A casino is not a casino without all the games. The various casino games form the very foundation of any casino. Behind the casino games are a number of game developers who specialize in creating casino software. In this article, we take a closer look at the various developers of online casino software.
This is how a casino game is created
Developing new casino games and casino software requires a lot of work. It is not easy to develop new casino games, and the casinos themselves do not have the expertise to do this. That is why we have our own companies that specialize in casino software and the development of casino games.
Before a game developer starts designing a new casino game, market research and customer research are done. Game developers need to figure out what kind of game players want. These surveys form the basis of the theme and features that the new games get.
The game developer must then decide whether the game can be downloaded or just function as a flash game that you must play in the browser at the casino. Most games that are made today are also developed with pilling on mobile in mind. The games must also be tested by independent players to ensure that the gameplay takes place in a fair way, and that the results are random.
Casinos with a huge selection of games from many well-known casino game developers:
Different types of casino software
Game developers create a number of different types of games for the online casino market. At the online casinos, you will find slot machines, card games such as blackjack and poker, roulette, scratch cards, bingo games and lotteries. There are also game developers who specialize in live games where you play famous table games with a real dealer.
Most casino games made today are also possible to play on mobile. Mobile casinos are becoming increasingly popular, and developers are creating their own versions of their games that adapt to the mobile screen and can be controlled by using your finger on the screen.
Some casinos develop their own mobile casinos that you visit directly in the mobile browser, but others also have apps that you can download to your mobile from the App Store or Google Play.
The importance of casino software
In today's casino market, there are thousands of different online casinos, but there are still only a few providers of casino software behind most of the casino games you find online. A handful of the most popular game developers are behind the most popular games you can find online.
Before registering with a new online casino, you may want to research which providers of casino software the casino uses. The most popular online casinos work with several of the various developers of casino software. This means that you get a very large and varied selection with all the best games.
The most famous casino software providers 
Although there are a large number of developers of casino software online, only a few of the most well-known developers deliver the majority of the games you find at the most popular casinos among players.
Below we take a closer look at the most well-known game developers.
NetEnt
NetEnt (formerly Net Entertainment) is perhaps the developer of casino software that most casino players have heard of. The company saw the light of day in 1996, and is today one of the absolute largest developers of casino software in the world – although in 2020 they were acquired by Evolution Gaming, which you can read more about below.
NetEnt produces both slot machines and table games, and is also one of the few game developers that delivers live games to a large number of live casinos. NetEnt is also behind many of the most popular online slots, including Mega Fortune, Starburst, Jackpot 6000, Gonzo's Quest and Mega Fortune Dreams. Every game offered is state of the art and new releases come out monthly. The offerings are diverse and unique making it perhaps the most fun-packed online casino software out there.
The company does not own or have an interest in any of the casinos they license so there is no conflict of interest. They offer one of the highest payout ratios out there at typically over 97%. To conclude, playtime at NetEnt Casinos is much better (more profitable) than most competing software.
Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming is together with NetEnt the king of live casino games. This statement became even more correct at the end of 2020, when it became clear that Evolution Gaming would acquire NetEnt. With NetEnt under the Evolution umbrella, this company is now a staple in the casino industry, both in live casino and more traditional casino games and software.
Until the acquisition of NetEnt, Evolution focused exclusively on live casino. The company still delivers live games to almost all the major online casinos. Evolution Gaming lets you play well-known casino games such as roulette and blackjack with real dealers. Everything is streamed to PC or mobile in high quality. Live casino has become very popular in recent years, giving you the feeling of being in a real physical casino even though you are actually sitting on the couch at home.
Microgaming
Microgaming is one of the oldest developers of casino software. The company was founded in 1994 and has since become one of the most popular online game developers. With over 1,000 different casino games in their game catalog, it is also one of the biggest ones!
The company also excelled with the release of their Viper software in 2002. Microgaming Casino Viper software has now become a benchmark for excellence within the online gaming industry and has proven to be the most efficient solution ever offered by Microgaming to its operators and players.
You will find casino games from Microgaming at several of the most popular online casinos. The company is behind well-known games such as Mega Moolah, Game of Thrones, Immortal Romance and Major Millions. In addition to delivering slot games, Microgaming is also big on table games, scratch cards, live dealer and bingo. In addition, this gaming studio are behind a very popular poker client used by the largest online poker sites.
