Play’n GO Online Casino Software Review

Written by: Sadonna Price, OUSC Expert in Online Casinos and Poker
play-n-go-software

Play’n GO is a Swedish desktop and mobile casino software developer. Play’n GO was founded in 2004 and has been a steady supplier of gaming solutions for a full 12 years. Many players might not know much about Play’n Go Online Casino Games, because it is in the business-to-business (B2B) niche. Instead of supplying games directly to an online casino operator, Play’n GO licenses its games to a third-party software designer, which in turn licenses games to the online or mobile casino.

Thus, many gamblers in the European, Asian, and Australian gaming markets likely have played Play’n Go Online Casino games without knowing it. The Swedish company has had close ties with Net Entertainment for years, so you’ll often see a handful of Play’n GO games in casinos with NetEnt games.

Online Casino Game Design

As a so-called boutique game designer, Play’n GO develops its games with the ultimate flexibility, to be used in the desktop, instant play, and mobile formats. All games are designed for browser-based gaming, using either Flash or HTML5 technology. They are compatible with Android, iOS, Blackberry, or Windows Phone.

The company’s Bespoke Game Studio is the ultimate example of Play’n GO Online Casino adaptability. Given 2 months and a detailed description of the game they want, Bespoke designs tailor-made games for clients. This is the service which sets Play’n GO apart from the pack.

Complete Online Gaming Systems

Play’n GO develops smart systems which handles mobile devices, online casino websites, and gaming terminals alike. Play’n Go Online Casino software is designed to be “uniquely customized”, so any operator or brand can tailor it to their needs. Video slots and table games are supported. Play’n GO’s Gaming Account Toolkit (GAT) is its own independent e-gaming platform. Operators will want to know it has a comprehensive back-office application which supports 32 languages.

Led by CEO Johan Tornqvist, Play’n GO has seamless game provider integrations, bonus game management, free game management, a live data feed, and a patented a achievements engine. Play’n GO has licenses from the UK Gambling Commission, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority, PACGOR in the Philippines, and the Agenzia Delle Dogane e Dei Monopoli. It also is independently audited by NMi and TST, and is a member of Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS).

Play’n GO maintains an active relationship with the respected review site, Ask Gamblers, which acts as a portal for free-play game demonstrations for the Swedish developer.

Play’n GO History

Play’n Go online casino software began their work in the casino game design industry way back in 1997. They would not establish their own design house until 2004. From the beginning, the designers worked with Flash, so the games loaded in the web browser, instead of requiring a software download.

When mobile casino gaming became prominent, Play’n Go naturally was well-positioned with their browser-based gaming. Their games work with most smartphones and tablet computers, including Android, iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, and Windows Phone operating systems. In recent years, the designers have begun working with HTML5, meaning Play’n Go Online Casino games play flawlessly on smartphones and tablets.

Play’n Go: The Bespoke Era

The Bespoke Game Studio was launched in 2012, unintentionally creating considerable buzz for Play’n GO Online Casinos. Bespoke has set the company apart, and in many ways the company’s history is divided between before-Bespoke and after-Bespoke.

Play’n GO Online Casino Business Development Director Robert Skogh once explained to Totally Gaming that his firm created an exclusive multi-line 5-reel slot for Kolikkopelit Casino based on the Finnish TV crime drama, Vares. Soon, Betsson and Unibet were asking for Bespoke games specially designed for them.

Bespoke is a pioneering concept which took B2B business to another level. Since then, the Bespoke Game Studio has designed about 25 tailor-made games. Other B2B developers have been asked to do the same, but not every boutique game designer has the creativity and skills to pull it off.

Play’n GO Timeline

Learn a little more about the history of Play’n Go Online Casino Software.

1996OddsOn is founded in Toronto, Canada, in response to the rise of e-commerce. OddsOn is a developer of online payment processing systems.
2000OddsOn creates a software development division based on Javascript and is licensed in Antigua and Barbuda for operations.
2003OddsOn merged with English Harbour Gaming Ventures, a software developer.
2005To reflect the company’s new direction after the English Harbour merger two years’ prior, OddsOn changed its name to Vegas Technology.
2006The United States Congress passes the UIGEA into law. The law states anyone supporting US online gambling activities which are illegal under the 1961 Wire Act are committing a crime. The Bush Administration determines that online casinos, poker sites, and sportsbooks are illegal under the UIGEA. Many electronic payment services and online software casino development firms leave the US market.
2007Vegas Technology decides to remain in the U.S. gaming market. Despite the decision to stay, the UIGEA severely hurt VT’s business.
2008In 2008, several sites reported that Vegas Technology ultimately was owned by EH Gaming Ventures Inc. This still is likely the holding company which owns Wager Gaming.
2011Wager Gaming software was introduced by Vegas Technology.
2012Vegas Technology changed its name to Wager Gaming Systems, shortened to WGS Technology.
2014WGS Technology launches its WGS Mobile Casino Software package on November 14, 2014.
2015WGS releases its long-awaited Mobile Casino Tournament Software. The MCTS software allows players much easier navigation through the list of slots, table games, and video poker. Best of all, it provides easy access to mobile tournaments.
2016WGS’s gaming is audited monthly by Certified Fair Gambling, a third-party tester which publishes its findings.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Play’n GO

What we like and what we don’t like about Play’n Go Online Casino Software.

