Realtime Gaming are an online gaming software provider that was founded in 1998, and, based out of both Atlanta and Costa Rica, they’re one of the only gaming companies to tailor their casino games for the American market. In fact, due to the fact Realtime Gaming accept US-based players, gambling operators around the world are very keen to form relationships with the company, and host their games on their websites – something Realtime Gaming are happy to accommodate!
Known by many players for their “Real Series” of Video Slot games – released just a couple of years ago – Realtime Gaming have expanded operations as demand has risen, and today, they provide a huge range of Casino Table Games and Video Slot titles to players. Realtime Gaming offer their games in both a downloadable client, as well as directly within the player’s Internet browser, ensuring optimal gaming satisfaction at all times. In fact, over the last year, Realtime Gaming have placed a heavy emphasis on serving their games to mobile devices with iOS, Android, Blackberry, and Windows device-players now able to access most of their games without hassle.
Unlike many UK and European casinos, the downloadable clients is generally the preferred option for a couple of reasons. Firstly, desktop games still run largely on Flash – Realtime Gaming are yet to make the big transition to HTML5, meaning some players won’t be able to access the games from their Internet browsers.
Secondly, the game-quality is generally a LOT higher in the downloadable casino, and as it reduces the amount of memory required by the computer (as the games are stored locally), it makes gameplay smoother, faster, and more enjoyable. For that reason, Windows users are recommended to always download a Realtime Gaming clients when available, although Mac, Linux, and Windows users who don’t want to, or can’t downloaded the software can enjoy the games in instant play mode just fine, but it’s something to be aware of.
RTG Games
Games from Realtime Gaming are generally well-received by players, and while the company was very ‘dry’ with their Casino Table Game range in their early days, today they’ve developed a range of new titles for classic casino-players to enjoy. Realtime Gaming offer most forms of Casino Table Games, including Blackjack, Roulette, Baccarat, Caribbean Stud Poker and 3 Card Poker.
Video Slots
Video Slots are where Realtime Gaming really set themselves above other software providers and their huge range of slot titles has allowed players around the world to enjoy a unique and enjoyable gaming experience. One of their most popular titles is “Enchanted Garden 2”, and this stunning visually-active game shows just why Realtime Gaming are years ahead of most of their competitors. The game is fast-loading, offers smooth and crisp graphics and provides great gameplay. Open up the game and you’ll instantly see the unique 3D backdrop, immediately immersing you within a world of the ‘enchanted garden’!
Coyote Cash is another popular title from Realtime Gaming and this 5-reel Video Slot uses 25-paylines to deliver an exciting game experience to players. Featuring somewhat of a Wild West theme, Coyote Cash is often described as a cross between the Loony Toons and gambling and when you open the game up, it’s hard not to agree! While this sounds somewhat ‘childlike’, it’s testament to Realtime Gaming’s commitment to thinking outside the box, and their development team clearly put a lot of effort into every game they make.
What’s more, Coyote Cash, Enchanted Garden 2 and almost all of Realtime Gaming’s Video Slot games are available for mobile players to enjoy, and players using a phone or tablet will be able to game on the go, so long as they have a working data plan. While the games are optimized mainly for Safari (iOS), they work pretty much perfectly on most other devices, although players with smaller screen sizes may be required to tilt their device into landscape mode for the game to render.
Jackpot Games
Realtime Gaming have developed a range of progressive jackpot games to offer their players and these games work just like any other progressive – they’re pooled amongst all the Realtime Gaming-operated casinos, and share the prize money until a lucky player comes along and scoops the lot! While Realtime Gaming jackpots often get stick for being small, compared against companies like Microgaming and Net Entertainment, the jackpot amounts have risen gradually over the last few years, as Realtime Gaming have expedited their marketing campaigns.
Most notably is their ‘Aztec’s Millions’ Video Slot with a jackpot totalling $2,054,000 at the time of writing! The progressive’s never been won on this game before, so Realtime Gaming are just as keen for a player to win it (as is the player)! Realtime Gaming also offer progressives on many of their smaller, less-well-known games, and while the jackpots figures tend to be much smaller ($20,000-$50,000), they’re a little more realistic in most player’s eyes and wins DO happen! In fact, Caribbean Stud Poker seems to be their most frequently paying jackpot game to date with an average payout of $127,000 and it has been won over ten times!
