That's a totally understandable question, and I've got just the answer for you. There will be a time when - if you're anything like me - you'll scout the web for new UK online casinos regularly to play new games or enjoy new bonuses and promotions.
Getting vaguely accustomed to casino software providers will allow you to pick or skip various UK-operating brands in the blink of an eye - and stay confident you've made the best decision.
These companies’ importance stems from the very simple fact: you can't gamble in a casino without any casino games. Games are the foundation, and games are developed by software providers.
Not only does your choice of provider affect the games you play, their odds of winning, and table and bet limits, but it can also grant access to certain payment methods or account functionalities.
Casino software providers are in charge of developing games but also the turnkey solutions that power most of the online casino sites in the UK available on the market.
The extent to which a casino brand is involved in its platform can vary, but some brands rely solely on ready-made software solutions offered by providers.
The Gambling Commission requires any software providers to obtain licenses for their products if these products are used by UK players in land-based casinos or online.
The UKGC defines gambling software as:
Gambling software is defined in Section 41(2) of the Gambling Act 2005 as “computer software for use in connection with remote gambling” but does not include anything for use solely in connection with a gaming machine.
Some pieces of software included in this definition are:
It's worth noting that the UKGC has stringent standards in place for these types of software, ensuring that the games’ outcomes are fair and that player safety is prioritised.
You can find detailed information about how UKGC tests gambling software in their Testing Strategy for Compliance.
These are some of the most successful and well-known software providers, each with a quick list of pros and cons.
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Games Global | |
| As the current home for Microgaming's game portfolio and the parent company of more than 35 game studios, Games Global brings three decades of industry experience and over 1.000 games to the table. | |
| Pros | Cons |
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Freak’s Verdict
Microgaming is a solid developer with plenty of great titles and an obvious commitment to fairness and compliance. It is unfortunate that Microgaming casinos aren’t accepting US players, but they’re still a very good choice for players in other countries, such as the UK.
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Evolution Gaming | |
| With several gambling brands under its umbrella, Evolution powers some of the biggest casino networks worldwide, with a strong emphasis on innovation and originality. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Winner of EGR’s Live Supplier of the Year for 11 consecutive years Creator of several entertaining and innovative Live Game Shows Owner of several reputable brands, like NetEnt, Red Tiger Gaming, and Big Time Gaming | Was accused of operating in illegal jurisdictions, such as Iran, which they denied Has a very small selection of jackpot games, although they’re one of the few developers to provide Live Casino jackpot games |
Freak’s Verdict
Evolution Gaming UK casinos have some of the best live dealer games, and their live game shows are a lot of fun. It’s also impressive to see such a big and rapidly expanding company keep a somewhat spotless reputation.
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Playtech | |
| Powering the world's most diverse online casinos, Playtech's all-encompassing software suite offers a seamless gaming experience, spanning from feature-packed slots and virtual sports to its progressive Live Casino platform. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| Developer of state-of-the-art software solutions for casino management Extended collection of more than 600 omnichannel casino games Their Playtech Protect uses the latest technology to mitigate problem gambling and protect players | Some Playtech casinos were found to limit the payouts of progressive jackpots with unfair terms and conditions Playtech was acquired by the casino network William Hill |
Freak’s Verdict
The “tech” in “Playtech” is completely warranted, as this company places a strong emphasis on developing new software solutions to the benefit of operators.
The “play” section of their name fades in comparison, as their games don’t exactly reinvent the wheel and can get rather boring at times. Nevertheless, Playtech casinos in the UK have great management platforms and player account functionality.
Moreover, since 2018, Playtech has been employing Richard Bayliss, former Senior Online Manager at the UKGC, as their Regulatory Compliance Manager. This speaks volumes about their commitment to the highest legal standards.
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IGT | |
| A pioneer in the casino industry, IGT handles physical slot machines and digital products equally well. They’re a consecrated name credited with some important developments in the gambling industry. | |
| Pros | Cons |
| The inventor of Megaways slots, a breakthrough in casino games Winner of several annual industry awards Decades of experience in traditional lottery games | Were fined $500k for punishing a whistleblower Numerous of their slots look outdated or are not well-optimised with modern mobile devices. |
Freak’s Verdict
I don’t want to sound ageist, but it’s clear that IGT has been in this business for a long time. Bringing Megaways slots to the table was, indeed, a power move, but they haven’t exactly been trailblazing in recent years.
Pair this with their retro - to put it lightly - looking games, and you realise that IGT gambling sites in the UK are amazing if you’re generally annoyed by modern casino games. I said what I said.
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NetEnt | |
| Renowned for its innovative and visually stunning online slots, NetEnt captivates UK players with its immersive storytelling and captivating gameplay mechanics. | |
| Pros | Cons |
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Freak’s Verdict
The internet generally has a great opinion of NetEnt, and I think it’s warranted. Their branded slots model is not only profitable, but really fun for players, and they’ve steered clear of any scandals and lawsuits.
It’s not ideal that NetEnt UK casinos are restricted in so many regions, but they need to comply with the various copyright contracts that allow them to develop slots around famous brands. And they're available in the UK, so British players can hardly consider this a disadvantage.
