While the gambling industry has been around for more than three decades, its online gaming version became active in the mid-90s. Among the many software companies that offer deposit and play online casino games, Microgaming was the first company to offer online games that require real money deposit.
This South-African company has been around for over two decades. Being the first casino company to demand real money deposits, they set the pace for many other gaming companies to follow. Here’s a brief history of how Microgaming slots came to dominate the industry.
How Microgaming Slots Started
Microgaming was established in 1994. Based in the Isle of Man, the founder of this famous games supplier remains debatable. However, multiple sources have linked the establishment of the company to one name – Martin Moshal.
Microgaming is privately operated, with many people guessing the firm’s top management. Being an innovative company, their first online casino platform, Gaming Club Casino, introduced real money gambling.
With the success recorded from Gaming Club Casino, the company started to offer other online casino operators products to help them get started with online games, especially tools to help them grow and manage their iGaming platforms.
In the same year, the company released downloadable games like slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps.
First Producer of Progressive Jackpot Slot
In 1998, the first-ever slot game from this company was launched, Cash Splash. Cash Splash became the first-ever progressive jackpot slot, which still pays millions to this day.
The company has produced many slot games, like Home to 9 Masks of Fire, Book of Oz, Immortal Romance, Jurassic World, Game of Thrones, Lara Croft, etc. Their progressive jackpot category has paid over 1 billion euros in prize winnings.
Ethical Company
As one of the pioneer casino software suppliers, Microgaming understood that the online gambling industry needed a regulatory body. It was essential to ensure the safety of the players by regulating the activities of all stakeholders.
With this mission, Microgaming rallied other software companies to establish the Interactive Gaming Council (IGC). The IGC was charged with monitoring all the operators to ensure they work within safe practices.
This company was also part of the pioneer committee that formed the e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). eCOGRA is now the organization that handles the testing of all online casino games to ensure fairness among players and casinos, including financial transactions.
As a forward-thinking business, Microgaming realized that they could create a prize pool where customers could participate. The winner of the tournament will trigger the prize and win it. This led to the rise of the PlayCheck system, which tracks percentages on payouts for fairness to all players.
Recognition of Efforts
Due to its responsible gambling policies, products, and fame, Microgaming has won multiple awards. Some of them include the Gaming Intelligence Award (2019, 2020), the Awards for Excellence (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018), and the Global Gaming Awards (2014, 2015, and 2016), etc.
Nikhil Kore