Inspired Gaming - The Background
The company has developed from humble beginnings via gradual expansion and strategic acquisitions to become a major player in the contemporary international gaming industry. Today, Inspired Entertainment operates in close to forty different gaming jurisdictions across the world.
The company’s full year financial results for 2019 (the last full year for which figures are available at the time of writing) showed a turnover of more than $66 million. This was more than double the previous year’s performance, but also resulted in a net loss of more than $12 million. Both figures were linked to a major acquisition which took place during the financial year.
The Inspired group of companies has interests in just about every aspect of the gaming industry. Its major focus is on real world gaming, including gaming software and the design of casino cabinets, other hardware and server technology necessary to operate a modern land based gaming environment.
Today, the company provides the software for more than 50,000 machines located in betting shops, public houses, gaming halls, amusement arcades and other social settings. The majority belong to other operators, using Inspired software, but the company also operates its own stock of around 19,000 installed machines. The company also designs the software for and operates virtual sports betting machines, video lottery terminals and electronic table games.
All these functions are of course fully transferable to the digital environment, and the company is very much involved in the online gaming industry. Many of its online titles are straight conversions from its real world cabinet designs, but it does have some games which are unique to the online world. Of particular interest to UK based online casino players is the Inspired Entertainment group’s recent acquisition of parts of the Novomatic UK business.
The takeover was approved by the UK government’s Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) in October 2019. Inspired paid around $120 million for the business, which represents a major contribution to the financial loss posted for the year. The acquisition deal does not include Novomatic’s live casino operation Extreme Live Gaming, which remains with its original owner.
Game Creations from Inspired Gaming
Most of the Inspired Gaming online portfolio consists of slots, of which there are around fifty different titles currently available to online casino operators. These are well up to contemporary standard, and the company’s slots are widely available to players on casinos licenced for the UK and European markets. The company also has a small number of traditional casino games, including Roulette.
Slot titles cover all the major slot genres and more besides. Players who fancy a bit of Irish luck may enjoy Book of the Irish, Lucky Ways or Rainbow Cash Pots, while fans of the pharaohs will find Anubis Wild and Scroll of Egypt among the options here. Meanwhile, players who prefer more traditional slot formats may favour titles like Bar and 7s, Fruit Collector or Something Fruity.
The company’s quirky Centurion series of slots offer something a bit different, with their cartoon style graphics and painfully punning titles. The spectacular Neon Pyramid and the exciting, action packed Prison Escape are two further excellently designed slots.
Inspired Gaming have also licenced the popular MegawaysTM mechanic for several of their games. This six reel special format offers more than 100,000 ways to win and is available on several titles including Anubis Wild and Reel King.
The company is particularly strong on sport titles too. Sporty slots include 1st Down, Football Favourites and Fortune Furlong Jumps. A step up from even these exciting titles is Inspired Entertainment’s selection of Virtual Sports games. Often found in high street bookmakers shops, these formats are increasingly to be found on sports betting companies’ online portals, and also on some of the bigger casino sites. There are several different formats of Horse Racing, Football (unfortunately referred to as ‘Soccer’ – this is an American company after all…) and American Football. There is also Basketball; Tennis; a variety of motor sports and most pleasingly of all for many UK based players, some cricket.
The company also produces a range of virtual live presenter games. These include Bingo, Lotto, Roulette and Keno.
Final Words on Inspired Gaming
Although there are few big name games in the company’s range, Inspired Gaming slots are a good option for players looking for something different to play. Their games are certainly popular with casino operators, providing a high quality and varied range to offer players who relish a new challenge. All casinos operating on the Progress Play platform have access to Inspired Entertainment slots, with some of the larger sites also offering virtual sports too. Look out for them at your chosen Progress Play casino.