We've dedicated this section of Gambling Planet as a guide of all of today's major, online-gaming software developers of casino software. As of today, there are over 160 companies providing online casinos with the software solutions that make Internet gambling possible. Here we provide you with information about the most important of the casino gaming software companies.
The companies listed below comprise the A-list of online-gambling software developers. Many of them are mentioned throughout the various sections on our site, mainly because they play such a crucial role in defining the feel and style of so many online casinos.
Though Playtech is a relative latecomer to the online-gaming scene, it overtook the competition with giant leaps of innovative thinking and quickly became the world’s largest publicly traded, online-gaming developer. Founded in 1999, Playtech now boasts the largest number of licensees and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIM: PTEC).
Playtech was the first developer to introduce many of the online-gaming features we now take for granted, including VIP ratings, comp-point schemes, access to game and transaction histories in real-time, cutting-edge fraud-prevention tools, and much more. But perhaps the most revolutionary move - the one that made Playtech the gaming giant it is today - was its introduction of "unified-platform" technology, which allowed players and operators to access several gaming activities using a single user account.
The significance of a unified platform is that it makes players the main entities, rather than the casinos or poker rooms they are playing in. That way, a single player account is sufficient for all kinds of activities, and cross-platform activities (for example, poker and casino activities) are just as easily accessible for players as they are easily monitored by operators and support teams. This proved to be crucial, especially because of the abundance of online-gaming activities supported by Playtech software – casinos, poker, bingo, mobile gaming, arcade games, live gaming... and basically any online gaming-related activity under the sun.
Playtech’s software is also known for its reliability, security, multi-lingual platforms, superb graphics and high speed. This is why so many top online casinos choose to use Playtech as their platform. Playtech is indeed an industry giant, and no matter what online gaming action you’re looking for, sooner or later your search will probably lead you to a Playtech-powered site.
With many years of success behind them, and boasting a long list of popular sites (second only to Playtech), it comes as no surprise that Microgaming’s slogan reads “we are the game”. Established back in 1994, Microgaming has managed to stay ahead of the casino software game with innovative and progressive thinking, uncompromised safety features and product quality, and powerful management tools.
Above all that, Microgaming is best known in the industry for offering some of the biggest jackpots on the internet. Its progressive jackpot network allows players to participate in over 20 progressive games that are available to all casinos powered by Microgaming software, and has become the company's trademark. Since its inception, the various participating casinos have paid out over $225 million in prizes.
Microgaming also runs the world’s largest online poker network, connecting players from around the globe with a platform that supports many languages. Their poker tournament schedule is considered to be one of the most aggressive and rewarding on the net. Microgaming also offers a bingo network, live dealer games, mobile gaming solutions and even land-based software packages for live casino operators. You are guaranteed to have a smooth experience with Microgaming’s quality software, and a great time.
CryptoLogic, Inc. was founded back in 1995, and became publicly traded on the Canadian Dealer Network (CDN) less than one year later. 1996 was also the year they introduced their first online casino – the famous InterCasino. This Toronto-based company commenced trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE) back in 1998 (listed under CRY on the TSE, and CRYP on Nasdaq).
Software innovations introduced by Cryptologic throughout the years have redefined online gaming time and again, and includes features such as multi-player games, live chat, custom browser windows and casino environments that support 3D graphics. Cryptologic has also been a leading force in internet security, devising the 'E-Cash' system where players first receive a PIN via regular mail, before they can withdraw funds. Backed with toll-free phone numbers offering 24-hour support, Cryptologic is met with great satisfaction among its many customers worldwide.
This successful Swedish software company has been publicly traded on the Stockholm Stock Exchange since 1999, and was originally founded in 1996. What started out as a one of the first companies in the world to operate an online casino and gaming portal quickly turned into a software provider for others who were seeking the same results.
Boss Media discontinued their own casino and gaming businesses, and devoted themselves entirely to gaming software development. Boss Media specializes in software solutions for a wide variety of platforms. From PC’s, hand-held computers and mobile phones, to interactive TV and Video Terminal systems, Boss Media caters to all your electronic gaming needs.