Gross Gaming Revenue (CGR) Contribution
The GCR can speak volumes about a provider's success. There's no need to reinvent the wheel. If you'd like to know what providers are worth it and which ones aren't, their gross revenue should give you a good idea of whose games people like to play.
Fairness and Security
Casino suppliers undergo audits from independent testing agencies to ensure their games employ Random Number Generator algorithms fairly. In this context, "fair” means that the game outputs its results randomly or down-to-chance.
Whether you land a winning combination or not depends purely on luck since the game is set up that way through the use of RNG.
Game Assortment and Quality
A casino's primary purpose is to engage as many players as possible, so operators often prioritise partnerships with established providers who've got a few great titles under their belt.
The game quality is paramount since it directly impacts the level of enjoyment a player will get out of the game. Crisp graphics, good sound effects, and cross-platform availability are some of the things that add value to a game title.
Mobile Compatibility and Integration
Casino games developed on anything other than HTML5 technology are the stuff of legends. You'll hardly find any casino title released during the last few years that won't work beautifully on any mobile device.
But the casino industry is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. Be wary of casino games that lag or have functionality issues when you play them on mobile.
Licensing and Regulation
Software providers operating in the UK need licenses from the UK Gambling Commission. This ensures their games and software solutions comply with the UKGC's requirements for player safety and game fairness.
This licence does not extend to operators, so casinos need to get their own, even if they only provide access to games in the collections of licensed software developers.
Reputation and Track Record
Unfortunately, stories of regulatory mishaps or predatory practices by some software providers are not enough to make us grasp. Like in any other industry, bad people will do bad business. We can all mitigate the dangers of such providers by avoiding those with less-than-spotless reputations.
Surveys by YouGov showed that one of the most common barriers to online gambling is the belief that the odds are stacked against the player. Googling "Are slots rigged?", you'll get more than 2.5 million results.
Most answers include mentions of RNG - Random Number Generators that dictate the outcome of each game. eCOGRA, the independent testing agency, mentions their RNG testing methodology was approved by leading online gambling jurisdictions.
One such jurisdiction, we can assume, is the UK, and the Gambling Commission states in their licensee requirements that the game outcomes resulting from RNG should be “acceptably random.”
But algorithms are the furthest thing from random. Computers take in sets of instructions and output results based on them, so if you dig long enough, everything is ultimately deterministic.
RNGs are used for several real-world applications, from statistical analysis and research sampling to video games and art generation. In a nutshell, these algorithms take a small number sequence, called a “seed,” and generate longer sequences based on it.
Different seeds result in different results, so to predict the output of a casino game, you’ll need to get your hands on the seed and reverse-engineer the algorithm. However, this is nearly impossible since each game instance utilises a unique seed.
Real-World Example
Some slots will look at your system’s time and date and use that as a seed to generate the outcome. Effectively, each time you load that slot, a different seed will be used to determine the results.
So, the question on everyone’s lips might be: can you beat RNG? What does it take to cheat the system and get rich in the process?
Well, considering that RNGs are not truly random, you could, in theory, beat the RNG. But if you’d have access to the kind of time and computing power needed to do so, you’d make a lot more money by just… hacking the Treasury. Kidding, don’t do that. But you get the point.
It’s NetEnt.
But that’s only my personal opinion. And no one can preserve complete objectivity and answer that question. The best software provider is that which ticks all the boxes for your particular play style.
Many people say Evolution Gaming is the best provider, but I don’t like live dealer games that much. Some will say it’s Microgaming, but the symbols in Mega Moolah, their most famous slot, give me the creeps.
You might like a provider’s game collection but hate their media presence or how they do business. Or you might think that your choice of software provider doesn’t matter, but it does.
You are betting real funds, and those funds fuel the game developers, which, in turn, will change the gambling industry for better or worse.
It’s essential that your gambling choices are well-informed and deliberate, so software companies can continue to serve your best interests and adhere to high ethical standards. I’m counting on you!
NetEnt 
Games Global 
Pragmatic Play 
Eyecon 
Blueprint Gaming 
Red Tiger Gaming 
Big Time Gaming 
ELK Studios 
Play n GO 
Evolution 
Hacksaw Gaming 
NextGen Gaming 
Thunderkick 
Rabcat 
Playtech 
Tom Horn Gaming 
Yggdrasil Gaming 
Quickspin 
Wazdan 
Iron Dog Studio 
Playson 
Nolimit City 
All41 Studios 
IGT 
Light and Wonder 
Northern Lights Gaming 
Spinomenal 
G Games 
Bally 
Red Rake Gaming 
StakeLogic 
Booming Games 
GreenTube 
Relax Gaming 
Ezugi 
Fantasma Games 
Gamomat 
Kalamba Games 
Push Gaming 
WMS Gaming 
4ThePlayer 
BetSoft 
Golden Rock 
Fugaso 
Ruby Play 
BGaming 
RTG 
Pocket Games Soft 
Saucify 
Novomatic 
