Belatra Games
Big Time Gaming
Blueprint Gaming
Elk Studios
Evolution
Games Global
Habanero
IGT
Inspired
Iron Dog Studio
Light & Wonder
Microgaming
NetEnt
Play’n GO
Playson
Playtech
Pragmatic Play
Push Gaming
Red Tiger
Relax
Spinomenal
Yggdrasil
What are online casino game providers?
Casino software is the technology behind casino games like pokies, Roulette, Blackjack, Game Shows, and any other games you’ll find in an online casino.
Casino providers are the minds who develop all of these games with the intent of supplying them to online casinos to be experienced by their players.
Casino game providers – legal and safety requirements
The casino licensing system is the first structure that helps to guarantee your safety. Online casino game providers cannot operate in the industry unless they have a license from one of the regulatory bodies.
Something else a software provider must cater to is data security and safe play.
It is their responsibility to ensure that playing their games does not pose a threat to players’ personal data and its security.
Fairness of games
As players, we play to win! So a game with zero chance of landing a win is a game no one will ever play.
The best casino game providers must balance out the chance of customers landing wins and the casino achieving revenue in a consistent manner.
But more importantly, these games must be fair and luckily a number of organizations are tasked to ensure that casino providers are keeping up the high standards expected of them.
These are testing agencies like eCOGRA, Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), Technical Systems Testing (TST), NMi, SQS, BMM Testlabs and Gaming Associates, who carry out regular, independent testing on casino games.
What is RTP?
The best casino providers are obliged to set the Return to Player (RTP) percentage for every single game they release, while the casinos get to decide which ones to add to their gaming lobby.
The RTP percentage is based on millions of spins and calculates, in theory, the percentage of bets, a player can expect to win back.
The percentage is based on the law of large numbers, thus, the more you spin the closer your results get to that figure.
Did you know?
Slot Tracker makes it a lot easier to hunt down those slots with the highest RTP percentage. It is a more practical source of information as opposed to having to visit the casino game provider’s site to find out the exact figure.
The greatest game provider names in the Industry
In New Zealand, there are many software online casino game providers offering casino games and some of them are becoming increasingly established in the local scene.
Casino game providers like NetEnt, Microgaming, Pragmatic Play and Playtech are recurrent names, particularly as they’ve already given us a number of classic titles.
New releases by these software providers are highly anticipated, while existing games never seem to go out of trend.
But what makes a casino games provider popular?
What makes a provider great?
The highest-ranking game providers share a number of factors that have helped them reach the top in the industry.
Quality and quantity
A top game provider would have an extensive portfolio, made up of a variety of games that cover numerous themes, while still being of exceptional quality.
Innovations
To stay on top of the success ladder, a casino software provider must be innovative.
This is huge, as it is the driving force of the online gambling world. If we take online pokies, game casino providers are always coming up with new layouts or introducing ground-breaking features that reinvent the concept of pokies every single time.
The perfect example is the Megaways mechanic. Originally created by Australian game provider Big Time Gaming, the Megaways feature is now available from many other providers.
Mobile optimisation
Games that fit into your lifestyle are the trend and casino games available on this medium tend to achieve higher success.
But it is not as simple as that! Casino games must look and function the same, from any device.
User friendly and fun design
Fantastic navigation must be combined with a fun design to appeal to a wider audience.
Kiwi players are always on the lookout for new fun games to play that are easy to pick up and deliver every single time.
Great RTPs
A high RTP, often determines whether a customer plays the game or not.
Players like to know they have a good chance of making back what they bet and perhaps even land a jackpot as well.
The most innovative game providers
Big Time Gaming (BTG) is one of the topmost online casino slots provider. This software provider is best known for its attractive slots with a high payout percentage.
Their style veers towards the light-hearted while incorporating interesting bonuses and innovative features like the four connected reels.
They don’t release games that often, but some of their most recent ones are Chocolates, Star Clusters MegaClusters and Slots Vegas Megaquads.
Their game collection is not as vast as that of other casino providers, however, they are considered amongst the best amongst Kiwi casinos and seem to grow in leaps and bounds.
