at once. Moreover, the aggregator serves as an intermediary between the casino and the providers, so the operators don’t need to manage tens of partnerships with suppliers. 
How do I know which software providers are used by my casino?
Many casinos will display their most popular and well-known partners prominently on their sites, and some let you filter games by provider. However, there’s no clear-cut way to determine a casino’s full list of software partnerships. Regardless, the providers’ logos will be displayed in any game you play. 

Page Contributors

Elena Rosu

Elena Rosu

Content Writer

About Elena Rosu

  • With over four years of experience, Elena has conducted extensive research in Game Development and Design and contributed articles to various game-related online publications like Stylized Station and Cultured Vultures.
  • She possesses a keen eye for detail and has specialized knowledge of gambling legislation and problem gambling.
  • Currently pursuing her studies in Cognitive Science with a focus on addiction and gamification at the University of Bucharest.

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Iasmina Bunea

Iasmina Bunea

Senior Content Writer

About Iasmina Bunea

  • Online gambling author and editor with more than 7 years of experience;
  • Focused on the UK gambling industry for 5 years, also gaining insights into other international markets such as the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe;
  • She honed her writing and editing skills by being part of the editorial team for a radio show at the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company;
  • Experienced in supervising editorial teams for gambling content;
  • Evaluated and tested more than 200 online casinos.

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