How a game gets from a studio to your screen
A studio builds the game and the maths model behind it, then submits it to an independent testing house — GLI and eCOGRA do most of the UK-relevant work — which certifies the RNG and the RTP before a licensed operator is allowed to run it. The studio itself is usually licensed separately, most commonly out of Malta or the UK, and that licence sits behind the operator’s own rather than replacing it.
The bit that surprises people is that the same title can be certified at several different RTPs. A studio ships build A at 96.5% and build B at 94.5%, both pass testing, and the operator picks which one to run. The version live on your account is disclosed in the game’s own info screen, and it is worth checking before the studio name, because two casinos “having” the same game can mean two different prices.
The studios worth knowing by name
| Studio | Known for | Typical RTP band |
|---|---|---|
| Pragmatic Play | Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Big Bass | 94.5-96.5%, version dependent |
| Hacksaw Gaming | High-volatility, high-max-win titles | 93-96% |
| Play’n GO | Book of Dead and the “Book of” genre | 94-96.5% |
| Blueprint Gaming | Eye of Horus, licensed IP slots | 94-96% |
| NetEnt | Starburst, older but still dominant classics | 94.5-96.1% |
| Evolution | Live tables and game shows, not slots | House edge, not RTP |
Notice that live casino sits outside this whole model: live tables and game shows are supplied by a studio that runs the stream itself, priced on house edge rather than a certified RTP figure.
I have stopped judging a casino by how many games it lists and started asking how many studios sit behind the catalogue. Twenty-five names behind three thousand titles is a real difference. Six names behind three thousand titles is a spreadsheet with different wallpaper.
Nell Ashworth
Why the same slot has different names sometimes
Studios licence mechanics to each other as often as they licence whole games. The Megaways engine, covered in full on the Megaways page, belongs to Big Time Gaming and is rented out to Pragmatic, Blueprint and others, which is why unrelated brands can share an identical reel behaviour under completely different artwork.
Every site in our tables goes through the same four steps in the same order. We judge what actually happens, not what the front page says.How we test a casino
Does the studio or the casino set the RTP?
The studio certifies a fixed list of RTP versions; the operator chooses which certified version to run. Neither can move the figure outside what testing has approved.
Are smaller studios less trustworthy?
Not if they hold a real licence and their games are independently tested — the certification bar is the same regardless of the studio’s size.
Can I filter a lobby by studio?
Most UK sites let you filter by provider in the games menu, which is a faster way to find a specific mechanic than searching by title.
Why does live casino work differently from slots here?
Because there is no RNG maths model to certify — the result comes from a physical card or wheel, priced as house edge rather than RTP.
