Software providers

Ever wondered what casino platforms provide the best user experience available? Are you curious as to how they are able to offer such high-quality gaming sites? More often than not, the secret begins with the actual software provider that they are using.

There’s a wealth of software providers that New Zealand casino sites have partnered with over the years, but we have located the best of the best for 2023. With the way that casino sites have grown and developed over time, there’s just no excuse to settle for anything less than the best.

All of the casino sites that you can see listed on this page operate using the creme de la creme of software providers, and you can head to the site and sign up within minutes through the links provided. 

How Software Providers Affect Your Casino Experience

This is a crucial question to understand when contemplating what casino site to join, and there are a few major factors to be aware of. Each individual software provider, of course, has its own advantages, but before we get into that, take a look at the two main factors impacted by each of the various New Zealand software providers.

1. Range of games

There are certain types of games that are specific to certain software providers. For example, while some providers specialize in video slots, others focus on live dealer games. Some providers create very popular games that are used at many casinos, such as video slots like Starburst and Gonzo’s Quest which are unique to NetEnt. This means that if you see these games on a site, you will know that they are using NetEnt software. 

Other providers can specialize in table games or card games, so it’s always important to check what providers a site uses as an indicator of what games you can expect.

2. Quality of gameplay

Now that you know software providers are responsible for certain games, it’s also important to know that the best providers give the best gameplay experience. Quality in this sense means a range of in-play gaming features, great graphics, uninterrupted casino play, and friendly wagering minimums.

Slot Software

If you have ever engaged in online casino gaming before, it is almost certain that you will have played video slots. They are the most popular of all casino games that are featured online, and they also contain the largest number of sub-category games. You can play progressive slots, video slots, 2D and 3D slots, classic slots and TV themed slots, so there’s something to suit all gamers.

When you come across sites with a broad range of slot games, this has always been made possible by certain slot software providers. Casinos often partner with a range of different providers to provide a mix of different slots.

Some of the best slot software on the market right now comes from the following providers:

• NetEnt
• Microgaming
• Betsoft
• IGT 
• Playtech
• Play’n GO

Table Games Software

In the same way that there are software providers that specialize in slot games, there are software providers that facilitate top-quality roulette and table games. The term table games refers to casino favorites like baccarat, craps, blackjack, and certain poker games. They are great because some of them are more influenced by skill rather than luck, meaning that gamers can have more control over the outcome.

As of 2023, some of the best table games software providers are as follows: 

• Playtech
• Novomatic
• WMS Gaming
• NetEnt
• Quickfire

Live Casino Providers

Having the option to take part in live casino games is one of the most desired features these days from the perspective of online casino gamers. It creates an environment that supports a much more interactive feel and a much more engaging casino experience. Live casino games are sometimes broadcast from a physical casino location, or they can be streamed from state-of-the-art live casino studios.

With the best software providers for live casino games, you can be sure that the dealers are professionally trained, and that the games are operating fairly without any undue practices going on. Just like software providers that specialize in table games or slot games, there are certain live casino providers that have set the standard for the rest of the market.

If you are into live casino gaming, then you should definitely hunt down platforms that support the following providers: 

• Evolution
• Playtech
• Extreme Live Gaming
• NetEnt

You will have no doubt noticed that several of these software providers overlap for the mentioned categories. This is simply because their range of offerings is always expanding, and it should be taken as a sign that they are a provider to be taken seriously. 

NetEnt

NetEnt is one of the largest software providers not only in New Zealand but on a global scale. They are the masterminds behind casino classics like Viking’s video slot, Gonzo’s Quest, and Lost Relics. In addition to the awesome games that NetEnt has to offer, they boast one of the largest average RTP (return to player) percentages of all software providers.

Their games typically have a payout range of 95%-98%. Most of the games that NetEnt are optimized for mobile play as well, meaning you can play on your smartphone. 

As you may have guessed, NetEnt tends to focus on slot games as one of their unique selling points. They have some of the best slot games on the market which are top quality in terms of both visuals and gameplay.

Microgaming

Microgaming has developed poker, casino, and bingo products that are enjoyed all over the globe. They are one of the leading software providers on the planet, and their reputation speaks for itself.

Microgaming is responsible for games like Game of Thrones slot, Jurassic Park and Bridesmaids. Microgaming has become a specialist in themed slot games, which appeals to players that enjoy movies and TV shows. For those that love the thrill of high payout slot games, you’ll be excited to know that Microgaming has the largest progressive jackpot game in the world.

