Ash Gaming Review
By Alex Smith, Last Modified Apr 23, 2024
Verdict
Ash Gaming has been around for quite sometime, but have had a relatively low profile. Purchased by Playtech in December 2011, they have since then had a number of releases that been well received: Adventures Beyond Wonderland, Monty Python’s Holy Grail, and Fields of Fortune to name a few. High quality graphics with some real thought put behind their bonus rounds.
Many titles are very high-variance.
Ash Gaming Review
Ash Gaming has been around for quite some time but has had a relatively low profile. Purchased by Playtech in December 2011, they have since had several releases that have been well received: Adventures Beyond Wonderland, Monty Python’s Holy Grail, and Fields of Fortune, to name a few. High-quality graphics with some actual thought put behind their bonus rounds made their slot games famous back in the day. However, in 2023, finding an Ash Gaming slot online is easier said than done.
Ash Gaming is a UK-based game studio, first founded in London in the year 2000. While the software provider never became the biggest name in the online gambling industry, it saw phenomenal success and was eventually acquired by Playtech in 2011.
Worth a reported £23 Million, Playtech’s acquisition of the company changed little bar the management structure, and even today, Ash Gaming releases slot games, video poker games, instant win games, and next-generation slot games from their studio. Most Ash Gaming games are released using their branding – although you will see Playtech’s logo on many of their slots.
Today, Ash Gaming’s team comprises over 40 industry professionals, and they’ve recently focused on moving their existing game portfolio (and building future releases) to HTML5 so that mobile devices can run their games. Unfortunately, finding Ash Gaming slots at online casinos can be tricky as many online casino sites only display Playtech’s branding.
Ash Gaming List Of Casinos
888 Casino
Ethically challenged predatory marketing
Ethically challenged predatory marketing
Ash Gaming Casinos: The Software Platform
Ash Gaming relies on the robust software platform of its parent company, Playtech, after being acquired in 2011. This allows Ash Gaming to leverage Playtech’s robust casino gaming framework to deliver its titles to hundreds of online casino sites. Today, their games are powered by Playtech’s IMS platform, providing flexible integration, robust performance, and cross-compatibility.
As part of Playtech, Ash Gaming slots and table games carry prominent Playtech branding and can be accessed by operators through Playtech’s turnkey solutions. The ability to bundle Ash Gaming slots within Playtech’s diverse iGaming catalog has expanded Ash Gaming’s reach considerably.
Immediately following the acquisition, Ash Gaming migrated from its own iGS system to leverage Playtech’s Industry-leading framework. The move provided Ash access to cutting-edge web technologies, while Playtech benefited from integrating Ash’s original high-quality gaming content into its gaming ecosystem. It was a win-win acquisition for all involved.
Ash Gaming Slots
Ash Gaming has developed some pretty iconic slots over the years, although they’re lacking in the progressive jackpot slots department. While their casino table games and video poker collections are tiny, their slots are well-made and generally exciting to play. Below, we’ll look at some of the top Ash Gaming slot releases.
Britain’s Got Talent
Britain’s Got Talent is one of the most popular TV shows in the world, and its popularity speaks for itself, with the show now franchised out to over 80 different countries.
Fittingly, Ash Gaming decided an official “Britain’s Got Talent” slot would be appropriate, and it’s fair to say the slot became one of their most popular releases. It offers two exciting bonuses – the Live Show Bonus and the Britain’s Got Talent free spins – and during the free spins, characters from the show can be heard and seen, so it’s excellent for Little Britain fans!
Adventures Beyond Wonderland
Adventures in Wonderland is one of Ash Gaming’s most innovative games, with fast-play features, frequent payouts, and generous free games bonus features. This clever take on – of course – Alice in Wonderland – sees you play for several exciting bonuses and features, including a progressive jackpot, random cash awards, and the exciting Drink Me Potion bonus, which sees the reels expand to a whopping 2,187-ways-to-win format.
Ash Gaming titles aren’t usually associated with progressive jackpots, and Adventures Beyond Wonderland is one of the few exceptions. Sure, the progressive jackpots aren’t worth millions, as we see from software providers like Microgaming, but they frequently run into the six figures.
In terms of design, Adventures in Wonderland is built around a five-reel, three-row format. There are 20 fixed paylines, and the game incorporates various iconic symbols from Lewis Carroll’s tale, such as the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit.
The Rabbit Hole scatter triggers free spins, where players can earn extra wilds for big wins, and there’s a great “lock ‘n spin” mini-feature, too.
