Exploring the software behind online slots

20th August 2021

The UK loves to gamble. According to data from consumer and market data company Statista, taken from April 2019 to March 2020, there were 191,826 gaming machines in the UK. With the exception of the period of April 2017 to March 2018, in which there was a small decrease, the number of gaming machines has increased throughout 2010 to 2020. When asked about their gambling activities, a 73% share of the respondents stated they played casino games.

You can be sure slots will figure in these stats. Step into any casino, online or offline, and you’ll encounter slots. Engaging themes, promotions such as the chance to play slots with no deposit needed, progressive jackpots and other features have helped these simple forms of leisure gaming become immensely popular.

Developers and operators working together

When you visit an online casino, you’ll find a mesmerising selection of slots you can play. Operators know the importance of variety when it comes to attracting new players and retaining old ones. How do they manage to offer so much?

The agreements between the operators and the games developers help. Developers license their games out to the operators. The operators and the developers then split the profits from the game between them, with the developer often commanding a 10 to 20% share, depending on the size of the operating company.

Sometimes a company will have different rates for different games. Premium titles are likely to see the developer expect a higher percentage from the operator, purely because they know the game will generate a large profit.

Understanding casino software

Various different types of software enable operators to run their games. These include:

Downloadable software, which is only compatible with PCs running Microsoft Windows. The software provides access to a wide selection of games once you download it and log in.

Instant play software, which allows you to play games directly from a web browser and relies on Adobe Flash.

Mobile apps, which are designed or modified especially for use on mobile devices.

The software above creates a range of options, therefore, for anyone who wants to enjoy some gaming at the online slots.

Of course, the software developers operate in a popular industry and competition is fierce, so they’ll license out their games to any operator who is willing to pay. Below are some of the big names in the world of casino software development, plus examples of the games they’ve been behind:

International Gaming Technology (IGT)

IGT has been operating for several decades and is one of the biggest names ever in the world of casino software development. The company’s chief claim to fame is the development of the slot game Cleopatra, which, originally, was a slot for land-based slot machines but was then adapted for online slots.

Net Entertainment

Net Entertainment, known more commonly as NetEnt, serve some of the world’s biggest gaming operators. The company have been pioneers in their industry for more than 20 years, have more than 200 active customers. Particularly outstanding are the graphics on their games. Games that have come courtesy of NetEnt include Gonzo’s Quest, Frankenstein and the ever-popular modern classic Starburst.

Microgaming

Microgaming has been operating in the world of online casino software development since the very earliest days of online gaming. Although there’s some dispute as to who created the world’s first online casino, Microgaming is one of the companies laying a confident claim to developing the first online casino gaming software and, on its website, also declares itself behind the first mobile gaming software. The Dark Knight Rises is one game that will ring a bell, as is Mega Moolah.

The technology behind slots

A major concern, both for the online casino operators and the players, is the concept of fairness. No player will play a game they feel is rigged completely in the operator’s favour, which is why, to make the games fair, online slots are equipped with a random number generator (RGN). The RGN supplies the slot with a random number that the slot then translates into a symbol. It’s all completely random and neither the operator, nor the player has any way of predicting what will come next. This keeps the game fair and the outcome completely unpredictable.

What does the future hold?

Online casino operators follow the latest trends in technology, knowing that if they don’t, they can soon fall behind their competitors. The online gaming industry itself is forecast to have grown to more than $92.9 billion or more in 2023.

Virtual reality (VR) in slots could become more common. In the awareness players are looking for more immersive gaming experience, NetEnt have already begun dabbling with the tech in the form of its first VR real-money slot, Gonzo’s Quest.

Greater incorporation of fintech is another development players may see. There was a time when players could only use credit cards or debit cards to credit their accounts, but now more operators are allowing payment by digital wallets such as PayPal. Some even accept cryptocurrency. Players of online slots may soon find operators warning more to digital currencies and digital methods of payment.

The software behind slots is hugely important, helping to keep games fair while also providing players with a superb gaming experience. As players seek more and more from their games, and operators respond to the demand and continue to work closely with developer, the online slots market is becoming an industry in which everyone wins.