Everyone knows the likes of NetEnt and Microgaming, old stalwarts that were there for the birth of the online gambling industry, and even the young guns of days gone by are now household names among slot players.
These days, there are a new breed of game studios trying to make their mark on the industry, and with an audience that is hungrier for new and original content than ever, competition is hot.
Some are trying to follow in the footsteps of the old guard, while others are more interested in carving their own path, and it is the latter we are interested in here.
The following are a few young companies who are trying to bring something new to online gaming, coming up with the most innovative ideas and game features and setting themselves up as the Yggdrasils and PlaynGOs of tomorrow.
New Online Slot Studios
Gamebeat
A relatively new addition to the scene, Russia based Gamebeat are all about making their games as efficient and powerful as possible.
To this end, they have worked hard on their backend capabilities first and foremost, giving them a suite of games that run perfectly on all devices with less work required from those devices, plus enviable record breaking load times.
The games themselves are excellent without being industry changing, boasting beautiful graphics and stellar sound scores that Hollywood films would be proud of.
PearFiction Studios
They might have started off making casual games for mobile, but this previous experience has actually given PearFiction Studios a unique approach to their online slots.
Their commitment to creating games that are dynamic and fun throughout, not just during bonus rounds, combined with their zany cartoon style complete with frenetic sound effects and animations makes their games a riot to play.
Partnering with some of the biggest and more established names in the industry has given PearFiction a much wider audience of late, and their future is looking very bright indeed.
Fantasma Games
A Swedish based company that has only been operating since 2017 but has already released games in conjunction with huge names like Microgaming, giving their portfolio a global reach.
Fantasma are on a mission to create the best one handed games (mobile use) and to give them a gaming edge - they want to create slots beyond gambling.
This doesn't mean story based slots, rather games that push the boundaries of what players might expect from a slot game, utilising interesting new concepts of gameplay and game structure then backing them up with pixel perfect graphics and exhilarating sound design.
Iron Dog Studios
A game studio operating with the 1x2 Network of companies, Iron Dog Studio walks the line perfectly between games with a conventional feel but a thoroughly modern technical build.
Great for players with perhaps more mature tastes who prefer their games not to be an assault on the senses, but still want all the benefits of contemporary features and winning potential.
This is also one of the handful of studios who can boast a Megaways license, so for fans of this particular game mechanic there are plenty of choices at Iron Dog Studio.
Foxium
Estonian game studio Foxium was established in 2015 and fostered great relationships with top companies in order to get their games to the masses.
The absolute boss of audio-visual performance, their games look and sound incredible, with strong leading characters and interesting gameplay that is full of features.
Active in the UK since 2017, Foxium games are widely available thanks to their exclusive partnership with the Quickfire platform.
Kalamba Games
Kalamba are all about making each game truly unique using a mixture of their own multi-functional in game features, and really tailoring them to the theme.
Only open for business since 2016, Kalamba's games are available in 30 languages across more than 350 brands worldwide, playable using 250+ currencies and cryptocurrencies.
They aren't huge in the UK yet, but things seem to be moving in that direction.
Nolimit City
A game studio that likes to give both their partner casinos and their players as much freedom as possible.
Nolimit City make some of the edgiest slots on the market to my knowledge, with one or two even causing a little controversy due to their subject matter and contents.
They do develop safer games as well of course, and many of them include their range of in-house features; XNudge, XWays, and XPays.
ReelPlay
An Australian game studio who do everything in house, these guys don't have a huge list of credits to their name but those they have released so far are all high end.
The company are responsible for their own proprietary game mechanic too, which is also available for license to other developers. It is called Infinity Reels and provides limitless progressive multipliers, extra reels, and respins.
Wazdan
A name change in 2015 set Wazdan on the path to success with their blend of unique game features giving players more personalisation options than any other developer.
Their games have been available in the UK since 2017 and at some of the biggest and most respected online casinos too, with their modern style and trademark classic feel proving a hit with players.
Green Jade Games
Only in operation since 2017, Green Jade Games are already available at one or two well known online casinos and have a solid handful of games in their portfolio.
Their USP is gambling games with a skill element, so the player has to rely on their own abilities as well as chance. Their games can be broken down into three categories and they are all presented with detail, thought, plus excellent visuals and animations.