GamblingSoftware.com has been a leading force in the online gaming industry since 1997, when it started specializing in Java-based ‘no download required’ casino games.
These instant-play applications allow players to enjoy sophisticated casino games straight out of the browser, with no need to download files onto their computer. The main advantage introduced by these ‘no download required’ applications, is that players can log on from any computer, and, using their unique username and password, start playing instantly.
For example, there is no need to download bulky software files onto your office computer at work. All you need is internet access, and you can play straight out of the browser, without leaving behind any traces of your gaming preferences (provided you delete the browser’s history). This innovation has since become standard, and most software providers offer at least a smaller version of their casino for ‘no download’ play.
GamblingSoftware continues to lead the market with technological innovations for wireless gaming, including security and usability solutions. The company has over 50 licensees and was acquired in 2003 by Victory Gaming Inc. (VGI), a gaming entertainment company based in British Columbia, Canada.
Net Entertainment is a market-leading vendor of award-winning, browser-based gaming software. Its core product, CasinoModule™, is a complete gaming platform that comprises a high number of browser-based games.
Net Entertainment also offers technical support in 21 languages and has the most extensive management system available on the market, allowing true real-time management and operation control. Clients receive system solutions that are not only adapted to their own particular needs but, also, maintain easy integration with their existing websites.
What’s more, Net Entertainment provides a full suite of services, including system hosting and operations monitoring, 24-7 second-line technical support, account management, and access to complementary new software releases every 12 weeks.
Hosting is available in both Malta and Costa Rica, and two independent third parties have tested and verified CasinoModule’s™ randomness, garnering the product a seal of credibility that extends to the operations of Net Entertainment’s licensees. CasinoModule™ also provides support for player protection and is accredited by G4 and eCOGRA. It is already the program of choice for well over 50 renowned online gaming operators—including Unibet, Bet-at-home, Betsson, PokerRoom, BetClick and Goldbet—and is licensed by Net Entertainment based on a royalty-revenue system. The company is listed on the Nordic Growth Market (NET-B).
True to its name, Rival Gaming offers a young, hip alternative to the more established gaming software providers. This newcomer must be innovative and highly creative in order to attract clients to its unique software solutions. Established in 2006, Rival Gaming aims at the younger gambling crowd, going after a generation of gamers and internet lovers that are looking for a true internet gambling experience, rather than an online site that is trying to imitate a brick-and-mortar Las Vegas Casino.
Rival Gaming incorporates in its products all the standard solutions the industry has come to expect from all leading software providers, such as - advanced security features, powerful back-end systems and marketing tools for casino operators, flexible design and cross-platform solutions, etc. But its real claim to fame, and what is already helping it become a true rival to the more established gaming software developers, is its technological appeal to the somewhat younger, internet-savvy gambler.
The first noticeable example is introducing casino software that is fully downloadable to both Windows and Mac environments. The other main feature is already gaining much attention around the internet, and is known as the ‘i-Slots’. These are multi-reel, multi-line slot machines that are ‘enhanced’ with interactive mini-games and short video clips. This innovation, which has already created a buzz in the internet gaming scene, attracts players that have spent their childhood playing video games and watching fast-paced movies. Traditional slots are not as impressive to this younger generation of gamblers, but Rival Gaming is changing all that with the trendy ‘i-Slots’ – part slots, part video game, part movie. Rival Gaming is growing fast, and has already surpassed some of its rivals in market share percentage.
Realtime Gaming (RTG) has been in business since 1998, and is perhaps best known for its progressive slots, running one of the three largest slots networks on the internet. Its jackpots are also among the biggest on the net. All RTG software uses a random number generator that was tested and certified by Technical Systems Testing, and is constantly monitored by the third party to ensure fairness in every game. Realtime Gaming is based in Curaçao, which is one of the Caribbean islands in the Netherlands Antilles. Hastings International BV, based on the same island, is RTG’s authorized distributor for software and all marketing issues.
The publicly-traded PartyGaming is best known for its popular poker room PartyPoker, but back in 1997, the year it was founded, it only operated Starluck Casino, and focused most of its energy during those early years on its casino network. In 2001 it launched its flagship site – PartyPoker, and the site quickly became the world’s largest online poker brand - based on ring game revenue, as well as a number of registered active players.
