Launched in 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia, RealTime Gaming (RTG) relocated to Costa Rica around a decade later. It’s an online casino company which develops download-based casino software.
It says its philosophy is simple – taking gaming seriously. This well-established operator was also one of the first in the business to offer its services online, making it a genuine industry pioneer.
In early 2007, RealTime Gaming was acquired by Curaçao-based Hastings International, managed by corporate services provider the HBM Group.
RealTime Gaming software is licensed to a number of industry operators, all of which run their own RealTime Gaming-powered casino websites.
A packed games library
The catalogue of games is packed with more than 300 titles. Consisting mostly of video slots, but also including classic table offerings such as video poker, red dog, roulette, baccarat and keno. Instant-play and mobile modes are also available.
Mobile platforms include Android, iPhone and Windows phone. RealTime Gaming says it strongly prioritises this side of things, with new titles added monthly and a comprehensive mobile lobby. You’ll also find some bingo games and scratchcards in the mix.
RealTime Gaming games are well known for their high-quality graphics, excellent sound effects and exciting bonuses. They cover various different themes from Ancient Egypt to gold mining, among a number of others.
Equally, players can compete with each other for top prizes in feature-rich tournaments. They seem to appreciate being able to do this and will often linger Ionger in a casino as a result.
Table games also typically incorporate ‘live dealer’ versions to capture the as-it-happens real casino experience.
Meanwhile, frequent players also enjoy regular cashback offers, plus weekly and monthly promotions.
Games pros and cons
Popular, established favourites rub shoulders with fresh releases, such as autumn 2019’s T-Rex II. Meanwhile, most venues also offer progressive jackpots titles including Aztec’s Millions and Jackpot Piñatas, two of their biggest names.
But it has also been remarked that, compared with multi-million jackpots offered by competitors such as Playtech or Microgaming, RealTime Gaming jackpots are not claimed as often, and the rate at which totals rise can seem relatively slow.
Games are available in hassle-free downloadable formats or can be integrated into an existing platform, for example, a sportsbook or multi-platform casino suite.
From a player point of view, RealTime Gaming software is excellent for low rollers, given that bets in keno and slots can be as low as 0.01.
However, some industry commentators have said they’d like to see a more varied line-up of slots, incorporating a greater variety of themes.
Popular RealTime Gaming games
Among the arsenal of games from RealTime Gaming, you’ll find popular hits such as:
- Aztec’s Treasure – Taking players on a fantastic treasure hunt
- Ronin – Travel to ancient Japan with Samurai Ronin
- Fruit Frenzy – Bursting with mouthwatering fruits, bonuses and cash prizes
- Achilles – Based, as the name suggests, on the Greek hero who fought in the Trojan War
Benefits from an operator’s point of view
From an operator’s point of view, there are a few advantages to using RealTime Gaming's products, including:
- Complete software solutions offered
- Extensive affiliate marketing support plus a full suite of marketing tools to help casinos acquire and retain customers across desktop and mobile devices
- Full help with licensing, player support, processing and hosting and, for example, with embedding RealTime Gaming's Instant Play casino into an operator’s own website
- RealTime Gaming also offers an off-the-shelf, instant-play lobby and casino that’s already fully integrated
- Business intelligence, offered since 2015 to help operators measure things like conversion rates, bonuses and customer retention
- RealTime Gaming also sells kiosks for land-based casinos
- Smooth, fluid software
- RealTime Gaming casinos are not restricted to the limitations of various jurisdictions unless the casino themselves insist on these, although on the other side of the coin, this can sometimes mean the lack of a safety net for players
- Games can be customised to maximise operators’ strengths
Caribbean 21 controversy
In 2004, RealTime Gaming made the headlines after a player scooped $1m from a deposit of just $1,000. The huge win was when they played a game called Caribbean 21 for high stakes at a Hampton Casino. They then won $96,000 at another RealTime Gaming-powered site, Delano casino.
The casino accused the player of using a robot to cheat, and details of the final settlement with the player were never released. Afterwards, RealTime Gaming restricted the game’s maximum bet size to $5, before removing it completely.
In further controversy, one of RealTime Gaming's biggest casino operators, the Crystal Palace Group, was owned by a South African, Warren Cloud. His casinos received a number of complaints, especially concerning payment of players who had won bonuses.
Over the years, other RealTime Gaming casinos have themselves sometimes come in for criticism, and have been among those blacklisted by industry insiders such as Casinomeister.
