Playtech is the only name on this list that is not only a games studio. It supplies whole casino platforms, which means “a Playtech casino” sometimes describes the software the operator is built on rather than the games in the lobby. Those are different claims and they get conflated constantly.
It is also a parent company: Quickspin has belonged to Playtech since 2016. Last checked 25 September 2026.
What the company is
| Playtech | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999, in Tartu, Estonia, by Teddy Sagi |
| Status | Listed in London |
| Owns | Quickspin, acquired in 2016 for up to 50 million euros |
| Supplies | Pokies, live dealer, bingo, and full casino platforms |
| Best known for | The Age of the Gods progressive jackpot network |
Platform or games, and why the difference matters
When an operator runs on a Playtech platform, that shapes the account system, the cashier, the back office and often the live casino. It does not tell you the lobby is full of Playtech titles, and it tells you nothing about who holds your money.
When a lobby simply includes Playtech games, the operator has licensed content from a supplier. That is a shelf decision and nothing more.
Either way the licensing question is separate. No operator holds a New Zealand licence, regardless of whose software it runs on. The company behind the casino is in the footer, and the checks are on safe online casinos.
Age of the Gods, and how a progressive network works
The Age of the Gods series shares a jackpot pool across many games and many casinos. A small share of every qualifying bet, at every operator running the network, feeds the same prize.
Three things follow, and all three are worth knowing before you play one.
- The jackpot contribution comes out of the return to player. A game feeding a progressive pool returns less to ordinary play than an equivalent game without one, because part of the return is held in the jackpot.
- The jackpot is usually bet size dependent. Smaller stakes can mean a smaller share of the qualifying pool, or no qualification at all. The rules are in the game’s information screen.
- The headline figure is a pool, not a probability. A large number on the banner tells you nobody has won recently. It does not make a win more likely, and no jackpot is ever due.
The RTP question, which applies here as everywhere
Studios commonly ship a title in several return to player configurations and the operator chooses which to run. The same named Playtech game can therefore return differently at two casinos, with identical artwork.
Check the figure in that casino’s own game information screen, reached from inside the game rather than from the lobby tile. It is the only version that applies to you. More on this on casino software providers.
What Playtech does not decide
| Question | Answered by |
|---|---|
| How fast is a withdrawal? | The operator. See fast withdrawal casinos |
| What is the wagering requirement? | The operator. We read 70 times at one brand and 20 times at another |
| Who holds my money? | The company in the footer |
| Is this casino licensed here? | Nobody is, yet. See online casinos in New Zealand |
Live dealer
Playtech is one of the few suppliers running its own live casino studios, alongside Evolution. If a lobby’s live tables come from Playtech, the dealer, the stream and the table rules are Playtech’s. Table limits, however, are the operator’s, and they are the number that matters most at larger stakes. See high roller casinos.
If gambling is not staying fun
Progressive jackpots are designed around a number that keeps rising, which is a powerful thing to look at and not information. The pool size says nothing about your next spin. No game is ever due, and chasing a loss is not a way to recover it.
Use the deposit and loss limits in your account, take a time out, or use self exclusion at every operator you hold an account with. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from Gambling Helpline Aotearoa on 0800 654 655 or by free text to 8006. Dedicated lines: Māori 0800 654 656, Pasifika 0800 654 657, debt 0800 654 658, youth 0800 654 659. You must be 18 or over to gamble.
Questions we get asked
What is Playtech?
A gambling technology company founded in 1999 in Tartu, Estonia, and listed in London. It supplies games, live dealer content and complete casino platforms.
Does Playtech own other studios?
Yes. Quickspin has belonged to Playtech since 2016, when it was acquired for up to 50 million euros.
What does “a Playtech casino” mean?
Usually that the operator runs on a Playtech platform, which is different from the lobby being full of Playtech games. Neither tells you who holds your money.
Are Age of the Gods jackpots worth playing?
The jackpot contribution is taken out of the ordinary return to player, and qualification is often bet size dependent. A large displayed pool means nobody has won recently, not that a win is closer.
Is Playtech’s RTP the same everywhere?
Not necessarily. Studios ship several configurations and the operator picks one. Check the game information screen at the casino you are playing at.
Does a Playtech lobby mean the casino is safe?
No. Studios supply games. Whether an operator pays and under whose licence are separate questions about the operator.
Sources
- Playtech corporate history, including its 1999 founding in Tartu, Estonia, and the 2016 acquisition of Quickspin
- Studio and operator sites read 25 September 2026
- Department of Internal Affairs, Online Casino Gambling
- Gambling Helpline Aotearoa
About the author: Matt Donaldson
Editor and casino reviewer, Christchurch
I check the player journey, including the terms, games, support and account controls. A payment result appears as first-hand evidence only when it is in the recorded test.
Each category score is based on what was observed. If a feature was not checked, it is marked Not tested.
Read Matt's profileClear reviews for New Zealand readers, built from recorded observations and updated when the source or market status changes.
- Evidence before adjectives — each claim is tied to an action, source, date, device, amount or operator reply recorded during the review.
- Four categories kept separate — Player Safety & Trust, Games & Usability, Bonuses & Terms, and Banking & Withdrawals are assessed on their own evidence.
- Honest scores — whole points from 1 to 5 only. When a category was not checked directly, it is marked Not tested.
- New Zealand status checked — access, transitional permission, an application and an issued DIA licence are described as different things.
- Updates stay visible — time-sensitive terms and regulatory claims are checked again, and confirmed errors are corrected.
