So, you love to play online slots? Perhaps you spend more time at the poker tables. Or maybe you just like to roll the dice in craps. Regardless, you enjoy these games because of the efforts made by hundreds of gambling companies.
In Europe, the biggest gambling brands are spread across different countries. Below is an overview of these companies and what they do.
Isle of Man: Microgaming
Located in Isle of Man, Microgaming is a leading software developer known for slots like Mega Moolah, Game of Thrones and Thunderstruck II. Microgaming began its operations in 1994, back when very few people knew about the iGaming industry.
Being a company from Europe, Microgaming has partnerships with over 100 online casinos on the continent. Some of the websites provide all of Microgaming’s 1000+ slots and table games. Others offer a handful of the company’s best games.
All the same, Microgaming is a respected brand in the casino sector. It created the world’s first online casino in 1994. Then it brought the most generous progressive jackpot—Mega Moolah. It also created the first mobile casino in 2004.
Owing to that backdrop, Microgaming is one of the names people look for when choosing online casinos. It’s known for providing quality games, whether you love sports-themed slots or film-based games.
Gibraltar: 888 Holdings
Established in 1997, 888 Holdings launched long before many countries in the EU legalized online gambling. Contrary to popular opinion, 888 Holdings originated targeted gamblers in North America.
But after the US stiffened its online gambling laws, 888 Holdings made the UK its focus. Today, the company serves a multitude of countries throughout Europe and around the world. It provides all forms of iGaming, from slots and poker to bingo and sports betting.
Netherlands: Netherlands BV
If you live in the Netherlands, 888 sport is one of the top international betting sites that accept Dutch customers, and one of the most recognizable as well. It’s a reliable bookmaker with rave reviews on many review websites. It also supports major sports in the country, including Eredivisie.
However, it’s not the only gambling site in the Netherlands. Holland has a multitude of home-grown and international casinos. Netherlands BV is arguably the biggest home-based iGaming company, followed by TOTO Online and Holland Casino.
Ireland: Flutter Stars Group
This might come as a surprise to some but the Flutter Stars Group is the biggest online gambling company in the world. Originally located in Ireland, the company now operates from Ontario Canada (Flutter still has an office in Dublin).
This is as a result of a $6B merger between Flutter Entertainment and the Stars Group in 2019. In total, the company owns a series of well-known gambling sites in Europe:
- Paddy Power
- Betfair
- Sky Bet
- Sports Bet
- Odds Checker
Flutter Stars generates over $10 billion in revenues annually, making it the largest online gambling company in the world. For clarity, its revenue includes income generated from PokerStars, Full Tilt Poker, FanDuel and Fox Bet.
Sweden: NetEnt
Starburst, Gonzo’s Quest, Guns N’ Roses—these are some of the best-rated online slots. And they come from one software provider based in Sweden: NetEnt. Launched in 1998, NetEnt has been releasing new games every year.
At one time, NetEnt owned more than half of the best-rated online slots. This earned it a reputation for creating high-quality games. NetEnt is still the go-to developer for new casinos that want to offer top-tier slots and table games to their customers.
Besides RNG games, the Swedish developer creates live casino games. However, the company’s future in the live casino market is slim—it was recently acquired by Evolution, a Latvia based brand.
Latvia: Evolution Gaming
Evolution Gaming is a 2006-founded software provider based in Latvia. It came out to solve one of the biggest pain points for online casino players: Loneliness. You see, most casino games require you to play against software.
Due to that, a lot of people have always avoided gambling online. They favor land-based casinos that provide a chance to socialize. Thanks to Evolution, no one has to feel lonely while gambling online anymore.
The company provides software that allows people to gamble while viewing and interacting with one another. All you need is a laptop or smartphone with a clear camera and fast Internet.
Additionally, you need to join a casino with software from Evolution to play these games. As mentioned, NetEnt and a few more developers also provide live dealer software. However, the Latvia-based brand supplies live software to 80% of online casinos.
England: William Hill
William Hill is one of the biggest sportsbooks in Europe. In the usual style, this company began as a brick-and-mortar betting company. But once the Internet became a thing, William Hill saw an opportunity and capitalized on it.
Today, William Hill is one of the best-rated online sportsbooks and that’s not just because it’s popular. The company has a lot going on, from in-play betting to a streaming service. When it comes to betting, the sportsbook provides all major sports in Europe.
On the flip side, William has a fully-fledged online casino with 200+ slots and over 50 table games. The games are beautiful and mobile-responsive. A lot of them come from respected brands, including the likes of Microgaming and NetEnt.
England: Playtech
Playtech is a 1999-launched software provider based in London. It’s a company large enough to appear in the LSE’s FTSE 250 Index—the 101st to 350th largest companies on the London Stock Exchange.
Before software companies started to crop up around Europe, Playtech was the grand daddy of casino developers. It would supply all the games in popular online casinos—the likes of Ladbrokes, Bet365 and Unibet.
Unfortunately, a new law banning international casinos in the US in 2006 saw Playtech’s stock fall by 40% in one day. It didn’t go down, though. Instead, the London-based software developer swung back up by purchasing these studios:
- Ash Gaming
- Playtech Vikings
- Psiclone
- Quickspin
- Eyecon
- RARE Stone
Together, these studios own 500+ games supplied to dozens of online casinos in Europe. The games include Age of Gods, Fire Blaze, Ugga Bugga and live casino games.
Conclusion
There are tons of online gambling companies in Europe. They all work together to provide outstanding services to gamblers on the continent. However, the companies we’ve outlined above rank miles ahead of the rest in innovation and service delivery.