Game development is big business in the UK, and there’s also a vast gambling scene here thanks to the liberal regulations and widespread popularity of betting in all its forms.
The result is that there are some high flying development studios on British soil that specialize in creating cutting edge casino experiences. Let’s discover just a few of these big-hitting brands, and what makes them special.
Microgaming
Located on the Isle of Man, Microgaming is an important name for online casinos since it was founded back in 1994 and effectively originated the first software used to fuel web-based gambling activities.
Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, launching poker games, mobile casino software and even breaking new ground by innovating with slots featuring a character licensed from other media with 2004’s Tomb Raider game.
Today, Microgaming is still riding high, and has been responsible for record-breaking payouts as well as a whole raft of casino titles including bingo, blackjack and beyond. It’s also recognised for taking security seriously, and leading by example.
NetEnt
Another globally-renowned casino software developer, NetEnt is similar to a lot of other gambling firms in that it is based in Gibraltar for licensing and tax reasons. So while not technically a mainland business, it is nevertheless sitting on land belonging to Britain.
A whole heap of impressive stats are attached to NetEnt’s operations, including the fact that it licenses its games to more than 200 different online casino providers, and each year it processes around 60 billion transactions.
If you’re checking out an online casino UK selection, you’re bound to stumble across more than a few NetEnt creations. And being able to trust a developer is important, not just from the perspective of providing players with a quality experience, but also when it comes to things like security and service resilience as well.
Evolution
Evolution deserves to be mentioned in its own right, although it is actually a parent firm to many other casino brands, and has recently added NetEnt to its stable of companies.
In particular, it focuses on providing live casino games which are hosted by real croupiers and then streamed over the internet to players wherever they might be.
The popularity of live casinos has grown in recent years, and they usually sit alongside all-digital equivalents of games like poker and roulette on gambling sites in the UK and further afield.
IGT
With headquarters in the UK, you’d be forgiven for thinking that IGT was only relevant on the British gambling market. However, it’s actually a truly global company, and employs over 10,000 people worldwide in countries such as Italy and the US.
As well as developing casino games for the web, IGT has a hand in making games which are then loaded into more traditional land-based cabinets and enjoyed at bricks and mortar casinos wherever you find this type of venue.
Values including responsibility and authenticity define the firm as forward-thinking, and its interest in ensuring equality in the workplace is good for employees as well as for players who want to support ethical companies.
BetSoft
Founded in 2006 and originally developing games in Flash, BetSoft was quick to make the leap to HTML5 at a time when this language was taking over, alongside the move to mobile devices for most forms of online gambling.
Its raft of slot games are not just released under the BetSoft brand, but also under sub-brands including Slots3 and ToGo. With 3D titles bringing added immersion above and beyond what’s found elsewhere, it’s easy to see why this developer has managed to compete in a tough marketplace.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