Microgaming does not own any of the casinos they license so there is no conflict of interest. They offer one of the highest payout ratios out there at typically over 98%, betting on the fact that the more you win the more you will play, so playtime at Microgaming Casinos is much better than most competing software.
Pragmatic Play
Pragmatic Play is an innovative game developer with a varied product range, which consists of high-quality slots, live casino tables, bingo and other games. The company has won various awards since its inception in 2015, and their mobile-friendly and feature-rich game places Pragmatic Play among the best online game developers.
Over the years, Pragmatic Play has acquired licenses that allow them to operate in over 20 jurisdictions. To this day, they offer a large number of games in over 31 languages and with currencies from all over the world. Thanks to their collaboration with various operators, there are a wealth of licensed Pragmatic Play casinos that can now offer their exciting range of games.
One of the primary strengths of this developer is possibly their ability to deliver customizable solutions to their partners. With these solutions, casino operators have got access to in-game promotion tools. For example, they can run special tournaments and other promotions on Pragmatic Play slot machines.
To date, Pragmatic Play has released over 300 proven HTML5 games, all developed in-house. Despite the fact that online slots still make up the majority of their games, Pragmatic Play has expanded significantly within their casino and bingo products.
Distinctive of their unique and colorful design, Pragmatic Play slot machines are usually tightly packed with features. What's more, the games offer decent chances of winning! By the way, did you know that their game “Wolf Golf” has won a prize? It is the “Best Game of the Year” at the Malta Gaming Awards 2018! Better yet, it remains one of their most popular online slot machines to date. Pragmatic has also acquired the Megaways license from the provider Big Time Gaming and can therefore offer some of the Megaways titles.
Play N GO
When the Swedish software company, Play N GO, says that they are “on top of the wave” of their experiences, it is not just a fancy slogan, but a testable reality, because it is one of the oldest software companies with the most experience. And then they are known by most players for their simple and entertaining slot machines.
Play N Go specializes in slot machines, and they clearly reach the target group, especially in Scandinavia. This casino software developer is also capable of delivering, both table games, live dealer and progressive jackpots. Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, Legacy of Dead, Reactoonz, Gemix, and Rise of Olympus – are just some of the hits from this studio. The entire offer with games includes over 300 items, as of the day we wrote this article.
You can play Play N GO through really many online casinos, e.g. Unibet, Betsson and Leo Vegas Casino. The selection of course depends on the provider, but most will recognize the games, not just because they are well known, but also on the recognizable, simple style.
Playtech
Playtech is one of the largest and most well-known developers of casino software, and focuses mainly on slot machines. The company was founded in the UK in 1999, and today delivers casino games to hundreds of online casinos. You can find casino games from Playtech at several of the largest and most popular online casinos. Well-known game titles from Playtech include X-Men, Iron Man, Rocky, Fantastic Four and The Hulk.
Betsoft
Betsoft is another major game developer that has been developing casino games since 1999. This casino software developer is particularly known for its SLOTS3 and POKER3 series which feature very high-quality innovative 3D games. With over 100 different games in the game catalog, you will find games from Betsoft at most online casinos. Casinos with games from Betsoft are happy to use this developer as a supplement to games from NetEnt and Microgaming.
Other Providers
The list of all casino game developers and gaming software for online casinos is very large. To list and describe them all, would really take a lot of space and time. But we can still mention some other well-known companies that make games and they are top-notch products.
- Big Time Gaming
- Thunderkick
- ELK Studios
- Yggdrasil
- Red Tiger
- Igrosoft
- Amatic
- Merkur
Which casino software is best?
The most popular online casino games are developed by Microgaming and NetEnt. It is these two companies that are big behind the most famous classics, especially when it comes to online slots. Whether they have the best games must still be up to each individual player.
When it comes to live gaming, Evolution Gaming is the king of the bunch. The company is both the largest and best in live casino, and with NetEnt's portfolio under the Evolution umbrella, it is now moving towards world domination for the Swedish company.
In addition, it must be mentioned that the market for casino software is in rapid development. Every year, large numbers of new game providers come on the market, and everyone is fighting for the players' attention. Therefore, the gaming offer at online casinos only gets bigger and bigger as more casino software developers emerge.
