Playtech - Online Casino Software Guide

In this guide we will take a look at what is arguably the biggest name in online gambling: Playtech. If you have played on a few online casinos in your time, if you have used online lotteries, sports books and other games, then there is a good chance that you have played on something created by this gambling brand.

The Best Playtech Casinos

They don’t come much bigger than this, and in this guide we’ll tell you all that you need to do about this gaming behemoth.

Playtech: All You Need to Know

Playtech is a huge real money online casino games brand, a one-stop-shop for gambling sites looking to acquire software that can do it all. As well as a huge selection of table games and slot machines, with more than 50 new games released every year, they offer a selection of other gambling and gaming programs.

These include sports book software, lottery software, binary options software and much more.

Everybody knows Playtech and they are loved and respected throughout the industry. They have one of the best reputations for quality and fairness, and they create a number of games that offer low house edges, cutting-edge graphics and impressive features.

This software is preferred by many players and it is also preferred by the biggest gambling brands in the world, which is why you will find Playtech everywhere from BetFair to Bet365.

Among it's biggest competitors you can find Microgaming, RTG or RealTime Gaming, and NetEnt, but none are as big as Playtech.

There are many great Playtech casinos out there, and we have played on the best and the worst of them. We have compiled a list of the ones that we recommend to make choosing a casino easier.

3 Facts About Playtech

1. They acquired Ash Gaming, a leading software developer and one that had been going strong since 2000. As one of the biggest and the richest names in this industry, Playtech have constantly tried to gain a stranglehold on the market, to become an all-powerful brand, and their acquisition of Ash Gaming was a small part of that strategy.

2. In 2006, they were floated on the London Stock Exchange, and at the time they were valued at around half a billion GBP, making them one of the richest gambling brands and gaming brands in the world.

What’s more, they have continued to grow since then, as has the gambling industry on the whole, and their annual turnover is around £300 million, of which around £100 million is net profit. This has been a sound investment for all stakeholders, and it looks like it will continue to be so for many years to come.

3. Ash Gaming wasn’t the only acquisition that Playtech made. Another one of their biggest proposed purchases was of Plus 500, one of the biggest share trading platforms in the world. A deal was suggested in 2015 and it looked as good as done, with nearly $700 million on the table. However, things didn’t work out in the end and the deal fell through.

This is unlikely to stop them though, and it is surely just a matter of time before they broker another substantial deal and continue their conquest of the online gambling industry.

5 Top Slots

Chain Reactors

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but we adore this series of online slots that offers cash options. Admittedly, the original Chain Reactors game is a little lacking, with little on offer. It has a progressive jackpot, but there isn’t much else to get excited about.

This is taken to the next level by Chain Reactors Super Trails though and the beefed-up Chain Reactors 100 is also well worth a play. All of these slots have progressive jackpots.

Spamalot

Based on the popular musical, which was created by the legendary comedy group Monty Python, this slot is action-packed, funny and it has plenty of features. If you yearn for the days of The Holy Grail, Life of Brian and a TV series that wowed and confused in equal measures, then you’ll love this.

Marvel Slots

There are many slots in this category, and all of them are equally great. Playtech acquired the license to a number of Marvel superhero films and they used it well, with their selection of Iron Man games being the pick of the bunch.

High Way Kings

With this slot you can land winning paylines both ways across the screen, which increases your chances of landing a big score, and decreases the frustration of landing several big symbols in a row, but all on the final few symbols.

Little Britain

Based on a comedy series that was a hit in the United Kingdom and also made its way overseas, this is a fun and unique little slot that is well worth a play.

5 Top Table Games

Switch Blackjack

One of the two best online blackjack for real money games we have ever seen, Switch also has one of the lowest house edges you will find on a game of blackjack. In fact, Switch is so popular with players that it has since worked its way into offline casinos, and has sent many other developers into a frenzy as they look for a way to compete. Switch allows you to play two hands at once and to switch the top two cards of these games, massively increasing your chances of success.

Baccarat

Playtech have one of the best selections of online baccarat. This game of chance is popular with card players and with those seeking more of a fortune-based game. There are a few options to choose between, and there are also live versions of baccarat available on the better casinos.

Jacks or Better

A video poker game with a great rate of return, Jacks or Better is high paying and fast moving, just the ticket for poker fans looking to earn big money. If you score the big hands, including straights and flushes, then you’ll be in for a big windfall, and if you land a royal flush then you’ll secure a healthy jackpot.

Pai Gow Poker

This game is growing in popularity in the west, and when it comes to online play, you won’t find a better game than the one offered by Playtech. Pai Gow Poker requires a unique mix of skill, strategy and luck to overcome the odds and to come out on top, and the best players can win a lot of money in a very short space of time.

Red Dog

This is a very simple game, and one that can be picked up and played in a matter of seconds. That’s the main plus of Red Dog, but it also has a decent house edge and is fun to play.

Playtech Games to Avoid

As is the case with all major gambling brands, Playtech use a lot of trademarks and licenses, with games based on TV shows, films and other pop culture hits. For the most part, these are just as good as their other games and some of their best titles are based on famous movies.

However, that is certainly not the case with all of them. There are several poorly made games that don’t quite hit the mark, including Baywatch.

The good thing is that these games are so blatantly poor that you should be deterred as soon as you lay eyes on them.

Pros of This Software

Size

They don’t come much bigger than Playtech, which makes them convenient both for players and for casinos.

Quality

They have made it to the top by offering the very best games, and they have created slots, table games and more that outperform everything else we have played.

Creation

They have been the first in many areas and continue to make exciting advancements in the world of online gambling.

Cons of This Software

Fringe Games

A company this size is always going to have some games that are simply not worth the effort, and because Playtech is the biggest, it seems to have the highest number of these.

Progressive Jackpots

While they have several big progressive jackpots, you won’t find the biggest jackpots on this software.

Conclusion

Playtech is arguably the biggest name in gambling software development, and it takes one look at their website, their software and their services to see why this is. They have everything you could ever ask for as a player, and they also have everything that a licensee could need. Simply put, they are the biggest for a reason.