The Top Casino Software Providers
Having been in the online gaming industry since its inception, we are more aware than most that online casinos would be nothing without the games that make them successful.
Which is why we review all of the most vibrant and innovative online casino games developers here on our site. Ultimately, if it wasn’t for casino software forerunners such as Microgaming, NetEnt, and Playtech to name a few, online casinos simply wouldn’t exist.
Here at CasinoGuide, we list only online casinos offering games from the very best online casino software providers. If you’re looking to find out which software is used by a specific online casino, this information can be found in our individual online casino reviews.
If you want to see some of the most popular slot games available, then we recommend checkign out our dedicated page about the top 10 slots here.
Casino Software: Origins
An online casino is only as good as its games!
The casino software industry is an organic, ever-expanding part of one of the fastest growing sectors in the world. Millions of people are using their computers and mobile devices to play real money casino games online every year. It is only natural therefore, that the supply of casino software developers has increased with that demand – particularly during the past decade.
With that said, it’s no exaggeration to also say that without the pioneering instinct of Microgaming, the online casino world wouldn’t exist. Microgaming were, after all, the first software company to launch an online casino way back in 1994.
And they have not rested on their laurels either. Throughout the years, they have continued to produce high quality games and are firmly established as one of the best casino software developers in the world. Microgaming’s reputation is underpinned by their library of nearly 1000 cutting edge online casino games, including some monumental jackpot games.
Following Microgaming’s lead once it became clear that online casinos were here to stay, several more software companies appeared on the scene. The most popular of these is probably NetEnt, followed by Playtech, and Play’n Go – although there are several more who are breaking into the scene.
Casino Software Mobile Compatibility
All new online casinos worth their salt are mobile compatible, and the vast majority of online casino veterans such as 888 Casino have followed suit. With over 50% of online casino players now playing on their mobile phones, these casinos would be missing a huge chunk of their target market by not providing a mobile compatible casino experience.
Obviously, in order to provide this, online casinos rely on casino software developers to make games which work on all devices. Fortunately, there have been some developments in this regard during the past decade. Not so long ago, online casino games were developed using Flash. This was incompatible with the majority of mobile devices, meaning the games could only be played on desktop computers. Now though, games are made with HTML5 – which is near-universally compatible on mobile devices.
Play’n Go casinos deserve a special mention in this regard. They were the first casino game software provider to expand into providing solutions that were compatible with mobile devices. Nowadays, all major casino software providers do this, but Play’n Go were the ones brave enough to break new ground in this area. NetEnt have arguably taken things even further with their NetEnt Touch platform, which was built specifically for mobile devices of all kinds.
To Download Or Not To Download?
The aforementioned advent of HTML5 didn’t only revolutionise mobile casino gaming, but desktop gameplay as well. It was once a compulsory requirement to download some pretty heavy software onto your PC or laptop in order to be able to enjoy real money casino games.
Those days are all but gone now – although some online casinos do have downloadable software, this is more often than not an option rather than a requirement. HTML5 allows fully featured online casino games to be played within your Internet browser, which has given rise to a trend of no download casinos.
This is also helpful when you are looking to play on a Mac OS computer. Back in the days of compulsory casino software downloads, it was sometimes difficult to find software which was compatible with Apple’s operating system.
Why Do People Prefer Certain Casino Software Developers?
Hot As Hades is a popular Slots game by casino software giant Microgaming.
Each casino software developer has its own unique styles and ways of creating innovative new games. But they still follow an age-old formula for casino games in terms of what they create and what the discerning player has come to expect. That is: making the game fun to play.
People will always gravitate towards games that give them the best thrill. And the great thing about casino games is there are so many different kinds, there is something for everyone! Therefore, it’s only natural that people prefer some casino software developers more than others. So what do experienced players look for in an online casino software developer?
- Graphics and audio: attractive visuals and immersive sounds are a basic requirement for an engaging online casino game. Whether this in the form of bright colours, classy imagery, or sultry supermodels – keeping the attention of your players is crucial for casino software developers!
- Payouts: online casino games have wildly varying payout variances. Some casino software developers are well-known for offering high variance games with huge jackpots, while others may focus on catering to players who like low variance games offering regular small wins.
New ideas: it’s incredible really that there are literally thousands of Slots games, and hundreds of variations of table games available to play at online casinos. It’s not surprising that there is some overlap in the styles and themes used by casino software developers when making these games. Which makes software providers with new ideas even more appealing. - Compatibility: as mentioned above, compatibility is much less of an issue than it once was. However, if you will be playing exclusively on mobile, you may want to pick an online casino using software developers with large libraries of games made specifically for mobile.
Which Casino Software Developer Is Best?
Ultimately, this decision is up to you, the player! Take some time playing the different games that each casino software provider offers and you will soon be able to choose what style of gaming software suits you. It could be the glamorous graphics of NetEnt, or the star-studded lineups of Microgaming and Playtech – the choice is yours.
The Big Boys
Microgaming and NetEnt comprise two of the longest serving and most notorious names in the online casino software business. These are both known for their comprehensive delivery of Slots, as well as many other kinds of online casino games, including some of the best table games on the market.
They are truly giants in their field, both having been established in the mid-1990s at the dawn of online casino gaming. Decades on, Microgaming and NetEnt have evolved to become the industry trailblazers they are today. This has lead Microgaming casino UK operators and NetEnt casino games to be the preferred choice of many players.
Mobile Leaders
Play’n Go is another long-established software provider that’s been around since the mid-1990s. It provides online casinos with all kinds of games, including Slots and table games. However, it is most widely known for its provision of some of the best mobile software in the business.
As well as supplying games to numerous mobile casinos, Play’n Go have won multiple awards – including the prestigious International Gaming Awards’ (IGA’s) Mobile Product of the Year! Choose from our recommended Play’n Go casino options today.
Other Specialists
Moving away from the very big names, NYX Interactive is a software developer with a primary focus on what some call variety games in the online casino world. Here we are talking about less popular but still lucrative games such as Keno, Bingo, online Scratch Cards, and lottery games.
And lastly, Evolution Gaming is a leader in the development of live dealer software platforms, focusing exclusively on providing live dealer casino software to operators. Evolution Gaming was founded in 2006 and has since become a forerunner in the live division. They provide hundreds of real-life games with professional dealers broadcast from their dedicated studios in Latvia and Malta, as well as from land-based casinos.
Casino Software Innovations
The advent of live dealer casino games shows us that online casino software developers are certainly not afraid to try new things in order to retain the interest of their player base. Particularly in recent years, huge leaps forward have been made. If you don’t believe us, take a look at what they are doing with the concept of the virtual reality casino!
Innovative new concepts and designs are everywhere in the games that casino software developers create. One relatively new provider called Thunderkick is taking the scene by storm with their fascinating new style of slot game which has no reels at all. One popular example of this is called Well Of Wonders, and can be seen in the video below.
It’s one thing to look forward to all the best of the present and future. But nostalgic players and old schoolers will be glad to discover that the much-loved, well-worn originals are all still being developed. These include all the popular casino classics like online Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Video Poker, and much more.
Enjoy Top Quality Casino Software Today!
Our recommended list contains the best online casinos available in the UK. All are completely legal and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
Most importantly, between them they offer a fantastic range of games from the very best casino software developers. Take your pick, claim your generous signup bonus, and enjoy some truly high quality gameplay today!
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