Advantages

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  • Bespoke Game Studio Is the Ultimate in Adaptability for Designers.
  • Creates Designer Games for Clients with a 1-Year Exclusive Services Clause.
  • Gaming Account Toolkit (GAT) Underpins the Games’ Flexibility.
  • Advanced Flash and HTML5 Graphics.
  • Vivid Video Slots.
  • Games Use Cross-Platform Technologies.

Disadvantages

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  • Hard to find Slots Identified as Play’n GO.
  • B2B Industry Means It Designs for Other Developers.

Play’n Go Online Casino Software Overview

The best known Play’n Go Online Casino games are boutique designs by Bespoke Game Studio, but that is a small part of the company’s production over the years. The Play’n Go Online Casinos have a full list of desktop and mobile slots, as well as table games. The sections below discusses the company’s conventional video slots, its designer slots, both kinds of table games, and its handful of video poker games.

Play’n Go Online Slots

Most online slots developed for Play’n Go Online Casinos were designed like any other B2B game developer would. The game concept, themes, graphics, sounds, and math model would be developed in-house. Then the game would be licensed to other casino software developers.

The following list includes the traditional video slots, as well as the Bespoke slots whose exclusive services contract have expired. When expiration occurs, those slots can be offered to a wider range of Play’n Go Online Casinos.

grim muerto slots
Grim Muerto
fire joker slots
Fire Joker
book of dead slot
Book of Dead
samba carnival logo
Samba Carnival

Other Online Slots

  • Sails of Gold
  • Golden Caravan
  • Money Wheel
  • Cloud Quest
  • Wizard of Gems
  • Aztec Princess
  • Xmas Joker
  • Rage to Riches
  • Happy Halloween
  • Eye of the Kraken
  • Wild North
  • Spin Party
  • Royal Masquerade
  • Golden Legend
  • Tower Quest
  • Easter Eggs
  • Pimped
  • Ortakoyon Yaramazi
  • Kaffe BAR-BAR-BAR’en
  • Bohemia Joker
  • GEMiX
  • Merry Xmas
  • Crazy Cows
  • Golden Ticket
  • Pearls of India
  • Mystery Joker
  • Danish Flip
  • Super Flip
  • Monster Smash
  • Spin & Win
  • Oily Business
  • Enchanted Crystals
  • Lady of Fortune
  • Piggy Bank
  • Hunt for Gold
  • Chinese New Year
  • Energoonz
  • Leprechaun goes Egypt
  • Jewel Box
  • Enchanted Meadow
  • Pearl Lagoon
  • Ninja Fruits
  • Wild Blood
  • Aztec Idols
  • Myth Slots
  • Riches of RA
  • Fortune Teller
  • Photo Safari
  • Space Race
  • Dragonship
  • Gunslinger
  • Gold Trophy 2
  • Jolly Roger
  • Fruit Bonanza
  • Wild Melon
  • Lucky Diamonds
  • Ace of Spades
  • Bell of Fortune
  • Speed Cash
  • Gift Shop
  • Golden Goal
  • Cats & Cash
  • Cops n Robbers
  • 5xMagic
  • Irish Gold
  • Scratch Ahoy
  • Hole in One
  • Gem Drop
  • Mr Toad
  • Jazz of New Orleans
  • Cowboy Treasure
  • Ring the Bells
  • Scandinavian Babes
  • Tivoli Bonanza
  • Gumball 3000
  • Troll Hunters
  • Scandinavian Hunks

Play’n GO Online Table Games

Play’n Go Online Casinos have baccarat, four variations of blackjack, three versions of roulette, and four table poker games. Most of the standards are here, including the basic versions of Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, and table poker. The multihand blackjack versions are offered, though players can scale back the multi-hand and multi-spin versions of games.

Some of the Play’n Go Online Casino games below might not look familiar to players. BEAT ME looks quite similar to Triple Chance Hi-Lo. When we started playing one, we thought we were playing the other.

Other Table Games

  • Jackpot Poker
  • BEAT ME
  • European BlackJack Multi-Hand
  • Single Deck MH Blackjack
  • Double Exposure MH
  • English Roulette
  • French Roulette
  • Triple Chance HiLo
  • Mini Baccarat
  • Casino Stud Poker

While we would prefer more blackjack options, the only real omission is online craps. We’re surprised Keno did not make it into the games inventory, too, since Keno is a game with a high house edge and most Play’n Go online casinos would want to offer it.

