Best Online Casino Slots Software Providers Compared
Each online slot machine software company has their own unique history and background. Moreover, they've each been around for different periods of time, and some of them were even producing brick and mortar titles back before playing online existed. It's easier to pick from the available platform options when you know which games they're known for as well. Down below, we look at several of the top names in the space and what they bring to the table.
Provider Net Income Popular Slots Aristocrat $5 billion Panda, Lightning Link, Buffalo IGT $4 billion Winning Wolf, Wildlife, Wheel of Fortune Microgaming $600 million Hot Shot, Game of Thrones, Break Da Bank Again NetEnt $500 million Starburst, Gonzo's Quest, Guns N Roses Bally $2.3 billion Double Dragons, Quick Hit, 88 Fortunes Pragmatic Play $64 million Buffalo King, Gold Rush, Wolf Gold Hacksaw Gaming $1 million Dawn of Kings, Cubes 2, Hand of Anubis Play'n GO $60 million Riddle Reels, Rally 4 Riches, Diamond Vortex Quickspin $19 million Hidden Valley, Sakura fortune, Cash Truck WMS $185 million Aftershock, Spartacus, Black Knight
Software Providers Offering Unique Features
One way that online slots software providers differentiate themselves from each other is by coming up with innovative features. While these can sometimes be licensed by the competition, they're still used as a key point in the argument as to why they are the best. No review of any individual software provider can be complete without pointing out what they have done to innovate in the industry as a whole, and we want to make absolutely certain that players know what some of the biggest names have done on a larger scale in this way.
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Big Time Gaming
Back in 2011, Big Time Gaming (or BTG for short) opened up their doors with a focus on offering one of the best gambling experiences available to players. Their Megaways style slots really helped to pave the way to making that dream a reality by putting a random number of symbols on each reel within an "all ways" layout for tons of ways to get paid. Now a part of the Evolution Gaming Group, their Megaways layout is licensed and used by lots of other video slots software companies.
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Push Gaming
Many players take mobile apps for granted when looking at slots casino software. However, Push Gaming helped to really push for games on the HTML5 platform, getting away from Flash, which ultimately led to the modern environment where you can take your play with you wherever you go for virtually any top provider. This was their goal since opening up in 2010, and it's clear that they have achieved that goal since it's now the industry standard. Players can enjoy some excellent titles including Jammin Jars a popular music themed slot.
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Quickspin
In the modern space, quality is the name of the game. However, when Quickspin entered the industry in 2011, that wasn't the case for a lot of what the industry was putting out. At the time, it seemed like most 5 reel titles rehashed the same themes, and if you were to play one title, it might seem like a few other recent releases. What Quickspin did was establish a much higher standard for both graphics and gameplay, which was largely spread under their work with Microgaming, throwing down the proverbial gauntlet to the competition.
Provider Unique Features Best Slot Awards Play At Big Time Gaming Megaways Bonanza EGR B2B Slot Supplier of the Year 2017-2018 888 Push Gaming Mobile Compatibility Jammin Jars EGR B2B Mobile Gaming Supplier 2020 LeoVegas Quickspin High Quality Graphics Big Bad Wolf EGR B2B Game of the Year 2013, Mobile Gaming Supplier 2014 PlayOJO Thunderkick Feature Selection Esqueleto Explosivo EGR B2B Innovation in RNG Casino Software 2017 Casumo Betsoft 3-D Graphics The Slotfather Part II G2E Asia Best B2B Digital Product Solution 2019 Royal Vegas Play'n GO Mobile Compatibility Book of Dead EGR B2B Slot Provider of the Year 2019 Vulkan Vegas Microgaming Large Progressive Jackpots Mega Moolah EGR B2B Innovation in Slot Provision 2016, Platform of the Year 2016, Mobile Product of the Year 2017 Jackpot City Relax Gaming Innovative Mobile Controls Money Train 2 EGR B2B Casino Software Supplier of the Year 2020 PlayAmo Licensing and Fair Gaming
Licensing is one of the most important things that players can look for to make sure that a provider and its games are handling things in a fair way. No matter if it's a live location like Las Vegas, or if it's online slots sites that you play on your phone, you want things to be fair in terms of payout rates. The various entities that handle this have different degrees of reputations, and knowing where your favorite provider is licensed can give you a better understanding of what level of accountability to expect.
Licensing of Online Slots Software Providers
Down below, we have taken a quick look at the most well-known regulatory bodies. No matter if it's the latest company with a new game or a classic provider that has been in the gaming industry for decades, you'll want to know which of the following they are licensed by and the status of that license. Playing with names licensed by trusted entities makes it easier to secure a withdrawal and keep your winnings after playing.
- UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) : Generally considered the top regulator in the world, they are super strict with how they handle fairness from software developers. What's more is that they have shown that they are not afraid to lay down massive fines if their rules are violated. This leads to a tremendous level of accountability that gives players a serious level of peace of mind.
- Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) : Aligned with the UKGC, the MGA is also a top-tier regulator that has a history of holding both individual casinos and software providers accountable. With regular software audits and other checks, including for the RNG software that runs everything, this is a name that players can trust.
- Curacao e-Gaming Licensing Authority : This one isn't quite as strong of a name, and their primary claim to fame is that they're cost-effective for sites and providers because they do not cost a lot of cash to get a license up and running. Generally speaking, we recommend players exercise caution when betting at locations licensed only by this particular entity if they don't have a long-running reputation for taking care of players.
