IGT Casinos
International Gaming Technology (IGT) was founded in Las Vegas in 1975 and are the self-proclaimed “largest slot machine manufacturer (in the world)”. The company has forged a considerable reputation for developing high-quality electronic gaming terminals for land-based casinos.
They have translated this success from the glitzy bricks-and-mortar establishments of Las Vegas to the feature-laden lobbies of the latest online casinos. So prolific has IGT become that it now serves gaming software to hundreds of web-based operators.
IGT Casinos Background
Established by William Redd, IGT was originally known as A-1 Supply. Specialising in the design and manufacture of video slot machines, the company slowly grew in stature during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In 1978, it changed its name to Sircoma before changing again to International Gaming Technology.
By 1981, IGT was able to go public thanks to the enormous success of its video slot machines. Its innovations in the field of video slot production opened up new markets and emboldened the company to push the envelope even further.
In 1984, it acquired Electronic Data Technologies and pioneered the ‘frequent-player rewards’ program which is still in use today. This new technology has since morphed into the Advantage and sbX systems.
IGT Microprocessor-Driven Casino Slots
Other cutting-edge products were released during this period such as the S-Slot and the Player’s Edge video poker machine. Both products marked IGT’s early forays into the microprocessor-based slot vertical. These were followed by one of the world’s first progressive land-based slots, Nevada Megabucks, which featured a jackpot of $1 million.
IGT International Development
IGT’s expansion was rapid and unabated during the 90s. In January of 1991, it was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and quickly become a top-performer. Then in 1992 IGT Europe was founded. Three years later, and the company had offices in Argentina and South Africa. By the middle of the decade, IGT was a developer of international repute.
Key Acquisitions
This global reputation was bolstered further with the acquisition of Barcrest Gaming and Sodawk Gaming in the late 1990s. The 2000s were no different as Anchor Gaming and Acres Gaming became part of the IGT family.
Online Expansion, Wheel of Fortune Update
On its 25th anniversary as a public listed company, IGT snapped up Wager Works with a view to expanding its online offering. Within a year, the maiden Mega Jackpots game, Fort Knox had been unveiled, followed by Wheel of Fortune Special Edition – an update to one of IGT’s most storied games of all. In 1996, IGT had released the Wheel of Fortune progressive slot which was based on the famous American TV show. To this day, it remains one of the most popular gaming machines of all time and is now available online in many different guises. The 2006 version included extra features such as group play and community bonus games.
Mid-2000s – Present Day
Multi-player gaming elements for online roulette and baccarat were unveiled at the Global Gaming Expo of 2006. Many of these features provided a foundation for the development of modern live casino platforms.
2010 – IGT Sweeps the Boards
For its innovations in online casino games, IGT has been the recipient of numerous awards over the past decade. Indeed, 2010 was a vintage year. The company won ‘Best Slot Manufacture of the Year’ at the prestigious International Gaming Awards. Further industry recognition came from the Casino Player Magazine and the Global Annual Gaming and Technology Awards.
Present Day at IGT Casinos
Today, IGT is based in London with operating headquarters in Rome, Las Vegas and Providence, Rhode Island. Though it bears the same name, the company has, as you can see, gone through various iterations and takeovers in recent years.
In 2014, IGT were bought by GTECH who in turn were bought by Lottomatic, Italy’s largest lottery provider. Despite this, the company chose to retain the IGT name, and so the legend lives on.
With over 12,000 employees worldwide, they work in all verticals of the gaming industry and in both commercial and government sponsored spheres. These include online gaming, lotteries, social platforms, retail and traditional casinos.
Their entire online gaming portfolio has been converted from HTML5. This framework is now a bare minimum requirement for online casino game developers ensuring ultimate interactivity between all devices whether desktops, mobiles or tablets. Gone are the days of Flash-based casino games. Accordingly, IGT casino games are available on Windows, Android and ioS platforms.