Chests of Plenty
Chests of Plenty is Ash Gaming’s addition to the pirate-themed slot world – a genre that’s become increasingly popular – and the game benefits from several exciting features, including a Treasure Map Bonus, an In-Game Chest Bonus round, and more! With up to 10,000 coins available to be won on any one spin, Chests of Plenty offers a ton of excitement, delivered – as we usually see from Ash Gaming – in expert fashion.
In terms of design, this Ash Gaming release is built around a five-reel, three-row format. There are ten fixed paylines, which correlate to the game’s maximum win of 10,000 coins.
The main bonus round is the Treasure Island Bonus, where players navigate across islands to uncover riches. There is also the Chest scatter symbol, which triggers a progressive jackpot when the correct combination lands in view, and finally, there are some standard wild symbols present in both the base game and the bonus round.
Fireman
Fireman is one of Ash Gaming’s older-looking games, but don’t let the out-of-date graphics put you off; the slot offers a ton of action, including Fireman Wilds, an in-game instant-win bonus, and – the most lucrative of them all – the Inferno Bonus. While the 500X stake jackpot is a little lower than we typically see from Ash Gaming’s slots, Fireman delivers outstanding gameplay and, despite its age, renders well on mobile devices, too!
Interestingly, despite being one of the older Ash Gaming casino games, Fireman was one of the first of their games to rebrand to Playtech slots. Soon after, classic table games followed suit, and today, all Ash Gaming slots display Playtech’s logo and branding.
Full Moon Fortunes
Full Moon Fortunes is one of Ash Gaming’s most popular video slots, largely because it was featured in Coral Bookies throughout the UK on their Fixed Odds Betting Terminals.
Given the slot’s popularity, it’s now been ported over to online use, and an exciting – yet hard to land – bonus round is what you’ll be aiming for, with 1,000X + payouts on offer! Full Moon Fortunes used to offer the “Big Bet” option in bookies. However, this has been discontinued due to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission’s crackdown on FOBT machines. We were unable to confirm whether this feature is available online or not.
Leprechaun’s Luck
If there’s one thing we’ve seen from software providers, it’s an abundance of Irish-themed video slots…and Leprechaun’s Luck is Ash Gaming’s solution to the marketplace. Playable from just £0.20 per spin, Leprechaun’s Luck features an exciting Wishing Well Bonus alongside a free-spins round – both of which can offer pretty generous payouts, worthy of a lengthy wait.
Little Britain
Little Britain is a hilarious five-reel, 30-payline online slot game from Ash Gaming that brings the popular British sketch comedy television series to life. Themed after the show starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams, the game immerses players in the quirky humor and outrageous characters that made Little Britain a hit.
The detailed graphics and clips from the show incorporate iconic characters like Andy and Lou Todd, Sebastian Love, Vicky Pollard, and Daffyd Thomas into the gameplay. Symbols include hilarious show references that fans will appreciate. The topics satirized in the show, like Britain’s bureaucracies and eccentric people, translate seamlessly into absurd slot entertainment.
Little Britain’s bonuses and features evoke the show’s signature humor. Landing scatters trigger free spins with increasing multipliers, while a second “Pick Me Bonus” tasks you with picking characters on your screen. As you play the game – and the bonuses and features – real clips from the TV show play, which makes it a lot of fun!
Unfortunately, the RTP is pretty low, 93.8%. However, you should remember that this game was initially developed for the land-based market, which is how the math model was designed. Regarding the video slot betting range options, you can wager as little as $0.30 and as much as $150 per spin.
Wild Gambler
Wild Gambler is a controversial slot machine from Ash Gaming, and the reason behind the slot’s controversial nature is that the game allows you to “Lock In” wild symbols in the base game, seeing your stake increase hundreds of times. Of course, this is beneficial if you land the bonus – but it can cost you a LOT of money per spin… so approach it carefully!
Even putting aside responsible gambling ethics, the video slot doesn’t seem like an excellent game. If you lock most of the squares, you’re relying on a single symbol to land to make a profit or, if you’re fortunate, the bonus round.
Sure, it’s a bit of fun to play, but this is one of the few slot machines we’ve recommended actively steering clear from, especially if you’re prone to problematic gambling bouts.
Sensible Soccer: Euro Cup Slot
Sensible Soccer: Euro Cup Slot is a football lover’s dream, offering five reels and 25 paylines of soccer-themed action. Players can enjoy free spins, wild symbols, and the standout Euro Cup bonus game, where they pick a team to win the tournament. Sensible Soccer: Euro Cup Slot is fun to play whether you’re an avid sports fan or enjoy action-packed slots.
