Microgaming are pioneers of the online casino industry and few have pushed the boundaries of what is possible as much as they have. Some would even argue that without Microgaming’s vision, the whole online gambling landscape would look totally different. Boasting a huge collection of games including a blackjack selection that cannot be beaten for both number of titles and variety, Microgaming continue to innovate. Given the fact that they offer such high-quality games and services, they’ve become the software of choice for numerous online gambling operators, the best of which, in our humble opinion, are 32Red, Spin Casino and Betway. Check out below what they have to offer:
For this Microgaming review we examine everything about this casino software giant! From the many different titles they produce to the quality of their slots and live casino. We take you on a journey through the history of the company as well as explore how well they provide for the new generation of mobile devices. With security being one of the most important aspects at an online casino to most people, we have a look at how Microgaming ensure all their games are safe and secure. Once we have considered all these factors we give this software provider our final score.
Overview of the Software Powered by Microgaming
Before we go into detail about the different aspects of Microgaming’s software, we decided to present you with a short overview of their platform. Have a quick look at the table below to see how we rated them.
Overall – Microgaming offer everything you would expect from a casino software giant with years of experience. Their licensing of top films and TV shows help engage their audience. Live casino is still not as strong as others such as Playtech and some of the slots feel almost the same as each other. It would be unfair to end on a negative point though as they have a huge range of titles and have a reputation that is second to none.
Quickfire – A Surefire Hit with Mobile Gamers
From an online casinos point of view it is easy to see why many operators choose Microgaming, they have built a robust but flexible platform called Quickfire which not only delivers Microgaming’s products but also acts as a delivery platform for other developers such as NextGen, Quickspin, Genesis Gaming, Push Gaming, Rabcat, Leander games among others.
This allows over 400 online games to be available through the customers browser without the need to download any software. Whilst the library of titles is not as large as using the download client, many of the games that are missing tend to be older games which is not a bad thing as many of them look rather dated now.
Mobile Platfrom from Microgaming at a glance:
- 225 Dedicated mobile games
- 75 Download games (compatible with Android)
- 65 HTML5 Games (compatible with Android & Apple and others)
If you are a fan of progressive jackpots then your needs are well catered for as a mobile or tablet user, with a network that has over 100 operators the jackpots can quickly reach a serious amount of cash. Games such as King Cashalot, The Dark Knight, Major Millions and of course the world famous Mega Moolah. The current progressive jackpot total is in excess of 4.5 million.
The tie-in games such as Hitman, Tomb Raider, Battlestar Galactica are also available on mobile devices and look fantastic with the higher resolution screens. As they are HTML5 games, as long as you have a fairly recent device then they will play fine in your mobile browser.
As you can see from the above timeline, the speed of progress has been amazing. The Mini and Nano games produced by Quickfire allow casino operators the ability to embed smaller versions of popular games on their sites. This facility can make sites more engaging to customers with a larger selection of games available on one page.
Despite the Mini games only being 330 x 250 pixels and the Nano ones 200 x 200 pixels the games still offer the same functionality and playability as their full size offerings.
What also make Microgaming stand out is that they release games very regularly with new game releases averaging five games every month. This means when you choose a Microgaming casino the content changes often and feels fresh and new.
Top 10 Games from Microgaming
It’s great to know that the software of a certain provider is safe and works without any hiccups, but that’s not what makes us want to play online. It’s the games. Check out in the slider below the top 10 games, rated by us, the editorial team of ********************** and our online friends.
Microgaming Live Casino Games Overview
Despite being one of the world’s first casino software providers, it is fair to say that Microgaming turned up to the ‘live dealer’ party very late and did not release their first live game until 2006 which was baccarat.
Indeed it wasn’t until 2010 that they finally released blackjack into their live games portfolio. They did however add a few features on release that wasn’t available at the competition.
‘Bet Behind’ allowed players to bet on other players’ boxes which gives you the chance to share in the success (and failure) of that player, if you felt they had a good chance of winning you could back them to win. This approach meant that there was no limit to the amount of players who could bet on the play of already seated players. It also meant players could bet on more than one hand at once.
Also a waiting list function was introduced which allowed you to queue for a table that you liked the look of and once an opening was available you would then receive a notification that a space was available.
