Formerly known as Scientific Games (SG Gaming), Light & Wonder is one of the largest gaming brands in the world. The brand offers complete solutions for a number of gaming sectors including arcade games, bingo and casino gaming while having launching some of the top slots on the market. Click here to read more.
Note: in 2022, SG Gaming rebranded as Light & Wonder.
Light & Wonder are based in the UK and have a 500 strong team dedicated to developing the most successful gaming operation possible. This company has always been unafraid to push the boundaries of what is possible, and is responsible for some of the best slots in the gaming world.
Who are Light & Wonder?
We can't look back at the history of Light & Wonder without first examining the story of Barcrest, one of the legendary names in UK gaming. Founded in 1968, it was Barcrest fruit machines that powered an entertainment revolution in pubs and clubs and arcades across Britain.
Once they moved into the digital sector, Barcrest were equally successful developing the original and iconic Rainbow Riches slot. The company also became active in providing multi-channel content for TV alongside their internet and mobile gaming.
Global Draw
This might not be a name that you've heard very often in the gaming world but it plays a big role in the history of Light & Wonder. Global Draw dates from 1997 when it was conceived as a world first - a wide area gaming system that could be centrally controlled. It was Global Draw that first introduced server-based gaming terminals into the high street bookmakers, having a profound effect on the market.
In fact, such was the effect on profitability and income that Global Draw was the UK’s fastest growing private company from 2003-2005.
SG's Acquisitions of Both Brands
Enter the Scientific Games Corporation who acquired Global Draw in 2006 and Barcrest in 2011 before creating SG Gaming in 2012 to bring together these two great British brands. This allowed SG Gaming to create gaming solutions that delivered hardware, technology and content for a seamless and profitable gaming solution.
SG's Rebranding to Light & Wonder
In March 2022, Scientific Games announced its plans to change its name to Light & Wonder. The decision was part of a larger strategic plan with a rebranding that would distinguish the company's offerings in the ever-growing casino world.
“We already have a world-class team powered by the brightest game creators in the business and in transforming into a growth company who invests in our people and products, we will serve our players even better wherever and whenever they play," said Barry Cottle, Light & Wonder CEO.
What’s on Offer at Light & Wonder
Light & Wonder focuses on creating complete gaming solutions for the bingo and arcade, licensed betting office and casino sectors in the UK.
- Licensed betting: drawing on the expertise of Global Draw, L&W are a leading supplier of gaming machines to both high street bookmaker chains and independent businesses and their terminals can be found across the UK.
- Arcade & Bingo: Light and Wonder rely on the expertise and heritage of Barcrest to provide an engaging and enjoyable player experience that also drives profit performance. That could mean producing a standalone product or a complete and fully networked solution depending on the needs of the client.
- Casino: Light & Wonder have created a number of cutting edge terminals for use in the UK casino market. These are supported by gaming titles from the L&W library and operate on a server-based gaming system that connects directly to the casino’s management system for a seamless solution.
Licensing and Partnerships
Light & Wonder owns and operates Slots Producers like WMS and Bally, some of the most revered names in slots. The brand is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and is fully compliant with all the terms of that licence.
Popular slots from Light and Wonder
Light & Wonder offers a good variety of themes and some stone cold classics in its current library. These are some of the games we'd recommend playing:
Rainbow Riches Megaways
L&W gives Barcrest's hugely popular Rainbow Riches slot a Megaways makeover in this action-packed slot. Up to 117,649 winning ways are available, and it has an RTP of 96%.
In Rainbow Riches Megaways, there are a number of features. You can trigger free spins with increasing multipliers and theree are mystery symbols throughout the base game.
Invaders Megaways
This is a very clever remake of WMS's Invaders from the Planet Moolah. It comes with some great features like the Mythical Unicow that enhances the number of winning ways (up to 1 million!) and extra wilds.
The free spins bonus in Invaders Megaways comes with all sorts of modifiers. x2 wild multipliers, expanding symbols and increasing multipliers can all be triggererd in this bonus.
Book of Ultimate Infinity Reels
This is the first Infinity Reels slot game from L&W. Book of Ultimate Infinity Reels has a format where reels expand as you land winning symbols.
The game also comes with a free spins bonus, and the top prize is worth £250,000. So, there is certainly plenty of action on offer.
Jinse Dao Dragon
Jinse Dao Dragon is a 243 Ways to Win online slot with a progressive jackpot feature that offers players the chance to win some great prizes.
The stand-out feature of this slot is the bonus round where players can unlock up to 20 free spins. There are also instant win prizes worth up to x20.
Soldier of Rome
This is Barcrest’s spin on the ever-popular Gladiator theme and uses a 7 reel layout with 50 paylines that can double in the blink of an eye. This slot simply has it all, with outstanding visuals and sounds and some dynamic gameplay thanks to the 4 Money Burst reels with lightning spins.
Light & Wonder Gaming Brands
Over the years, Light & Wonder has acquired some big names in the casino world.
- WMS: SG Gaming completed the $1.5 billion acquisition of WMS in 2013. Their games cataloge includes hits like Montezuma, Zeus and Raging Rhino.
- Bally: In 2014, Bally completed its merger with Bally Technologies, who has created top slots including Dragon Spin, 88 Fortunes and Anchor Man.
- NextGen: In 2018, SG completed its acquisition of NYX (owner of NextGen), which developed hit slots Medusa Megaways, The Mask and King Kong Fury.
- Barcrest: As we mentioned earlier, Barcrest was acquired by SG in 2011. This company's roster includes player favourites like Beetlejuice Megaways and Rainbow Riches Pick n Mix.
Why You Should Play Light and Wonder Slots
Light and Wonder have a focus exclusively on the UK market across the arcade and bingo, betting terminal and casino sectors and produce cabinet games that are really a cut above. The combination of classic slots content and innovative gameplay concepts creates a range of slots that will appeal to all players.
Diverse Game Collection
We also like the fact that Light & Wonder continues to allow names like NextGen, WMS, Bally and Barcrest to shine, giving them the support to keep developing and innovating while providing a high-quality outlet for their excellent slots.
The sheer variety of game mechanics coupled with the classic look and feel of these games creates slots that you’ll come back to time and time again. Even the casino games look impressive and feature the same intuitive gameplay.