It’s often remarked upon the extent to which Europe trails the United States in influential tech companies. While that is partially true in some areas, not least AI and social media, there are some areas where Europe has a healthy lead. That most certainly includes iGaming, where Europe had a massive head start in shaping the online casino industry across the 1990s and 2000s.
The upshot is that despite the Supreme Court opening the US market for sports betting in 2018, also paving the way for legalized online casino gaming in a handful of states, European companies still provide the backbone of the industry’s technology. Numerous European brands power the industry both at home and abroad.
But who are they? There are dozens of important European companies responsible for the global online casino sector, but we highlight five of the most important ones in different areas below:
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Subscribe- Evolution Gaming (Sweden)
The most influential company in live dealer software in the world today. Evolution completely dominates that side of the online casino sector, facilitating both the physical studios and technology to make live casino games possible online. While it is noted as a pioneer of live dealer technology, it has moved into software-based casino gaming after completing major acquisitions of rival studios. Those include NetEnt, Big Time Gaming, Red Tiger and Nolimit City.
- Relax Gaming (Malta/Sweden)
Noted for its popularity as a provider of innovative casino slots and sweepstakes slots, Relax Gaming had a rapid rise to prominence across the 2010s. The business was acquired by the Kindred Group in 2021, which in turn was acquired by FDJ in a 2.45B Euro deal in 2024. FDJ is a giant multinational iGaming brand, operating major casino, sports betting and bingo platforms. On the B2B side, Relax Gaming remains an independent studio with a massive game selection.
- Playtech (Estonia)
One of the early pioneers of the iGaming sector, Playtech joined Microgaming as one of the stalwarts of online casino software development in the late 1990s and 2000s. The LSE-listed company is perhaps not quite as influential as it once was. Indeed, back in the 2000s, it was common enough to see online casinos only hosting Playtech-developed games. Yet, it is still an integral part of the industry, providing both popular games and the infrastructure to power online casinos across the globe.
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- Games Global (Isle of Man)
Games Global is an interesting addition to this list, not least because it was founded relatively recently (2022) in an industry where it can take years to build up a presence. Nevertheless, Games Global took on many of Microgaming’s assets, making it one of the world’s largest suppliers of casino games at the stroke of a pen. Microgaming is largely credited with starting the online casino sector in the mid-1990s, but the important thing in light of the Games Global takeover is that it had launched 100s of games and important jackpot networks.
- Hacksaw Gaming (Malta)
We can finish with an up-and-coming brand that has surged into the spotlight recently. Hacksaw Gaming has a lot in common with Relax Gaming in that both studios decided to rip up the rule book when it comes to game development, launching exciting titles that feel a world away from classic slot machines. The gamble worked, especially with slot games, marking Hacksaw Gaming as one of the world’s most popular studios.