The poker games seen with Microgaming consist of freeroll events, heads-up games, and even bounty tournaments. They are one of the best all-around software providers and their products are sure to please casino fans of all persuasions.

Evolution

For those of you who adore live casino gaming from the comfort of your own home, Evolution is a software provider that you absolutely need to pay attention to. They are different from NetEnt and Microgaming in that they specialize in live games such as roulette, baccarat, poker, blackjack, and numerous other classics.

They have other specifications to go alongside their range of games too such as interactive chat features, multi-camera angles at live tables, side bets, and game stats displayed in real-time. They really do raise the bar for live casino software providers everywhere, and the casino sites that we recommend offer some of the best Evolution live dealer games.

Big Time Gaming

Big Time Gaming was one of the first software houses to set up shop Down Under. Over the past decade, they’ve raised the bar in the online slots space. When browsing through the range of slots offered by Big Time Gaming, you may notice there is great emphasis on Megaways titles. To understand why, we can clear this up by sharing that Big Time Gaming actually pioneered Megaways technology. That’s right, all of your favourite Megaways games wouldn’t be possible should Big Time Gaming not have entered the market back in 2011. For us, this makes Big Time Gaming one of the most exciting software providers out there, even if their portfolio is much smaller than other, more established providers.

Of course, a reduced range doesn’t mean that quality isn’t there. Games including Monopoly Megaways, Beef Lightning Megaways and the brand new Spicy Meatballs Megaways will keep you on the edge of your seat. With as many as 117,649 paylines for such games, what more could we ask for?

Betsoft

Betsoft has been pumping out incredible games since the company opened its doors in 2006. Over the years Betsoft has been responsible for classics including The Slotfather, Greedy Goblins, Charms & Clovers and many others. With this said, most software developers have an impressive range of slots, so what makes Betsoft special? Well, Betsoft has a particular focus on 3D slots and has become well-known for providing in-game animations, cinema-worthy video effects, as well as incredible sound effects. Despite the already impressive track record, Betsoft is still crafting and releasing fresh casino games to this day.

We can’t move on before highlighting the fact that Betsoft doesn’t just create video slots either, despite this being the trademark of the company. Betsoft also has a range of video poker and table games in its library, including titles like Pai Gow, American Blackjack and European Roulette.  

Playtech 

To read through all of the rewards Playtech has earned during its existence, you’d need to clear a rather large gap in your schedule. Often referred to as one of the ‘big three’ software developers, Playtech is one of those companies which has changed the game. Back in 1999, a few technology experts put their heads together and created Playtech – and their success is nothing short of staggering. Today, Playtech boasts a portfolio of more than 600 premium casino games. 

This range consists of plenty of exciting ‘themed slots’ such as Superman and Batman, and the amazing Age of the Gods progressive network too. But Playtech’s epic range doesn’t stop there. There is also a top-notch chain of live casino games offered too. Games for blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker can all be found here, and many of them are streamed from the largest live casino set-up in the world (in Latvia), which is owned by Playtech, of course. 

Play’N Go 

As the landscape of casino gaming has adjusted over the years, software providers have needed to adjust with it. Few have done this with greater success than Play’N Go, as these guys were one of the first to develop a truly omni-channel experience for all of the supported games. That means Play’N Go was pivotal in making the adjustment to allow most games to be played across various devices. This includes laptops, PCs, tablets such as iPads and, of course, smartphones. In terms of the games themselves, while yes, Play’N Go covers multiple categories including bingo and table games, it’s the online slots that really make them one of the top software developers.

With several hundred already in the portfolio, Play’N Go is still developing games at record pace. More than 50 fresh games were released in 2020 alone. This kind of commitment isn’t seen at all software houses, and with popular titles like Reactoonz, Book of Dead, Gunslinger, and Fire Joker still going strong, we are confident Play’N Go will be around for quite some time. 

Pragmatic Play 

With more than 200 video slots, a 24/7 live casino and even a multi-game bingo setup, not much escapes the reach of Pragmatic Play. As far as software developers go, we’d say Pragmatic Play is one of the very best for several reasons. For starters, they’ve come up with unbelievably popular slot games over the years, with titles such as Wolf Gold and Sweet Bonanza taking centre stage. Secondly, the live casino boasts impeccable streaming quality, and games like Dragon Tiger, Mega Wheel and Speed Baccarat make the selection of games a little spicier than most. Finally, these games are some of the most accessible and flexible of all software providers in the industry today.

Pretty much the whole Pragmatic Play range can be enjoyed on desktop as well as mobile, meaning you can enjoy their games whenever, wherever and however you please.