The gambling industry is big business, and its spiritual home, Las Vegas, is and has always been the most popular gambling city in the world.
If you’ve never been, you will surely have seen numerous films with a gambling or mobster theme set on The Strip.
With famous casinos such as Caesars Palace and The Bellagio, Las Vegas is the place where software for casino games was born, and why casino software development companies pay it so much attention.
The companies that come up with the software for slot machines are numerous. Some come and go, but a few have remained as pillars of the casino gaming industry. A few even cross over into the online casino world, developing cool video slots online alongside the real-life versions in brick-and-mortar casinos.
Suppose you do not know one slot machine from another. In that case, this article will hopefully give you enough information about land-based developers working on the software behind slots and video poker at Vegas’ biggest casinos.
IGT
IGT, or to give it its full name, International Game Technology PLC, is a multinational gambling company producing slot machines and other gambling technology, including iGaming and sports betting.
Founded in 1990, IGT has its headquarters in London, England, with international offices in Las Vegas (of course), Rome, Providence, and Rhode Island. IGT games are instantly recognizable, and some of the most well-known slots they have produced are Cleopatra, Da Vinci Diamonds, and Pixies of the Forest. Keen gamblers may well recognize the sound effects of a typical IGT slot as they wander through a casino. IGT is one reason it’s not hard to find US casinos with the best software.
Playtech
Playtech is the self-proclaimed market leader when it comes to gambling and financial trading. Established in 1999 by self-made, now multi-billionaire Teddy Sagi, Playtech has gone from strength to strength with 19 locations across the world. Like IGT, its games are instantly recognizable and include titles such as Age of Gods, Superman, and Dark Knight.
Aristocrat Gaming
One of the most established companies in this list is Aristocrat Gaming, which emerged from Australia way back in 1953. This innovative company expanded quickly and launched its Microstar range of slot machines that are still used today. In 2000, Aristocrat secured an operating license for the state of Nevada, home of Las Vegas, and the rest is history.
With the classic Buffalo Stampede and, more recently, Game of Thrones (themed on the blockbuster TV show, of course,) Aristocrat Gaming is definitely one of the showstoppers for slot machines gambling software.
Scientific Games (which includes Bally)
Scientific Games has been trading for over 85 years and is an innovator of creative content and technology, setting new standards in the gaming industry and leading the way in the design as well as the manufacturing and the distribution of premium gaming content and machines.
Scientific Games’ impressive library features game titles from the likes of Shuffle Master, Bally, and WMS and showcases entertainment brands from around the world.
Cadillac Jack
Based in North America, Cadillac Jack was acquired by AGS, a casino floor, full-service gaming products manufacturer, and designer, in 2015.
A leading designer and supplier of software systems and video poker games for the regulated global gaming industry Cadillac Jack has nearly 15,000 game units installed across the United States and Mexico in hundreds of casinos.
More recently, Cadillac Jack has started to develop online versions of some of their most popular land-based game titles. With an impressive and expansive library of games with more than 165 titles available on progressive product lines, multiple cabinets, and slot management systems and services, Cadillac Jack’s product portfolio is impressive, to say the least.
Game King
Game King’s consoles (under IGT) have been the go-to place for video poker fans ever since they first appeared in live casinos and bars. The sheer range of games, along with the beauty of Game King Video Poker, is why it is number one when it comes to video poker.
Although many will stick with the classic games such as Deuces Wild and Joker Poker, Game King video poker offers bonus options and bonus games to play, which is why they are King when it comes to video poker software and gaming.
Online Competition
While that was a whistle-stop tour of land-based casino software, the competition is probably even fiercer online, where developer giants like NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Microgaming, and Pragmatic Play slog it out for market share.