Casino game providers

What casino game providers do

Casino game providers design the slots and table games you play, including the random number generator (RNG) and the maths model that sets the return to player. The casino hosts and markets the games, but the provider builds and supplies them.

In strong markets the provider needs its own licence. In Great Britain, anyone who manufactures, supplies, installs or adapts gambling software in the course of a business needs a gambling software licence under section 41 of the Gambling Act 2005, and the Gambling Commission names random number generation among the functions this covers. A game provider with licences from tier 1 regulators has passed far more scrutiny than one that names none.

RNG certification and testing labs

Independent test houses check that a game’s RNG produces unpredictable results and that the game pays back what its maths model promises. Regulators decide which labs they accept.

The UK Gambling Commission publishes a list of approved test houses; eCOGRA, several GLI (Gaming Laboratories International) entities and BMM Testlabs are on it. The Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission keeps its own list with the same three names. You will also see other labs, such as iTech Labs, on game certificates. A certificate matters most when the lab is approved by the regulator that licenses the casino you play at.

RTP versions: why slot providers matter for your returns

Many slot providers release the same game in several RTP versions, and the casino chooses which one to offer. The version decides your long-term cost, so the provider’s headline figure is not always what you get.

Hacksaw Gaming, for example, lists four RTP versions for its slot Wanted Dead or a Wild: 96.38%, 94.55%, 92.33% and 88.42%. In Great Britain, information about the chance of winning, such as the RTP or house edge, must be easily available before you play, so the game’s help screen should show the version in use. Our RTP calculator shows what a few percentage points mean in money.

How to judge the providers in this list

A good provider is licensed, has its games tested by recognised labs and publishes the key figures for every game. Check these points before you play a studio’s games:

• Licences: which regulators license the studio, and whether they are strong ones.
• Published data: RTP per game, including all versions, volatility and maximum win.
• Demo mode: whether you can try the game without money before you stake.
• Catalogue: how many of its slots are in our database with full data.

Our guide to how slots work explains RNG, RTP and volatility in more depth. Whatever the studio, a slot’s result is random and the house keeps an edge, so set a budget before you play.

Frequently asked questions

Are online slots rigged?

Slots from licensed providers use a random number generator that is tested by independent labs, and the RTP is fixed in the certified maths model. That does not mean you will win: every slot has a built-in house edge. Play at licensed casinos, where regulators require tested games and published game information.

Who tests casino games for fairness?

Independent test houses approved by regulators. The UK Gambling Commission publishes its list of approved test houses, which includes eCOGRA, GLI and BMM Testlabs, and the Isle of Man regulator keeps a similar list. They test RNG output and check that games pay back according to their published maths.

Why does the same slot have a different RTP at another casino?

Many providers supply a game in several RTP versions, and each casino picks the version it offers. The game looks identical, but a lower version costs you more over time. Open the game’s help or paytable screen at your casino to see the RTP that applies there.

What is a game provider?

A game provider is the studio that develops and supplies casino games, such as slots and live tables, to online casinos. It builds the graphics, rules, maths model and random number generator, and in regulated markets it needs its own licence. The casino hosts the games and handles your account and payments.

Sources: Gambling Commission: what is gambling software, Gambling Commission: approved test houses, Isle of Man GSC: approved test houses, Hacksaw Gaming: Wanted Dead or a Wild, Gambling Commission: RTS 3