Light & Wonder Games Review
Light & Wonder (L&W) is a huge software developer in the industry. It owns a lot of smaller gaming companies, names you’re probably familiar with. We’re talking about Bally Technologies, WMS, Barcrest, Lightning Box and even ELK Studios. Even if you’ve never heard of these names before, we’re guessing you’ve played their games without knowing.
L&W owns products which are mostly land-based, however, their subsidiaries like Bally and WMS are known for their online slots as well. L&W, as we’ll be seeing more closely, is such a developed company that covers most areas related to iGaming. So if you’re intrigued and want to learn more about where your games are coming from, keep on reading this review of Light & Wonder!
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The story behind Light & Wonder
Light & Wonder first began their epic journey in 1974. Yep, that’s right – the 70s. They launched the world’s very first secure lottery game and the very first secure instant lottery ticket. Over the past decades since then, L&W has grown and grown so that it’s now in over 40 different countries. And that’s not all. With over 300 customers in those 40 countries, Light & Wonder has branched out beyond lottery games so that it now does slots (land and online) and table games as well. Truly, this is the developer that does it all.
There’s a massive list of all the things that Light & Wonder is good at doing. L&W works with lottery systems, loyalty and reward programs, video gaming systems, internet gaming, mobile gaming and even social gaming. Honestly, there’s not much that it doesn’t do. In fact, it claims the title of the ‘only full-service provider‘ for itself, due to the huge range of products it offers.
By 2012, L&W had reached an annual revenue of around $260 billion. Since then, Light & Wonder has only been growing in both size and profits. In 2010, it bought Barcrest from IGT to add to its increasing portfolio of smaller companies. It seemed even more unstoppable when in 2013 it bought WMS, then one of the largest slot manufacturers in the world, for $1.3 billion. Then, in 2014, L&W also bought Bally Technologies for $3.3 billion. The acquisitions continued with Lightning Box and ELK Studios in 2021. In 2022, the company rebranded to its new name – Light & Wonder.
Perhaps that helps a little in setting the picture for how huge Light & Wonder is in the iGaming industry. It is a multi-billion company, which has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. With a reach that extends to North America (including Canada), South America, Europe and Asia – Light & Wonder is the perfect provider for Canadian players. Since Light & Wonder comes from the US, CA players are unlikely to ever encounter the same problems that they sometimes do with European providers. These latter developers are unavailable in the majority of Canadian provinces, but L&W games are perfectly legal in all casinos which accept CA players.
Light & Wonder Games
As we’ve been saying, Light & Wonder has released a lot of different products over the year. One of its latest hits, for example, has been the Willy Wonka land-based slots that proved instant favourites with casino goers. Indeed, a lot of what L&W produces is for land-based casinos and for physical betting outlets.
But that’s where its subsidiary purchases come in. Between them, Bally Technologies, Barcrest and WMS Games are responsible for a lot of slots released throughout the year. Online slots, that is. Each of these companies creates unique games which are enjoyed by players all around the world.
Light & Wonder Games is also known for making table games aside from lottery and slot products through another one of its companies, Shuffle Master. However – once again – these are land-based and not online. So, while you’ll probably spot them if you ever go on a road trip of Canadian casinos, they’re not in online casinos.
Bally Technologies
Bally Tech was actually founded in 1968, so it’s older than Light & Wonder itself. Known for producing both wide network progressive jackpot slots, land-based slots and online slots. Its main focus remains to this day on land-based slots. But it has made some pretty interesting slots over the years.
Some of the Bally Tech samples include the famous ‘Pawn Stars’ slot. It was originally a machine, but it was one of the few that made the transition into online as well. Others also include titles like King of Pop and Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ from the Michael Jackson series of machines. Bally has made a few slots specifically for online purposes though – like Cash Wizard, Lady Robin Hood and Tiger Treasures.
Barcrest
Barcrest also has a lot of popular titles under its belt. They’re not the best-looking slots you’ll ever play, not by a long shot. But these slots are still goodies in a different way. They have good payout systems.
Barcrest slots include Dr. Jekyll Goes Wild, Emperors Gold, Boulder Bucks, Merry Money, Cash Stax and Action Bank. They deserve a spin, just to get a feel for how they work.
WMS Games
Out of these three smaller companies, WMS Games is by far the most well-known in the online casino world. It’s also the one that releases most slots throughout the year. One of the most popular slots it’s recently released is the Bruce Lee slot, which honours the great martial artist. There’s also Alice and the Mad Party, Amazon Queen, Cool Jewels, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (the one and only), Kronos and Zeus.
As you can see from the names alone, WMS has a lot of diversity going on. Whether it’s Ancient Grecian myths, popular branded films or just after famous people – WMS slots will keep you entertained for a good long while.
Lightning Box
Lightning Box started out as a provider for some seriously top-tier land-based casinos in high-traffic cities like Las Vegas and Atlantic City. After this they moved into the online, mobile and social media markets, providing a seamless blend of social media and casino games. Today trademark games from Lightning Box can be found almost everywhere casino is involved, and their impact is global. You’ll find them in the UK, USA, Asia, Australia and even South America.
Some of their most renowned games include Lightning Horseman, Silver Lion, Stellar Jackpots, Astro Cat and Druidess Gold.
Elk Studios
ELK Studios was first put into motion in 2012, but it wasn’t officially formed until 2013. Today, the company is one of Sweden’s proudest game exports, growing from a small-time studio to something of a slot fan household name. This is no small feat when you consider the vast amount of competition they face in their home country.
Based out of Stockholm, ELK Studios has been making waves that are felt globally, particularly after it was acquired by Light & Wonder in 2021 and given the opportunity for a more global scope.
Top ELK Studios games include popular titles such as Pacific Gold, Knockout Diamonds, Book of Toro and Mystic Orbs.
Light & Wonder Casinos
Light & Wonder products are widely popular, especially when it comes to its online slots from WMS and Barcrest. For this reason, there are plenty of online casinos which house L&W under their roof, along with other providers.
Here’s just a basic list of some of the casinos:
Best Casinos with Light & Wonder Games
The list goes on. But if you’re intrigued and want to take a shot at playing some L&W slots, then you should definitely head on over to one of these casinos and try your luck. Don’t worry, these casinos have all made our recommended list on the site so they’re 100% safe and secure, and have great offers waiting for you.
The Verdict on Light & Wonder
L&W knows what’s up. With both feet firmly planted in both the land-casino world and the online casino world, the only way is up for this gaming provider. Sure – its slots aren’t the best looking, and don’t really compare in terms of concept with other providers like NetEnt and Yggdrasil, but they have more of a classic vibe going on. The focus is more on the gameplay and less on the looks.
We’re sure that with its group of subsidiary companies working steadily on online slots and games, the company will continue to develop its online products in future. Keep an eye out for this company – and for all the games coming your way.
With 9 years of experience in all things related to online casinos, Marie-Claire Graham is our online gambling expert. She has written everything from casino reviews to news stories and blogs, but her passion lies in games. Her hands-on experience...
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