The look and feel of the live casino offering was also given a lick of paint with the old plain blue screen being replaced with a real casino gaming floor. Players also had the option to change the quality of the video streaming to match their Internet connection.
Depending on the casino that uses Microgaming software, games can be played directly from your browser (instant play) or by downloading Microgaming’s ‘Viper’ software. The viper software brings features that are not available in browser mode such as auto-play, expert-play among others.
Microgaming does not have the variety of tables like Playech and if you wish to know more about the individual games and rules then why not read our Playtech review by clicking here.
The Story of Microgaming
- 1994
- 1997
- 1998
- 2000
- 2002
- 2003
- 2004
- 2009
- 2013
- 2014
The history of Microgaming starts back in 1994 and the company claim that they were the first to develop and release software that was able to power an online casino. It is this innovation that would become synonymous with the Microgaming brand. When Microgaming first started they were an online casino rather than the software provider they are today, however they decided that their talents would be put to better use if they concentrated on making a software platform rather than the day to day running of an online casino.
In the early days the world of online gambling was pretty much unregulated, so to combat the stigma of unscrupulous casinos Microgaming became a founding member of the Interactive Gaming Council who were involved in the self-regulation of this fledgling industry.
Microgaming launched Cash Splash which was the first wide area progressive slot.
2000 saw the company release their first instant-play slots which didn’t require the customer to install any client software, this experience would be very useful in the coming years and would lay the groundwork for the mobile phone explosion that was to come.
Microgaming launches the first 9-line pay out progressive jackpot slot Treasure Nile
In 2003 Microgaming became a founding member of the e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance scheme (eCOGRA) which was an independent body which dealt with consumer issues and standardised testing criteria to ensure all games were fair and transparent.
2004 was a huge year for Microgaming as they launched their mobile game platform as with most online casino operators this would prove to be a pivotal moment in the company timeline. This year also saw them release their first licensed branded slot game in the shape of the highly popular Tomb Raider slot featuring Laura Croft. This would spark a licensing regime that the company still follows today.
In 2009 Microgaming hit two milestones by releasing its 300th online slots title and then in the same year one of its slots, the infamous Mega Moolah Paid out the biggest jackpot in online gambling history with a payout of over $6 million.
By 2013 Microgaming was becoming the software provider of choice for over 130 brands worldwide and was a firm casino fans favourite, new titles were being constantly added which pushed the boundaries of online play. This growth is continuing to this day and with their progressive jackpot network paying out over £335 million to date, it is easy to see why many rate them as the top casino software producer.
2014 Microgaming signs licensing agreements for Terminator 2™, Jurassic Park™ and Game of Thrones™.
Safety, Security and Honesty at Microgaming
You don’t become as big player within the gambling industry without taking security very seriously. The random number generator that powers Microgaming software is eCOGRA certified as being safe and fair.
As with Playtech, Microgaming is certified by Gaming Labs International (GLI) who are a well respected and internationally recognised testing & auditing company. GLI regularly works with regulators, manufactures, suppliers and industry operators to ensure that the products it tests operate in a way that is fair, secure and subject to audit.
| Company name: | Microgaming |
| Owner information: | Public Company |
| Founded: | 1994 |
| Website: | www.microgaming.co.uk |
| Address: | MGS House, Circular Rd, Douglas, IM1 1BL |
| Licence: | UK Players are regulated by UK Gambling CommissionMicrogaming became a founding member of the e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and AssuranceThey are certified by Gaming Laboratories International (GLI)Microgaming has product certification from BMM Compliance and are members of the RGAMicrogaming is also a member of the Manx eGaming Association (Mega) |
| Contact: | [email protected] |
| Telephone Number: | 0162 464 7777 |
Perhaps the most telling measure of how respected Microgaming are is the amount of awards they have won! These are just a few of the many awards they have:
- Best Casino Software 2012
- Top Casino Software 2004
- Top Casino Software 2003
- Editor’s Pick 2004
- Players’ Choice Award 2002
iGaming Business Affiliate Awards
- Best iGaming Casino Software 2010
- Best iGaming Casino Software 2009
- Best iGaming Casino Software 2008
- Best iGaming Casino Software 2007
To be recognised by their peers in the gambling industry is a measure of how well respected they are and you can use Microgaming’s software with total confidence that each roll, spin or hand will be totally random.