Playtech is a giant in the field of gambling software development. This is a full-fledged corporation with thousands of employees in various parts of the world and constantly expanding areas of competence. Unlike 99% of other providers operating in the gambling industry, Playtech is a public company. Moreover, the company first listed its shares on the stock exchange back in 2006. Playtech is called one of the three whales of the gambling industry, along with NetEnt and Microgaming, but the company has no equal in its scale.
Corporate history and profile
The company’s chronicle is full of facts. It was founded in 1999 in Estonia by Israeli entrepreneur Teddy Sagi, who immediately chose casino, multimedia and accompanying development as the main directions.
Playtech introduced its first online casino product in 2001. It was software developed specifically for the ClubDice Casino operator. Due to the connections of the Saga and the strong Playtech team, it was possible to quickly move from the status of a startup to the mode of a fully functional company. In 2002, the provider “transferred” a large European casino to the Internet, offering its license and platform. A year later, the company presented a unique product in the bingo niche.
Against the backdrop of Chris Moneymaker’s famous win at the WSOP 2003, Playtech made a real knight’s move in 2004, founding the iPoker network, which already in the first few months “burned” tens of thousands of poker players.
Finally, in 2006, Playtech became a public company. Its estimated value at that time was $ 1 billion. Despite the US gambling ban in 2006 and a 40% drop in its share price, the company has not lost its leading position in the industry. Playtech managed to conclude a number of agreements with major brands that were interested in the new bingo from the manufacturer. The Playtech Academy was also created, where new personnel were forged for the concern.
With the arrival of Mor Weitzer as executive Director, the strategy of work is changing. Playtech is becoming more and more like a concern, absorbing providers and developers in the industry and entering into many partnership agreements. In 2008, the company received licenses from the gambling commissions of Italy and the United Kingdom, and in 2009-from the Spanish regulator. At the same time, the Gaming Technology Solutions provider became part of the concern. Over the past ten years, several dozen companies of various calibres have become part of the Playtech online casino giant: Ash Gaming, Quickspin, IGS, Virtue Fusion, Geneity, PokerStrategy, Aristocrat Lotteries, Psiclone Games, Yoyo, Best Gaming and a number of others. In 2012, Playtech shares were listed on the London Stock Exchange.
In addition to collaborating with such brands as William Hill, Gala, Ladbrokes Coral, Playtech bought rights for its products from Warner Bros, HBO, Universal, and Marvel. The group’s annual revenue in 2017 exceeded $ 700 billion, and its net profit reached $ 300 million. Playtech operates officially in 20 jurisdictions and has over 100 global licenses in a wide variety of areas. The company employs more than 5,000 people and has offices in 17 countries around the world.
The quality of the software and the company’s high reputation in the gambling industry are confirmed by numerous awards at industry exhibitions IGA, EGR B2B Awards, EGR Operator Awards. According to IGA, Playtech was named the best provider on the market for six years. The company won in almost all major categories: best bingo, slot, operator, innovation, platform.
Playtech Software Features
Today, not only gambling and online casinos are considered by Playtech as target areas. In 2015, the group planned to buy out the Plus 500 broker for 600 million euros. The deal was not completed in the end, but the company launched its own trading product for Forex – Tradetech.
One of the features of all software from the provider is its omni-channel nature. This means that slot machines, games, bingo, video poker, and betting products can be integrated for mobile, desktop devices, and land-based terminals. The foundation of all developments in the field of games and slots, the IMS platform, is still the basic channel. BIT – Business Intelligence Technology is responsible for analytics, data processing, automation, and optimization. The main content framework is Playtech Portal, and Playtech Open Platfrom is responsible for licensing.
A separate analytical platform MEXOS has been created for marketing programs and building affiliate networks. It is used by such reputable brands as SISAL, Mansion, Titan Poker, Ladbrokes and others.
Popular slots from the developer
Slot machines from Playtech are beautiful, bright and almost always exclusive products. The developer has brought the release of so-called branded slots to a new level. For more than five years online casinos from Playtech have received games with the original design and the name Marvel. In 2017, this collaboration came to an end … but it was replaced by the unique slot machines of the DC line.
Taking into account slot machines from subsidiary providers (like Ash Gaming, Quickspin), Playtech’s portfolio has long exceeded 1,000 games. If we talk about the slots that were produced and are being produced by the Israeli concern, then here the choice is gigantic. Developers at Playtech quickly went from 5-10-15 line-up games of the early 10s to multi-line HD blockbusters. Moreover, the company’s portfolio includes many slot machines with progressive jackpots. So in the Gold Rally game, one of the gamblers managed to hit a jackpot of 6.3 million euros, Marvel Ultimate Power – 1.3 million, Beach Life – 3 million.
The manufacturer’s branded slots are very popular: X-Men, Blade, Jekyll and Hyde, Age of the Gods series, Gladiator. New slot machines amaze with epic soundtracks, effects, the presence of retriggers and expanding savages, RTP from 97% and above.
Note that in addition to slots, the provider is developing products in such areas as bingo, lotteries, table games, online poker, bookmakers, virtual sports.
As a result
Playtech is the iGaming niche giant and one of the most successful gambling companies of the past twenty years. This is a real international corporation, which each produces dozens of new products and makes a profit of over 200 million euros.