There are a few other names that are worth mentioning too. These online casino game providers are also exceptionally innovative and it would be a crime to leave them out:
- Evolution Gaming has been the leader of live casino games for a number of years. Its exceptional talents are clearly highlighted in games like Lightning Roulette and Crazy Time.
- NetEnt has carved a reputation for itself based on innovation alone. If we have to choose some examples we have to mention Gonzo’s Quest which introduced the cascading symbols feature and Twin Spin with its concept of linked reels.
The ones with the most awards
When we talk about awards, we have to mention NetEnt and its incredible collection of recognitions.
Originally founded in Sweden, NetEnt has received a lot of prestigious awards from various organizations throughout the world.
NetEnt has produced a number of beloved online pokies, amongst which Starburst, Dead or Alive 2 and Aloha! Cluster Pays, all of which are available at the best New Zealand online casinos.
They are always releasing new titles and the most recent ones that stand out are Aloha! Christmas Edition, Rage of the Seas and Divine Fortune Megaways. Apart from slots, this game provider has also given us virtual table games and live casino tables.
Other game providers have also picked up a large number of awards:
- IGT has often earned praise for both its land-based slot machines and its online pokies.
- Microgaming is considered the pioneer of the industry and its long-standing has earned it many accolades. They have an unbeatable range of games with all-time favourites like Mega Moolah and Immortal Romance.
Casino game creators with the most games
If variety is what you’re after then you should check out Playtech.
This game provider’s portfolio is packed with hundreds of online pokies and table games. Its titles have stood the test of time and can be found at all the major Kiwi online casinos.
Playtech is perhaps best known for its branded titles that cover superheroes and blockbuster movies. Two that come to mind are The Matrix and King Kong.
They release new games regularly and some of their most recent additions are Live Football Roulette, 3 Hand Casino Hold ‘Em and Rubik’s Cube.
There are a couple of other providers who are also known for their huge games catalogues:
- Microgaming crops up here as well. This game provider has been around since 1994, so you can expect an extensive collection of games that cover most casino categories.
- Play ‘n GO is also a provider that distinguishes itself here. Their games range from Firefly Frenzy to 3 Hand Casino Hold’em.
Game providers that are mobile-oriented
If your smartphone or tablet is the first choice when it comes to gaming online, then you’ll love ELK Studios. Their games are visually stunning and on a small-screened device, they look wonderful.
You might have to comb the best online casinos for a while as they are not featured as frequently as other casino game providers. When you do stumble across their fare, we recommend looking for Ice Wolf, Black River Gold, and Blood Lust.
And for something newer, you could try out Visitors, Nitropolis and Katmandu Gold.
Other casino game providers have followed the trend for mobile-optimized games and today there are plenty of developers releasing games for mobile-first:
- NetEnt has come up with the Touch Series, a special platform designed solely for mobile users.
- BetSoft is another game provider whose taken to producing excellent games that look and work great on both smartphones and tablets.
The best slot providers
For the best pokies game provider, you have to check out Pragmatic Play!
They have earned an excellent reputation for their excellently designed pokies with interesting features that bring the games to life.
You will find plenty of Pragmatic Play games amongst Kiwi online casinos, with top titles like Wolf Gold and The Dog House, featured permanently on the most popular slot pages.
Pragmatic Play is committed to releasing a new online slot every single week and some of their most recent titles are Spartan King, Big Bass Bonanza and John Hunter and the Mayan Gold.
Under this category, you will find plenty of other software providers who excel at developing exceptional online pokies:
- Quickspin is the proud developer of a small yet stylish slot collection. This is one provider that sets the bar high when it comes to quality, so keep an eye out for any of their games.
- Thunderkick is best known for its unique touch on online pokies, like clever visual effects that give them a realistic twist.
- Playtech’s list of branded games forges an instant connection between player and game, the characters from the movies aiding from the reels.
- Microgaming’s progressive jackpot slots shine particularly bright here. Mega Moolah is their most prolific slot and although it’s been a few years since its release, it is the industry leader.
