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Most people are aware of the existence of online casinos these days, but have you ever wondered how they operate? The fact is that casinos themselves don’t create the games you find on the sites; instead, they employ tech companies, specialists in casino games, to provide the games for the website.
There are 100s of casino software companies out there, but some have become hugely influential, comparable, for example, to the influence that Blizzard and Rockstar Games have over the video games industry. Like Xbox and Playstation, casino sites are but platforms, and the real creativity takes place at the developer level.
As you might expect, having a competitive industry at the developer level breeds demand for certain brands ahead of others. Some casino games developers even sign exclusive licensing deals to promote their games ahead of others. We found the best online casino to offer a variety of the top developers’ games to be Mansion Casino, whereas others might favour one developer over another.
A plethora of influential developers
But who are these software developers? And how exactly do they shape the industry? Well, we could list Playtech, Scientific Games, NetEnt, Microgaming, Quickspin, Merkur, IGT, Big Time Gaming and Blueprint. While that list isn’t exhaustive, it might seem like a lot. But you must remember that the casino industry has expanded dramatically, so having lots of developers is essential.
If we take the example of one developer, Playtech, we can perhaps best explain the role. Of course, Playtech’s primary role is to create casino games, which are then licensed to casinos like Mansion mentioned earlier. But it will also go beyond simply providing the games; it will also provide ‘solutions’ allowing the casino to run smoothly.
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These so-called solutions could be something like a progressive jackpot network. A jackpot network like Playtech’s will connect games across the globe, with players feeding into a prize pot. As such, you end up with the economies of scale scenario, with the developer able to offer multi-million-dollar prize payouts across many games.
New developers to the fore
The importance of competition among developers should not be overlooked, of course. While some like Playtech are known for their quality and thus see their games snapped up by casinos, others must take chances to stand out. That breeds creativity, and it allows for some incredible creations to land at online casinos. Blueprint Gaming is a good example of this; relatively unknown a few years ago, it has become the hottest developer around thanks to the popularity of its games in the Megaways range.
Beyond visiting an online casino, perhaps the best place to see how these developers envisage their future is by visiting one of the iGaming conventions, such as Ice London or G2E. These conventions are like Comic-Con for the casino industry, and the stuff on show will blow you away. VR, AR, MR and XR gaming, 4D casino games, live casino technology, AI casino and a myriad of other tech-driven concepts are on show, and they have started to filter into the online casino platforms.
The innovation on show at these conventions is the key to understanding the developers’ role in the casino industry. They are not happy with the status quo; they want to push the boundaries of casino gaming. Already, the industry looks markedly different online, and some of the concepts being lined up – skill-based casino games, games on smartwatches and other wearables, VR adventure games – will shake not only the casino industry, but the entertainment industry too.
