I did my research when I got the online gambling bug - I wanted to do business with a reputable online casino and I wanted the games to be, well, just the way I wanted them. I have occasionally played at online gaming sites that aren't run by RTG, but I always come back to my favorite online casino software designer.
RTG & the Early Years
One of the things that drew me to RTG as an online casino customer is the fact that they've been doing business since 1998. Real Time Gaming wasn't the first company to
offer online casino game and back-end software, but they were early in the game, since the first real-money bets weren't even taken until 1995. I liked the fact that Real Time has been around for just about as long as the industry itself - the company's slogan ("taking gaming seriously") and the sober look and feel of their website went a long way in convincing me that this was the company I wanted to gamble with.
Quick Success & Software Changes
Between releasing their first suite of software games in '98 and the year 2003, RTG won all kinds of awards, including best new casino software in its early years. Real Time Gaming fast became one of the most successful designers, in terms of the number of customers running their software - the company was a household name among online gamblers within five years of the company opening its doors. Some of their best-known clients include two of the longest-running casinos on the Internet with the largest customer bases, both signs that a company is not just stable but consistent.
Changes to software have also been consistent - RTG makes a point on their site to say that they're constantly on the lookout for the world's best software developers to keep up with the changes to the gambling industry and come up with new ways for their customers to play. The early years saw the introduction of things like multiplayer poker and progressive jackpots to their software, both of which have become standards in the years since. Big changes to the software came in 2006 and 2007 as well, with major changes in terms of player interaction and the overall look of their games. Their schedule of constantly improving and increasing the variety of their gaming software is a big reason they have so many member casinos, and a big reason why I think I'll be a lifetime RTG customer.
The Future of RTG
As an industry leader, Real Time can pretty much control its own destiny. As RTG moves, so move other, smaller designers. Since the next big thing in online gambling appears to be mobile access - using a smartphone or tablet to spin the roulette wheel or play a round of poker - it's common sense to expect RTG to increase the availability of mobile games. The future for Real Time Gaming is probably more of the same - no doubt the company will try to draw more casinos into their family, spreading their software even farther and wider than it already is. Look to RTG not just for big changes in their own suite of available casino games, but for the future of the gambling industry as a whole.