In addition to online casino slots, IGT casinos design and produce classic casino table games with HD-quality graphics. Available as part of an attractive, multifunctional package, these popular titles include extra features such as tournaments, bonuses, loyalty programs and progressive jackpots (more about those in a minute).
IGT Casinos Content
Today, their most popular online video slot is Cleopatra, which consistently ranks as the most searched slot on the internet in the UK. The game features a mysterious, undulating score and hushed whisperings of sultry encouragement from the sinister but beguiling Egyptian Queen herself.
IGT also licences games designed by New York based software designer, High 5 Games. Their back-catalogue is graced by a host of legendary titles such as Da Vinci Diamonds and Golden Goddess. Both of these have found a home with most IGT online casinos.
Branded slots, Family Guy and Ghostbusters make up IGT’s expansive range of games too, as does an assortment of lupine-related slots. These include: Wild Wolf, Wolf Rising, Wolf Run, and the Wolf Run Mega Jackpots progressive.
It is difficult to determine exactly why the wolf has become such a common theme. Perhaps it’s a metaphor for some of the people who haunt the gambling industry. Research has shown that wolves, unlike dogs, adopt a high-risk, winner takes it all strategy when hunting for food. Perhaps we’re reading into this a bit too much. Um, anyway…
Mega Jackpots
IGT casinos have built a reputation for developing popular progressive online slots as part of its Mega Jackpots network. With just one (extremely) lucky spin, these games can pay out millions. Common slots that you’ll find on the Mega Jackpot network include Cleopatra, Cluedo and Monopoly.
Best IGT Casino Games
Read on as we now take a closer look at five of the best IGT casino games, some of which we’ve already mentioned.
Da Vinci Diamonds
One of IGT’s classic slot games, Da Vinci Diamonds is a huge hit among gamblers. Although its huge appeal owes much to the Renaissance-inspired theme (an epoch that strikes a chord with most casino gamers), the slot is also popular among punters for its tumbling reels. On top of this you’ve got a side game that doles out up to 300 free spins.
Cleopatra
This five reel 20 pay-line slot is one of IGT’s most enduring games, as already touched upon. The wild feature doubles you payout which is nice. But the bonus feature is one of the main attractions for the simple fact that it can award you up to 180 free spins. All that’s needed is a 3x multiplier – no sweat. You’ve then got the chance to win up to 10,000 times your stake.
Kitty Glitter
The sinister Kitty Glitter is a big hit with online gamers, despite a pretty shocking RTP of 94.92%. As ever, there are 5 reels and 30 pay-lines. The game is actually a carbon copy of Wolf Run. Nevertheless, it’s ideal for feline freaks and those who like their virtual reels adorned with cutesy characters. Simplicity and playability come to mind here.
Siberian Storm
IGT’s Siberian Storm is another massively popular online slot game. As with most standard slots, it follows a 5 reel format. However, this hit game features more than 700 ways to win. If you factor in a host of features such as stackable wilds, scatters and a 1000x line bet payout, then you’ve got a pretty compelling game.
Wolf Run
Wolf Run is the product of IGT’s strange preoccupation with our wild four-legged friends. Behind the ferocious, blood-curdling title is a standard slot game with 5 reels and 40 pay-lines. Although the graphics are decidedly dated, the game includes just enough features to keep the most demanding of players entertained. The Howling Wolf symbol pays out as many as 1000 coins.
Be sure to navigate the rest of Landmarkautosales Casino which includes profiles of the major online casino developers. We also provide information about online slots and classic casino games. And if you’d like further insights into the industry, head over to our news section. We’ve got our finger on the pulse of this exciting sector and regularly update our blog with info about new game releases and company partnerships.
Best IGT Casinos to Play At
Be sure to take a look through the IGT casinos listed below. They include some of the most successful operators in the industry. For convenience, we’ve also provided details of their welcome promotions. And to get a better idea of their offering, you can access our casino reviews in which we evaluate their promotions, game variety, VIP packages and customer service.