Casino gaming has evolved over the years, and from initially having only land-based casinos, today, there are thousands of online casinos for players to enjoy. The popularity of casino gaming has grown over the years, and the iGaming industry is one of the most lucrative and competitive markets globally. One of the key role players in the casino gaming industry is game developers. Software game developers play an integral role in all types of casinos, as these developers provide the engaging gaming content that players play at casinos.
Characteristics of a great casino game developer
Great casino game developers should have a skilled staff with excellent programming and technical skills. Game developers need to understand player preferences and behaviour when deciding on the type of gaming genre to develop. All casino player tastes differ, and a casino game developer should try accommodating all players.
If you want to survive in the long run, you must be able to create innovative, unique games with high-quality graphics and animations. Game developers should pay attention to the intricate details of their games, including enticing features that will draw in players, such as bonus buys and free spins.
Top casino game developers
Microgaming
There is no better place to start than with Microgaming, a pioneer in the gaming industry that has been around since the early 1990s. Besides developing games for the best online casinos in the UK, Microgaming was the first to create online casino software.
Microgaming uses various gaming studios to develop its games and has partnerships with more than twenty independent gaming studios. Working together has resulted in over 1000 casino games covering slots, table games and some live dealer games. Popular Microgaming casino games include Mega Moolah, Thunderstruck II, Jurassic World, Game of Thrones and Immortal Romance.
- Microgaming Strengths:
- Licensed and regulated
- Mobile gaming
- Casino game software
- Diverse gaming portfolio
- Microgaming Weaknesses:
- Casino games not available to US players
Evolution Gaming
Having entered the industry in 2006, Evolution Gaming emerged as the go-to game developer for live casino games. The success of Evolution Gaming is evident with its recent rebranding and acquisition of rival game developers NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming and Big Time Gaming. Through this acquisition, Evolution has hundreds of high-quality casino games, including slots, table games and live dealer games. The live casino is where Evolution excels; some famous games include Lightning Roulette, Dream Catcher, Infinite Blackjack and Monopoly Live.
- Evolution Gaming Strengths:
- Licensed and regulated
- Leading live casino game developer
- Mobile gaming
- Numerous global live gaming production studios
- Evolution Gaming Weaknesses:
- Limited slot titles
Pragmatic Play
Established in 2015, Pragmatic Play is already a leading player in the industry. Pragmatic Play is licensed in numerous countries by various gambling jurisdictions. Over eight years, the company has developed and released more than 250 games ranging from slots to table and live casino games. The slot games include realistic graphics, bonus buy features, and plenty of free spins. Popular Pragmatic Play games include Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Jewel Rush, Sweet Bonanza Candy Land and Mega Wheel.
- Pragmatic Play Strengths:
- Licensed and regulated
- Diverse gaming portfolio
- Mobile gaming
- Drop and Win feature
- Pragmatic Play Weaknesses:
- Games not available in many online casinos
Play’n Go
Founded in 2005, Play’n Go is one of the largest game developers in the industry. Play’n Go has released hundreds of exciting casino games, including slots and table games. The most famous game developed by the company is Book of Dead. The game is used by numerous online casinos, especially when offering welcome offers to new players. Other notable Play’n Go games are Ancient Egypt, Wild Falls 2, Money Wheel and Single Deck Blackjack.
- Play’n Go Strengths:
- Licensed and regulated
- Branded games
- Mobile gaming
- Games accessible in most regions
- Play’n Go Weaknesses:
- Lack of live casino games
Best practices for casino game developers
Casino game developers should have a code of conduct and standard operating procedures when developing their casino games. There should be no shortcuts taken, and should follow responsible gaming guidelines at all times. Game developers must ensure all games’ fairness, which is achieved through Random Number Generators (RNG) and eCOGRA audits. A clear and detailed information page should also be available with each game that provides game rules and instructions. Successful game developers will also focus on mobile compatibility and user experience. Research has indicated, most players’ access casino games via mobile, and it is essential that casino games are developed to provide an immersive mobile gameplay
experience. Finally, game developers must stay updated with industry trends and innovations to continue striving for excellence. No one wants to be left behind in this challenging and competitive industry.
Challenges facing casino game developers
As mentioned, the casino gaming industry is competitive, and game developers face many challenges. These include updated regulatory compliance, which continuously adds new criteria, licensing requirements from strict gambling jurisdictions, competition from other game developers, and evolving player preferences, expectations and wants. Through proper planning and execution, game developers can handle these challenges and continue their successful journey in the gaming industry.
This article analyzed casino game developers’ role in the gaming industry in creating engaging casino games. We have covered the characteristics of top game developers, provided a brief description of four of the best game developers in the industry, and included criteria that developers should use to ensure best gaming practices. Finally, we have mentioned the current challenges that game developers are faced with. It is crucial that online casinos choose the right game developer to succeed in the iGaming industry. Without a successful diverse gaming library, no online casino will survive long-term.
