The Most Famous Providers of Online and Offline Slots
Written By Scott Lawson
Well Known Manufacturers of Land Based Slot Machines
There are various companies who manufacture slots found in pubs, arcades, clubs, betting shops and casinos. Here, you will find 3 of the most well known providers for the land-based market. Read on to find out more about each of the companies, as well as what makes their games unique.
SG Gaming – The Home of Barcrest Slots
SG Gaming is a leading provider of gaming solutions across the globe. They supply the content and technology for thousands of gaming machines across a number of major markets. Their slots can be found in licensed betting offices, arcades, bingo halls, pubs and service stations. SG Gaming was formed in 2012, when the parent company, Scientific Games brought together 2 big gaming brands, Barcrest and The Global Draw. The Global Draw was founded in 1997. They quickly established their position as a sector leader in server-based gaming. They created the first ever wide-area, centrally determined gaming system. They achieved this by introducing server-based gaming machines into licensed betting offices. In 2006, Scientific Games Corporation acquired the company, with the plan to develop networked gaming terminal systems throughout the world.
Older slot machines had genuine reels with symbols on them. Gameplay was relatively simplistic, and there were few extra features. Occasionally you would find free spins, or limited bonus rounds.
Modern slot machines are purely computer-based. This makes them much more flexible, and several games can often be played on the same machine. There are also many innovative features, bonus rounds and other extras.
Barcrest is an iconic provider of fruit machines. Having been founded back in 1968, the company specialized in designing and manufacturing analog fruit machines. Over the next 3 decades, Barcrest became one of the major players in the amusement sector. During this time, the original electromechanical slots evolved into modern video slots. They expanded not only across the UK, but also into Europe. Their game terminals could be found in arcades, pubs and bingo halls. The company later expanded into the digital gaming market. In 2011, Barcrest was acquired by the Scientific Games Corporation. Probably the most well-known game from the manufacturer is Rainbow Riches. They have also developed various sequels and spin-offs of the original game. These are some of the most popular variants of the Rainbow Riches saga:
- Money Mad Mushrooms: community game with a mushroom themed community bonus
- Pick’n’Mix: players can to choose up to 3 bonuses, or opt for just 1 to win it more often
- Pure Pots: with 3 progressive prize pots that increase with every game played
- Free Spins: 3 free spin symbols trigger the bonus game, plus the symbols are wild
- Scratch to Match: scratch card themed slot machine with mystery bonus games
Within the same parent company, you will find other recognizable brands. SG Interactive is the iGaming and online casino game subsidiary of the Scientific Games Corporation. They take content from the studios of Bally, Shuffle Master, Williams and Barcrest, then develop it for online play. So online, you will also find Rainbow Riches, plus other popular titles such as Cash Wizard, Monopoly and Monty’s Millions.
Novomatic UK – The Group of Expert Companies
As part of the Austrian based Novomatic Group, Novomatic is one of the largest manufacturers in the gaming industry. The group is comprised of numerous companies, each with a wealth of experience and expertise in the gaming and amusements sector. The company regularly produces new, state of the art gaming terminals, which combine cutting edge design with the latest technology for the best user experience. The company includes the manufacturers Astra Games, Bell-Fruit Games and Empire Games, RLMS Sales, Luxury Leisure and the UK’s biggest national machine operator Gamestec.
Bell-Fruit Games are probably one of the most famous slots manufacturers of all time in the UK. The Nottingham based company has over 50 years’ experience in the field, with their first slot, the ‘Robin Hood’ one-armed bandit being launched way back in 1963. Over the last 10 years, they have produced over 188k gaming machines and their games can be found in pubs, arcades and bingo halls throughout the country. Their best-known games come from their licensing agreement with Endemol UK. This has enabled them to develop numerous variants of the hugely popular Deal or No Deal brand. The Bell-Fruit Group was acquired by Astra Games Ltd (part of the Novomatic Group) in 2012. Across the company, new games are regularly developed and manufactured.
Also included in the Novomatic Group are the gaming content providers Mazooma Interactive Games and Greentube, who specialize in the development of games for the internet and mobile. Many popular land based slots from across the group have been developed by these 2 companies for online casinos. Such games include Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe, Reel King and Sizzling Hot Deluxe. If you fancy playing some of these popular games without even leaving the comfort of your home, you will find a wide selection at Griffon Casino.
JPM – The Name Behind the Most Popular Fruit Machines
JPM International have a long history, with over 40 years’ experience in the industry. They have created some of the most well-loved pub fruities of all time, including games such as Indiana Jones, Give us a Break and Hagar. Not only do they continue to provide a good selection of slot machines to bars, clubs, bingo halls and betting shops, they also have a strong presence throughout Europe, particularly the Czech Republic. The JPM International Group also has 2 further brands under their umbrella – Crystal and JPM Interactive. Some of the most popular pub slots currently in the collection include Magic 6 and Super Wipeout, plus the 2 latest additions to the game collection, The Great Escape and Sheerluck Holmes.
