Cryptologic were founded in Dublin back in 1995 and make an impact as a forward-thinking gaming solutions company, acquiring some big-name clients and making a fair bit of cash along the way. Since finding success they have had a very complex time of things (details of which are explained in the “About” section below), but in summary they were bought out by Amaya Gaming in 2012 and their casino software was integrated into the Canadian giant’s offerings. 5x114
Amaya appear to have grown through acquisition rather than internal development and while this has brought a number of impressive software technologies under their umbrella, there is sometimes the feeling that their suite of games lacks a little consistency in of the look and feel. Having said that, there is no doubting the robustness of the games themselves and they have clearly been designed well, at least at the backend.
Cryptologic / Amaya Casino Games 4m41x
Amaya’s games are not quite as flashy or glitzy or – some might say – imaginative as those from the best of their rivals and some of them even look a little dated in comparison to some of the most popular video slots. But Amaya – through the software which was partly developed by Cryptologic – has always placed more emphasis on the speed of delivery of their games than their “look”. With around 150 slots, 25 table games, 14 variants of video poker, and a decent range of fixed odds and jackpot games – not to mention their live dealer games – they have a respectable total of over 200 games. And while this isn’t as many as some of the market leaders, it is better than many.
- Slots - As mentioned, the slots produced by Amaya are not always the nicest to look at, but perhaps that is a little unfair as they vary to quite a large degree depending on which software they were originally based on. For instance, while the likes of Amazon Adventure and – particularly – Bars and Bells are very much old school slots and look very dated, others such as Gulliver’s Travels have a little more going for them in the excitement stakes. Having said that, not everyone wants their slots with bells and whistles, and if you are looking for perfectly good slots that work extremely well and can do with the extras that many software providers are going for these days, then these could be right up your street. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is our favourite, and will be loved by fans of the classic film.
- Blackjack - Amaya produces eight variants of blackjack at the time of writing, including Atlantic City Blackjack, Blackjack Micro-Limit, European Blackjack and a standard version of the game. As with most casino software providers, there is really not much difference between the various forms of blackjack in of the gameplay or appearance, so it is just a matter of picking the one you like best. We would say that some of the games appear a little less smooth than the best blackjack offerings out there, but really they are solid enough.
- Roulette - The three roulette variants offered by Amaya - Common Draw Roulette, European Roulette, standard roulette – are also fairly samey when it comes to how they look and play, and though their simple layout and intuitive gameplay is likely to appeal to purists, the lack of panache might appear slightly dour to those used to the more extravagant casino games out there.
- Video Poker - With 14 versions of video poker, players are spoiled for choice to a certain extent, with classics like Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better being accompanied by Challenge Poker, Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus options, among others.
- Other Games - Other table games produced by Amaya include craps, baccarat, stud poker, Red Dog and Texas hold ‘em Bonus, while they also offer a number of what they call “Casual Games” such as Jenga and Hi-Lo Dealer, and fixed odds games such as Darts.
Progressive Jackpots 4v2s44
There are around 20 slots which have progressive jackpots including Forrest Gump (a game loosely based on the film starring Tom Hanks but with little to really endear it to players), Rags To Riches and Sushi Express. The jackpots can run into decent enough amounts but they are never anywhere near the millions up for grabs with some of the biggest and best progressives to be found elsewhere.
Live Casino Games 2w2k5c
Amaya offer a small number of live dealer games, covering two tables of roulette, five of blackjack and one of baccarat (at the time of writing). The dealers are filmed in one studio in which all the tables are located, which gives some kind of impression of being in a real bricks and mortar casino but – like with some others who film live games in studios – it lacks a level of authenticity that only those filmed in real casinos can truly project.
About Cryptologic / Amaya 6r5e61
Cryptologic started life way back in 1995 when two brothers in Dublin, Ireland founded the firm. They grew into a successful gaming software company (though they had other related interests) and gained a number of high-profile clients. In 2012, however, Cryptologic was bought out by Canadian gaming giant Amaya Gaming Group – who are in the process of becoming the world’s biggest publicly listed online gaming company with the takeover of the parent company of PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker for almost $5 billion.
While Amaya sold off a large chunk of what was Cryptologic (their business-to-consumer facing subsidiary, WagerLogic) to Goldstar Acquisitionco Inc they also incorporated Cryptologic’s casino software into that developed by another acquisition (Chartwell Technology, who Amaya bought in 2011). Clearly the company has the financial clout to mix it with the big boys in the gaming software world, but whether they have the strategic focus or identity to do so remains to be seen.
As a member of the Interactive Gaming Council and the Remote Gaming Association, Amaya Gaming Group are a very reputable outfit and hold many gaming licenses in a number of jurisdictions including Malta, Alderney, the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, and the UK. They also have the eCOGRA seal of approval and have certification of their random number generator by Technical Systems Testing, the industry standard for ing game fairness.