Since then, however, it has been steadily increasing its presence in Europe, and still remains one of the biggest online poker rooms. Among other sites, PartyGaming also operates the popular, cutting-edge PartyCasino site, as well as sites dedicated to bingo and backgammon.
OpenBet is the online gaming software solution developed by Orbis Technologies, Ltd, a British company established in 1996. Orbis' OpenBet presents seven separate software modules - Casino, Rake Games, Sportsbook, Fixed Odd Games, Retail, Exchange and Marketing. These seven modules, and the unique conceptual ties between them, allow operators to provide their players with all their gaming solutions, as well as information, security and support, using one single account. Orbis calls this the ‘one account, one wallet solution’, and has seen great growth since its introduction. The platform also supports multiple languages and currencies.
Some online gaming sites choose to develop and use their very own software, rather than seeking a partnership with other gaming companies that specialize in software development. This is referred to as ‘proprietary software’. There are some advantages to playing at sites that use proprietary software, most notably the possibility of finding unique games.
While major gaming software companies supply many (sometimes hundreds) of sites with the same platform, player networks and games, sites which choose to run independently, using their proprietary software, will have a distinguished feel and atmosphere about them. The possible disadvantages of playing in a proprietary site are, first and foremost, security and reliability. The world’s major gaming software suppliers are publicly traded, well established companies, with a large client base and many investors to answer to. Absolute Poker, for example, is a site that uses proprietary software. Even though all players involved where fully compensated, the site has lately admitted to cheating taking place through misuse of the software by a company employee or executive. Incidents like these are very rare, since online gaming companies stand to loose much more than they stand to gain by misuse of the software.
Another possible disadvantage is sometimes a low player volume. With communal games such as online poker, it is essential for a site to offer players ready competition all the time, and small sites may have trouble guaranteeing non-stop action, since they are not part of a larger network of sites. That being said, all sites using proprietary software listed on this website are well-established and reputable sites in their own right. These sites are big enough to run on their own software while making use of the latest security innovations in the industry, as well as to ensure a high player volume at all times.
Some proprietary sites are actually the longest running gaming sites on the internet, and boast higher player volume than other, network-based sites! 888 Casino, in fact, is not only run with proprietary software, but is the biggest online casino on the Internet and one of our personal favorites.
Online casino software is typically either a download version or no download casino version. Some software providers have both, others only a download version and others only the no download (also called ‘flash’) versions. If you need to download software then you have to install it onto your computer in order to play the games. If you play the flash version then you can play within the internet browser. If you want the download software just make sure you have enough space on your device beforehand!
No you don’t have to download any casino game software if you don’t want to. Many online casinos have casino software companies that provide games in flash version and don’t require an online casino software download.
The best casino software offers players an incredible cinematic experience when they play online. Online casino software developers take into account the sound, the graphics, the navigation of the site, your security, and more.
Yes it is, as long as you are choosing a reputable online casino which is regulated by the appropriate gambling authority. Choose from one of the online casinos in our toplist, or go through our online casino reviews in order to learn about the different ones.
There is normally an app or the no download casino version for you to play on mobile. Most of the time you cannot download casino software onto a mobile device, but you can still play all the games! The online casino software developers have worked hard to give you the same kind of cinematic gaming experience on mobile as you get on your computer.
Once upon a time life was tough for Mac users as casino software for Mac wasn’t widely available. However, in this day and age, online casino software companies have put in a huge effort to bring their Mac software up to speed. Today, players will be able to play on their Mac as well as their Apple mobile devices. All you need to do is check for the Apple sign on the online casino website to ensure that the casino software that powers their site has developed games for Mac players.
Modern day casino online software gives players an incredible gaming experience. All casino software providers will develop games in their own particular style, and perhaps even focus in on particular games, such as slots. Others have developed great progressive jackpot games across all their games at different online casinos, and others have really invested in developing top-notch live casino games. Read about all the different casino software our online casinos use and then take your pick from one of our great online casinos in our casino toplist to give the games a go!