6 reel game with over 10 innovative features
With an exciting Cash or Bust feature and Play It Again bonus
Includes the ‘Great Escape’ mini reel feature with hidden cash prizes
With a boxing glove matrix that leads to the bonus game
The company also provides the unique Max Power Video games, which can be found in arcades. These consist of three gaming terminals, with dual screens, which are linked to a separate top box. Play on any of the 3 machines contributes towards the “Max Power” bonus prize (as displayed in the top box) and a reserve prize. The prize fund continues to build until the Max Power symbols appear on a payline on one of the gaming machines. The pooled jackpot is then paid out, and the prize value resets to the reserve prize value. Players can also take part in an optional community game, for the chance to win a share of the jackpot prize. The games that can be played with the Max Power system include Demon Reels, Cash Xplosion, Golden Knight, Mystic Money and Reel Deal.
The Best Known Providers of Online Slots
Some of the best manufacturers of fruit machines have developed online games as well. Yet there are also many companies who have evolved since the boom of the internet, who exclusively develop games for online casinos. There are some big, well established software developers who provide casino games to be played online. There are also numerous smaller companies who create and supply these types of games.
Microgaming – the Largest Collection of Games Online
Having been founded back in 1994, Microgaming is one of the longest standing online casino software providers. Owing to their long history, they boast an enormous game selection, with over 800 casino games within their portfolio. There are hundreds of online casinos that are powered by Microgaming software, and even more non download casinos that include popular games from the developer within their game selection. One downside of such a huge game selection is that some of the older games look very dated and old fashioned. Some of these older games remain popular with players, but there are many whose outdated graphics and simplistic sound simply cannot compete with the new generation of all singing all dancing slots.
One of the best features of Microgaming is that they continue to push the boundaries in terms of quality, innovative features and big jackpots. Some of their most recently released games use 3D graphics, such as Hot as Hades and Dragon’s Myth. What’s more, they have established licensing agreements with leading companies to provide games based on instantly recognizable brands. Some such slots include Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Game of Thrones, Playboy and Battlestar Galactica. As for progressive jackpots, they have more than 40 under their belt. The most famous and popular of the bunch is the Mega Moolah jackpot slot. Not only is the jackpot joined across various games, including The Dark Knight and Mega Moolah Isis, it is also connected at the numerous casinos that offer the game. This results in the jackpot quickly building to staggering heights. In fact, a player in the UK recently won £13.2 million on it at Ladbrokes Casino, breaking the Guinness world record for the highest payout from an online slot.
Playtech – the Largest iGaming Supplier
Another key player in the industry is Playtech. They do not only provide casino games, they also provide software solutions for various other iGaming options, such as poker, bingo and sports betting. The developer provides a software download and instant play version of their casino games, with around 200 in the collection. The bulk of the game selection consists of slots. Playtech slots are extremely popular with players, thanks to the exceptional graphics and the high payout rates. One of the standout features of Playtech games is the range of Age of the Gods slots. There are numerous games, each based on a different Greek character. Not only do these slots boast the highest quality graphics and sound, with exciting and innovative features. They also share a pooled progressive jackpot. There are 4 separate jackpots, which build at different rates. The progressive jackpot is triggered randomly, and can even be won following a non-winning spin. Once the bonus round has been triggered, you are guaranteed one of the 4 jackpot prizes.
Playtech also offers a wide selection of big money jackpot slots. They have more slots that have paid out jackpots in excess of a million than any other provider. Some of the most popular jackpot slots in the collection include Jackpot Giant, Gold Rally, Beach Life, Gladiator Jackpot, Sweet Party, Monty Python’s Spamalot and Frankie Dettorri’s Magic Seven Jackpot. In my opinion, Ladbrokes is one of the best Playtech casinos, thanks to the huge selection of slots they offer.
NetEnt – Modern Games with Exceptional Graphics and Innovative Features
This company is one of the new breed of game developers. Unlike Playtech and Microgaming, NetEnt do not provide any download casino software. Instead their games are developed exclusively for instant play in the browser. This means that players can find NetEnt slots at a wide variety of online casinos. There are over 100 slots within the NetEnt game collection. What’s more, a wide selection of the games have been optimised for mobiles, and are compatible with many devices. The slots from this provider have exceptionally high quality graphics and sound. They also include a wide variety of innovative features. Take for example Gonzo’s Quest. This game does away with the traditional spinning reels of other video slots, to be replaced with the Avalanche feature. This sees the Mayan symbols fall into place rather than spinning. What’s more, in Tetris style, when you get a win, the symbols explode and new ones fall into their place. Not only does this provide more chances to win, it also increases the payout multiplier. Spinata Grande is another popular slot. The innovative features such as Colossal symbols and the mini slot feature helped it to earn the title of Game of the Year at the 2015 EGR awards. You can play both of these exciting NetEnt slots, plus many more at Mr Green. Another feature of NetEnt slots is the favourable payout rates, with all featuring an RTP of between 95 – 98%. There are also progressive jackpot slots, with huge prize funds. Perhaps the most famous of these is Mega Fortune, whose jackpot is guaranteed to be at least 1 million. In fact, it held the world record for the highest slot payout, until only just beaten recently by Microgaming’s Mega Moolah. The Swedish company has numerous licencing agreements that allow them to develop games based on well known films and TV shows. So within the collection, you will find games such as South Park, Aliens, Dracula and Scarface. You can learn more about this software house and where you can try its games on our dedicated NetEnt casinos page.
