How One Company Became an Unstoppable Force in Games Development
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If you've ever played at an online casino then you will probably have played one of Playtech's award-winning games. Playtech is the world's leading provider of online gaming software. A history of innovative solutions and cutting-edge technology has helped this developer to establish itself as the top brand in the iGaming industry. If you haven't tried out their games, what are you waiting for? Sites like Bestcasinosites.net are ideal for discovering the best Playtech casino games.
Playtech's growth is nothing short of phenomenal. The story begins in 1999, when Teddy Sagi, an Israeli entrepreneur, founded the company in Tartu, Estonia. Just over two decades later, Playtech is on the FTSE 250 Index and is listed on the London Stock Exchange. Let's take a look at how Playtech became so successful.
It only took two years for Sagi and his team to launch the company's first casino. 2001 saw ClubDice become Playtech's first licensee. During the same year, Playtech's first server was also placed in Antigua. Live Casino Studio, which was located in the Philippines, followed shortly afterwards in 2003. This was Playtech's first foray into the world of live online casinos, allowing players around the world to take part in real-time table games remotely. If it wasn't already clear at the outset, Playtech was determined to compete globally.
2004 was the year that online social networking really caught on. Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook, changing the way we interact online forever. At the same time, Playtech had its own particular brand of online network to launch – a poker network. iPoker, as it was called, went on to become the world's largest poker network. Videobet was also brought out in Estonia, as Playtech's first endeavor at land-based gaming terminals.
Mobile gaming was introduced in 2005, creating a new way for people to use online casino products easily on the move. Online gambling has expanded to become the largest of the gambling sectors, overtaking sports betting and lotteries. This is partially in thanks to how easy mobiles have made it for people to play casino games online.
2006 was the year that Playtech really hit its stride. The developer started trading on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market. At the time, it was estimated to be valued at $950million. It also launched Bingo Broadway, in a bid to extend its bingo portfolio. Playtech was growing rapidly. In order to keep up with the company's growth, a recruitment drive was necessary. In keeping with its reputation for innovative ideas, the Playtech Academy was launched in Estonia, alongside a development center in Bulgaria.
Mor Weizer was appointed as CEO of Playtech in 2007. Living up to his name, he proved that there was no one wiser when it came to online gambling, tech and finance. Weizer took Playtech into new markets over the following years. In 2008, Playtech began operations in Italy, and opened up to the Spanish market in 2009. In this era, Playtech continued to make headway in its bid for world domination, as it was awarded ever more licensees. Forays into sports betting, bingo and live TV shows continued to expand the company's audience. By 2010, Playtech was employing 1000 people.
2011 was the year of acquisitions for Playtech. Most notably, it took on its first games development studio, Ashgaming. It also integrated into its operations Mobenga, a leading mobile platform developer. These acquisitions fortified Playtech's expertise and hold on the iGaming market, improving its toolbox of resources to draw upon. Playtech was soon rewarded for these efforts when it was upgraded to the London Stock Exchange's main market.
Playtech acquired the world's largest online poker community, PokerStrategy, in 2013. Playtech ONE was launched in 2015, another milestone for the company. The 'omni channel solution' allowed players to access games across all platforms with one simple login.
In 2017, Playtech shook hands on its biggest content deal ever. Joining forces with Warner Brothers, Playtech was able to bring out a hugely popular series of superhero games, which included 'Man of Steel', 'Justice League' and 'Dark Knight'. Utilizing popular TV and movie brands in this way allowed Playtech to maintain a fresh portfolio that would draw in a new audience of players. Playtech's biggest acquisition to date took place in 2018. The addition of Snaitech gave Playtech access to great technology and talent, as well as a high profile Italian gaming brand.
Playtech now has over 300 gaming brands, more than 150 global licensees and offices in 19 countries around the world. Taking on 1 billion transactions every day, it's clear that Playtech's popularity isn't waning.