- Gibraltar Regulatory Authority (GRA) : The GRA has a solid reputation for being serious about their rules and standards. While they don't make the headlines for big fines like the UKGC, they are still seen as a particularly reputable body, and players can trust that this entity will revoke the license of any online slot machine developers that operates outside of their guidelines and policies.
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission (KGC) : While this licensing entity isn't seen on the same lower level as Curacao, it's also not held in the same esteem as the UKGC, MGA and GRA. Occupying a bit of a middle ground, they have a checkered past to some degree. We would generally require that a KGC-licensed site has a reputation of their own for giving players great service and being reliable before playing there.
RNG Certification for Fair Gaming
No matter if you're a recreational player who plays for fun or if you're a serious bonus hound looking to take advantage of slots bonuses like no deposit codes, free spins and other goodies, you want the RNG to be fair. This is especially important if a lot of money was involved, like with progressive jackpot wins. Various independent, non-licensing entities are in place that do just that. While each provider has their own custom approach to how they handle RNG programming, these independent entities listed below test them each individually to ensure fairness.
- eCOGRA : An eCOGRA certification means that the provider has passed rigorous testing to show that its RNG is completely fair. This generally matches or exceeds the standards required by most regulatory bodies, and since they test regularly in an ongoing way, it helps to make sure that you know you're playing with somewhere with a fair RNG no matter if you're a penny player or a high roller.
- iTech Labs : Their specialty is RNG testing with a focus on the mathematics involved. A part of this is that they require slot game developers to give them access to everything to do with their code and programming to make sure that it's built properly from the ground up. If they pass iTech Labs testing, then they have passed some of the most difficult tests in this space.
- Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) : This independent testing lab offers certifications and compliance assistance with various gaming regulations and standards to make sure that the RNG and other aspects of the slot software is within the rules no matter where you're playing. Their specialization centers around making sure that software (particularly the RNG) fits within the bounds put out by the different regulatory bodies.
How to Choose the Best Casino Software Provider for Free to Play Slots
Most software options in 2024 have "no download" platforms that allow you to play without downloading anything. If you're playing slots for free with demo games, no registration is required to begin with, but whether you want to sign up at a site to play or not, you'll want to figure out your preferred software developers ahead of time. Here we offer some things to consider that will make it easier to pick out what works best for your preferences.
- Software Type : Major players like IGT, NetEnt and Playtech all offer in-browser play with no download required. This allows you to play from virtually any computer, and a mobile app can also be available.
- Game Compatibility : The titles available depend on which providers are available. Some developers have platforms with several other partnered providers, providing compatibility for the entire bunch no matter how you play.
- Language : Most titles don't require you to read that much, but getting the instructions (especially on features) in your language can be helpful. Different providers offer support for a different range of languages.
- Licensing : Look to see where a provider is licensed. This will help to make sure that your payouts are fair, wins are proportional to the number of coins wagered and so on.
- Game Variety : Some names focus on one type of title, but others have more of a variety. This goes beyond the total number of options they have available and extends to the slots themes, feature sets and play styles involved.
- Graphics : There's not really a reason in modern times for new games to have poor graphics. The industry standard is for everything recent to have a great aesthetic, but stylistic choices can really make a big difference in what you see between development houses.
- Audio : For some online casino slot software companies, sound effects and music are an afterthought. For others, it's a critical part of the overall experience.
- Stability : It's never fun when software crashes, especially when you're in the middle of a betting round. We recommend players stick to options that have a reputation for software stability.
- Country Restrictions : Some providers do not operate in particular countries or regions. We would advise players to make sure that a developer's games are available where you're located ahead of time.
How to Play Slots Online for Fun
What's really cool about online slots is that you can play for free without needing to sign up for anything straight from our site. Down below, we'll show you a process that you can follow to go through and figure out some games that you like using these demo options.
- Choose Your Software Provider : Start by picking out a developer that you want to try out.
- Browse Our Collection of Free Games : From there, look through our selection of free online slots games to find options produced and developed by this company.
- Click Play for Free to Play in Demo Mode : If the game asks you, make sure to choose the option to play for free money.
- Play and Explore Features : You can play in the demo version for as long as you like. There is no rush, so you can explore everything that the game has to offer.
- Find Your Favorite Games : Once you have figured out what you like, you can find real money casinos that have these titles available by looking for the developer.
- Take Advantage of Bonuses : At this point, you're ready to get in on the action with a great bonus to get paid while you play for real money.
FAQ
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Who are the best slots software providers at casinos in 2024?
A number of different top options are available depending on what you are looking for. -
Which software provider has the largest number of slots?
Microgaming, now Games Global, is often recognized as having the most games available on their platform. -
Are all the games available for mobile devices?
Most titles are available for play on mobile in the modern software environment. -
Who produces Megaways titles?
Many providers offer Megaways titles, but they have to license the concept from its creator Big Time Gaming. -
Who has the biggest progressive jackpot?
Microgaming is the king of progressive jackpots and holds the world record for size. -
Do free slots have the same RTP as the real money versions?
Yes, the RTP is the same on both. -
How do I win real money with free casino slots?
No deposit bonuses are a way to win real money prizes without risking anything. -
Which top online slots software developers offer the best free spins bonuses?
We like the free spins offers provided by Microgaming.
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Amanda Evans - Chief Editor Amanda has been involved with all aspects of the content creation at Top10Casinos.com including research, planning, writing and editing. The dynamic environment has kept her engaged and continually learning which along with +15 years iGaming experience helped propel her into the Chief Editor role.
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