Play’n GO Video Poker

Play’n GO Online Casinos offers 4 video poker variants. The studio focuses on multi-hand video poker, but these games usually allow for 1-hand or 2-hand gaming, for those who do not like multihand video poker.

joker poker playn go
Joker Poker Multi-Hand
deuces wild playn go
Deuces Wild Multi-Hand
jacks or better playn go
Jacks or Better MH
jackpot poker playn go
Jackpot Poker

Once again, Play’n Go Online Casinos also offer the essential games. We would prefer a few other options: All-American, Aces and Faces, and perhaps Bonus Bonus Video Poker. These are minor quibbles.

Bespoke Games Studio

Bespoke offers a made-to-order games studio at Play’n GO. To initiate a designer slot machine, a client sits down with Play’n GO’s Bespoke designers to discuss the game concept, themes, graphics, music, and “maths model”. Most of the time, Bespoke uses an existing mathematical model, but they have been known to develop a unique model for a game.

When Bespoke Game Studio develops a boutique game, the standard deal is a 1-year exclusive services contract. It takes about 6 months to design a new game.

spin win slots
Spin & Win
hunt for gold playn go slots
Hunt for Gold
monster smash slot
Monster Smash
scandinavian babes slots
Scandinavian Babes

Other Studio Games by Play’n GO

  • Kaffe BAR-BAR-BAR’en
  • Ortakoyun Yaramazi
  • Bohemia Joker
  • Oily Business
  • Gem Drop
  • Mr Toad
  • Super Flip
  • Danish Flip
  • Jazz of New Orleans
  • Scandinavian Hunks
  • Troll Hunters
  • Cowboy Treasure
  • Tivoli Bonzana
  • Ring the Bells
  • Oily Business
  • Piggy Bank
  • Gumball 3000
  • Troll Hunters

Online Scratch Cards

Bespoke has designed two online scratch cards to this point. Online scratch cards are less involved than online slots, because they have fewer features or graphics. Thus, these should be quicker to produce than the interactive slots described above.

hole in one scratch cards
Hole in One
scratch ahoy
Scratch Ahoy

Fixed Odds Gaming

Believe it or not, Play’n Go Online casinos offer designer fixed-odds games, too. This game looks (slightly) like a 3-reel slot, but it’s not. The game has three reels. After each spin, you must guess whether the next number one of the reels is going to be higher or lower than the number showing. As long as you pick correctly, the game continues.

Triple Chance Hi-Lo

triple chance hi lo

Triple Change Hi-Lo is a game that actually has a little bit of skill to it. Players increase their odds by betting on numbers that are either high or low. This is simple enough, but we can see Triple Chance Hi-Lo working as a mini-game.

Play’n Go Online Casinos

The list of casinos below are just some of the sites which offer Play’n Go slots. These games are usually branded under another name, so you’ll need to look on the Play’n Go official site to know which games to play.

  • Unibet
  • Vera & John
  • BetVictor
  • Tivoli Casino
  • Betsson
  • Betfair
  • Microgame
  • Casumo
  • Mr Green

Play’n GO Achievements and Awards

In the B2B business, top companies can be overlooked, because they do not deal with the public that much. Though Play n Go casino software has been around for 12 years, it is only in the past couple of years that the design team has gained the recognition they deserve.

  • 2015 – Awarded Mobile Product of the Year at the 2015 IGA Awards.
  • 2015 – Nominated for Slot Provider of the Year at IGA 2015 Awards.
  • 2015 – Nominated for Corporate Service Supplier of the Year at IGA 2015 Awards.
  • 2016 – Awarded Mobile Product of the Year at the 2016 IGA Awards.
  • 2016 – Nominated for IGA Slot Provider of the Year.
  • 2016 – Nominated for IGA Corporate Service Supplier of the Year.
  • 2016 – Nominated for IGA Mobile Product of the Year. Won the category in 2015.

Contact Information

Here are the contact details so you can reach them.

GENERAL INFORMATION
  • Snail Mail (Hungary):
    Hungary Kft.
    1051 Budapest
    Vorosmarty ter 1, Hungary
  • Snail Mail (Malta):
    Malta Ltd
    87B The Strand
    Sliema (SLM1022), Malta
  • Snail Mail (Philippines):
    Office S
    19th Floor, Uptown Bonifacio Tower 2
    8th Ave. cor. 35th Street
    Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, Philippines.

Conclusion

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Play’n GO is an advanced game development studio. To design boutique video slots on the fly takes a certain amount of creative virtuosity. Because so much is designed using HTML5 technology, the games tend to have vivid art renderings. This is a cutting edge designer game studio.

In producing flexible game solutions in a relatively short game span, certain realities must be observed. Bespoke Game Studio slots are solid visually and mathematically, but they often do not have an abundance of features. Many players love to have a game chock full of multipliers, wild symbols, scatter symbols, free spins, and bonus games. While Bespoke has those, do not expect a game stuffed with features.

The more traditional B2B games from Play’n Go have more options. Even then, it is the nature of B2B to offer competently-done slots for a broad audience.

To learn about other companies in the industry, visit our Casino Game Software page.

Sadonna Price

Sadonna Price OUSC Expert in Online Casinos and Poker

Sadonna is a former professional poker player. Passionate about writing and loves using her creativity to provide insight into the interesting gambling world.

Learn More About Sadonna