All in all, Realtime Gaming’s progressive jackpot selection isn’t as impressive as some of their competitors, but for US-based players who have little alternative, they’re perfect, and are by no means inadequate. What’s more, Realtime Gaming develop all their jackpot games to run on mobile devices, so players can be in with the chance of winning million-pound jackpots while on the train to work, at home on the couch, or even AT work (if you’ve got the courage).
Tournaments
We don’t usually talk about casino tournaments, as most of the time they’re a waste of time, adding to the casino’s pockets, and rarely the players. Realtime Gaming, however, run regular game tournaments across some of their most popular games, which gives you the chance to play casino and slot games against other players! Of course, it’s nothing like player-to-player games like poker. Instead, you ‘buy in’ and compete towards a certain target. For instance, if Realtime Gaming were hosting a Video Slot tournament, players may have 100 spins to make as much profit on the game as possible. Then, just like in a poker tournament, the top 3, 4, or perhaps 5 winners are paid a percentage of the prize pool!
What’s cool about the Realtime Gaming tournaments is that they’re multi-casino-based, just like their progressive jackpots. While this does decrease the odds of winning, it makes the prize pools much larger and ensures players can win five and sometimes even six figure payouts! Realtime Gaming operate to the highest casino industry standards and a large part of this is making sure their games are compliant, fair and random. Realtime Gaming run ALL of their games through TST – a mathematics-company who specialize in studying event-outcomes – to ensure their games are truly random, and all their games are tested at least once a year with every update or modification ensuring they remain fair. Plus, almost all casinos that use Realtime Gaming’s software run the games through their own independent tester, strengthening the integrity and showing just how honest they really are!
RTG Operating Jurisdictions
Realtime Gaming are licensed in far-fewer jurisdictions than most other software providers, and while this means many players are unable to access the games, it does make sense. They cater primarily to the US market and their hands are tied dealing with a country of almost 300 million people – a fairly big feat in itself! That said, Realtime Gaming have been awarded licenses by the following regulatory bodies, though don’t expect to see their games at casinos simply because they’re listed below – casinos use their own rules and restrictions, so always check before signing up whether Realtime Gaming games are offered or not.
Licenses Realtime Gaming currently hold:
- Malta Gaming Authority
- Curacao eGaming
- Antigua Online Gaming Association
- British Virgin Islands
- Cagayan Economic Zone Authority
- Costa Rica
- Cyprus
- Kahnawake Gaming Commission
About Realtime Gaming
Realtime Gaming was originally formed in Atlanta in 1998, although business (and legal) decisions saw them move operations to Heredia, Costa Rica at the end of 2007. While Realtime Gaming’s early days aren’t well documented, 2007 saw the company acquired by Hastings International – a global financial-trust and foundation provider. Specialising in financial portfolios, particularly tax and estate-planning, many critics questioned whether a company with no prior gaming knowledge would be able to sustain the software provider’s proven track record, but against the odds they appear to have done just that, and today, Realtime Gaming have grown into one of the most respected software providers in the world.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing, however. In 2004, Realtime Gaming received global negative publicity after one of their players won $1.3 Million playing Caribbean 21. The anonymous player deposited just $1,000 into his casino account and managed to rack up the staggering win in just a few days. When making a withdrawal request, Realtime Gaming declined to pay out he player, citing the fact he supposedly used a ‘robot’ – a bot – to play the game for him in order to reduce the house edge. Caribbean 21, a game featuring just a 0.1% house edge, was apparently manipulated by the player using this ‘robot’, and the Realtime Gaming said this violated their terms and conditions, even though the player in question broke no laws and no visible terms and conditions of play.
Realtime Gaming eventually agreed to settle with the player in private, and to this date, it’s unknown exactly how much he or she received; one thing that is documented, is that shortly after, Realtime Gaming limited the maximum stake on the game to a mere $5, with it being abolished just a few months later due to its failure to generate casinos a profit – and in some casinos, even a loss!
Fast forward a decade, and Realtime Gaming have regained trust from their players, and are, once again, one of the most respectable software providers in the jurisdictions they cover. With an increased focus on mobile game development, and even talks of a Live Dealer Casino, it’s clear Realtime Gaming are doing all they can to operate as a player-focused casino, and with thousands of players choosing their games each day, it appears they’re doing something right! Below, you’ll find a list of our recommended Realtime Gaming casinos, where you can begin playing their high-quality, exciting range of casino and video slot games right away!