The best live casino providers
Evolution Gaming earns this spot and with good reason. They are always at the forefront with their vast array of live dealer games and continued expansion.
Their games are streamed live from classy studios, decorated to resemble a land-based casino and exude an authentic casino atmosphere.
Live casinos in New Zealand are likely to offer at least a handful of tables by Evolution, together with tables from other providers.
Recent releases, like Live Craps, Crazy Time and Mega Ball became instant hits and are exciting additions to their collection of innovative game shows.
Although Evolution enjoys one of the top positions in the industry, it is not the only live casino supplier. There are other live casino software providers worth mentioning like:
- Pragmatic Play launched its live dealer section not too long ago, however, you can already find them across a number of casinos, their high-quality games earning them a place amongst the best of the best.
- Playtech’s reputation as a highly diverse software provider includes a variety of live dealer games, that includes titles like Dragon Tiger and Sic Bo.
Other big game provider names in the industry
The casino game providers we have mentioned are undoubtedly some of the biggest and best online casino software providers.
Yet there are other companies that are worth mentioning. The following list contains the names of game providers that are also considered amongst the best.
They might lack that something unique that would put them amongst the elite, however, they still offer some terrific games worth checking out.
- Novomatic games tend to be simple in style, yet there is something quite appealing that makes them a favourite amongst players. Their most played slot is Book of Ra, a recurrent title amongst New Zealand casinos.
- Barcrest started out as a developer for land-based slot machines, however, it has made the jump online quite successfully. Their most enduring slot is Rainbow Riches, a leprechaun-themed game that is available in various versions.
- WMS has a strong reputation in the industry as it played a significant role in bringing modern pokies online. At the moment, their top games are Raging Rhino and a series of Monopoly tie-ins.
- NextGen is a company that often licenses its games to other casino game providers, making it hard to find games with its name attached. However, a number of games under its logo have become popular enough to merit a couple of sequels. These pokies are Medusa and Jackpot Jester.
- Bally is known for producing beautifully designed pokies with some interesting mechanics. Amongst their best-known games, we have a series of Egyptian-themed slots and the pokie Titanic, which is based on the blockbuster movie.
- EGT started out in Bulgaria, however, it is now available in various international markets. Some titles which are loved by players are 100 Super Hot, 2 Dragons and 40 Lucky King.
- Aristocrat is best-known for its selection of land-based slot machines, however, they have a few tastefully developed online pokies like Queen of the Nile and Red Baron.
- Yggdrasil has not been around as long as the others, however, their games have already turned several heads with their intricate features. Its most popular games are Vikings Go Berzerk and Valley of the Gods.
- Merkur Gaming is a company of German origin with a long and successful history. It is known best for its adventure and action pokies like Agent Istanbul and Coffee House Mystery.
- NYX Interactive is also a big name in the industry and is particularly focused on online pokies. Two of its best pokies are Irish Eyes and California Gold.
- SG Digital is part of the Scientific Games group and a common name amongst online casinos in New Zealand. Its most mentioned names are Raging Rhino Rampage and Monopoly Electric Wins.
- Ash Gaming is a UK based games provider, offering a collection of Batman slots and titles like Chests of Plenty and Full Moon Fortunes.
- Blueprint Gaming has a varied games collection packed with branded pokies that incorporate eye-catching features.
- Boongo is not a big name in the industry yet, but its games deliver high-quality immersive gameplay, A great example are Fruity Wild and Age of Ceasar.
- Bulletproof is a UK-based company that designs online pokies and table games for its own catalogue but also for other companies. Its most popular titles are Tiki Runner and Blackbeard.
- iSoftBet‘s portfolio is made up of a lot of TV tie-ins, with a style and quality that is quite diverse.
- Red Tiger‘s portfolio has a focus on Asian-themed slots, however, you will find plenty of superhero and adventure pokies and also table games.
Conclusion
By learning who are the best online casino game providers, you give yourself a better chance of making the best of your casino experience.
You should get started by looking at a software provider whose games suit your style and overall personal preference.
You will always be off to a great start whenever you choose games that you enjoy!