Other Providers of Online Slots
As mentioned previously, there are numerous developers who create online slots. Many of these companies are small scale, and have a relatively small game portfolio. There are also larger providers, such as NYX Gaming Group, who have acquired several of these smaller providers and encompassed them under the same leadership. Some of the other well known online game developers within the industry are NextGen, WMS, IGT, Play’n Go, Random Logic, Leander, Ash Gaming, Realistic, Betsoft – plus many more including Big Time Gaming – inventor of the Megaways slot games and provider of the best Megapays slots. You will find different combinations of games from these smaller suppliers at no download casinos. There are no casinos that include the entire game collection of any of the providers. However, you will find a much wider variety and choice of games than you would in a download casino, which can only provide games from one specific developer.
More Information about the Developers
If you want to find out more details about the manufacturers listed on this page, then you should look at their official website. Each website includes details about the individual games and slot machines, as well as a general overview of the company. You can also usually find listings of any open job vacancies, for those who are interested in a career with the company.
| Manufacturer | Headquarters | Founded | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novomatic UK | 995 Great West Road, Brentford, UK | 1980 | www.novomaticuk.com |
| SG Gaming | 1 Dukes Green Avenue, Feltham, UK | 2012 | sg-gaming.com |
| JPM | 7 Villiers Court, Copse Drive, Meriden, Warwickshire, UK | 1972 | www.jpm.co.uk |
| Microgaming | MGS House, Circular Road, Douglas, Isle of Man | 1994 | www.apricot.co.im |
| Playtech | Upper Church Street, Douglas, Isle of Man | 1999 | www.playtech.com |
| NetEnt | Luntmakargatan 18, Stockholm, Sweden | 1996 | www.netent.com |
As seen here, the manufacturers of land based slots were founded long before the modern online slot providers. The exception here is SG Games, which was founded in 2012. However, this is simply the date that Barcrest and The Global Draw were merged to create a new group. In actual fact, Barcrest’s origins date back to 1968.
Questions and Answers
The question around how to manipulate slot machines into paying out more money than they are programmed to is a hot topic, and therefore there are lots of questions from interested players. Although much of the answers are bad news for those looking to cheat, there are some interesting FAQs to note below.
Who is the best slot machines manufacturer?
The top three slot machine manufacturers are Novomatic, SG, and JPM. These three stand out not just for the quantity of their productions, but also the quality.
What companies make slot machines?
There are countless companies that make land-based slot machines around the world, though some only are allowed to sell them in certain jurisdictions. In the UK, for example, the top three slot manufacturers are Novomatic, SG and JPM.
who makes the best slot machines?
As the term "best" is preferential, it's kind of impossible to answer. However, there are three incredibly popular slot machine producers, including SG, Novomatic and JPM.
why do slot machine manufacturers make deceptive machines?
Slot machine manufacturers have a bad reputation for building deceptive slot machines in order to trick people out of their money. This is most common in land-based pubs and dodgy operations in countries with low regulations. However, for players looking for safe and trustworthy places to play slots online with no deceptive machines, you should check out our list of the best online casinos.
What company makes slot machines?
There are many companies that develop and produce land based slots, including SG, JPM and Novomatic. There are, however, countless more companies that make online slots, which have many advantages over land-based machines.
What are branded slots?
Branded slots are the games that have used a popular movie or television franchise as its theme. Software developer, iSoftBet, for example, has games based on the TV show "24" and the movie "Nacho Libre".
How many slot machine manufacturers are there in the USA?
There are around a dozen slot machine manufacturers in the USA, with the market being firmly led by Scientific Games. This company supplies the majority of all slot machines in the country.
How are slot machines programmed?
Slot machines are programmed using Random Number Generators (RNG) which ensure that the result of every spin is completely random and fair. This software is tested by third-party agencies to ensure player safety at the best casino sites.
What are the different types of slot machines?
The different types of slot machines are electromechanical and video. They differ based on the type of structure in the machine itself and how it functions behind the scenes, but they all pretty much work the same way - press the button, hope you're lucky!