What makes it fun is the bonus buy Ash Gaming developed. To our knowledge, this is one of the first bonus buy mechanics in history, and you got to watch the Sensible Soccer graphics play out on screen. You would select a team with odds you like and watch them play their opponents!
That’s just some of Ash Gaming’s most popular slots. While their game catalog may not be quite as large as some of the more notable software providers, the slot machines they have produced are generally very high-quality, and you’ll find yourself immersed in their titles no matter what you decide to play.
Playtech Acquires Ash Gaming
In 2011, Playtech made a big move by snapping up Ash Gaming for a cool £23 million – roughly $30 million. The deal was structured with an initial payment of £15.5 million, followed by deferred payments totaling £7.5 million over the next three years. This wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was Playtech’s tenth acquisition and the fourth one they made that year alone.
Playtech today owns arguably the most extensive collection of game studios worldwide, including Eyecon, Quickspin, Ash Gaming, and many others. But why did Playtech set its sights on Ash Gaming? Ash Gaming had already made a name for itself as a top-tier UK player, and they’d managed to form partnerships with over 30 betting and gambling companies. Their financial growth was also impressive, so Playtech saw this as a golden opportunity to add high-quality games to their existing technology platforms and grow their reach.
Mor Weizer, the CEO of Playtech at the time, summed it up pretty well. He said the acquisition would add “class-leading content” to Playtech’s already strong tech leadership. The idea was to create a one-two punch of great games and cutting-edge technology, which would help them rake in more revenue and earnings across the board.
It was a move that benefited both parties; Ash Gaming got paid off very nicely, and they could continue developing their games. Playtech acquired a game developer who, at the time, was one of the most popular around – and Ash Gaming slots were subsequently made available to more players than ever thanks to Playtech’s world-leading aggregation platform.
Ash Gaming Games: Solid Partnerships
Ash Gaming’s creation of branded games, such as Little Britain and Britain’s Got Talent, was one of the crucial factors that allowed them to stand out from the competition. By developing slots around popular television shows, movies, and cultural icons, Ash Gaming was able to tap into existing fan bases and offer a unique and immersive gaming experience.
These branded games often included authentic visuals, soundtracks, and even voiceovers from the original media, which was an undeniable attraction to players. This was also one of the key driving factors behind Playtech’s decision to acquire them. They hoped to be able to use these partnerships and licensing deals themselves, although it doesn’t look like that ever really materialised.
Pros and Cons
Ash Gaming developed a strong reputation for creative online slots when it entered the gambling industry in 2000. Their games were loved by players thanks to their high-quality graphics, innovative themes, and unique bonus features.
Unfortunately, after Playtech acquired them, they went off the map. There has been little clarity for many years as to whether they’re still developing games – and even the official Ash Gaming website appears to have been purchased by a third party who is now using it as an affiliate site!
Pros
Easy to remember URL
Cons
Too many complaints
Predatory in nature
Questionable ethics
Unhappy to discuss complaints
Top 5 casinos
Fugly Pets from Stakelogic
Meet an array of fugly but charming animals and trigger captivating bonuses in Stakelogic’s latest release
Spinomenal debuts Queen of the Amazon slot
Queen of the Amazon slot is the latest game released by casino game studio Spinomenal
Pragmatic Play link up with Brazilian Operator Pixbet
Pragmatic Play has solidified its presence in the Brazilian market activating its products on PixBet’s site
Greentube in major deal with Caesars Digital
Novomatic's interactive division Greentube enhance their footprint in North America with a major deal with Caesars Digital
Booming Games in Strategic Partnership with Danske Spil
Casino game studio Booming Games links up with the leading Danish operator Danske Spil
Ian Smith joins Strive Gaming as Chief Technology Officer
Industry tech veteran Ian Smith appointed as Chief Technology Officer at Strive Gaming
Gaming Corps signs up first Swiss client
Gamanza’s Core PAM platform to integrate Gaming Corps’ full premium games suite
Time to Call Time on the Grand National?
Dave Sawyer from Casinomeister.com opines that it is probably time to 'Call Time' on The Grand National
Boogie Boom from Booming Games
The exhilarating world of 70s disco has been brought back to life in ‘Boogie Boom’
Stakelogic Inks New Deal with PlayUZU
Stakelogic puts pen to paper on a long-term deal with the Mexican casino operator PlayUZU
Continent 8 Technologies achieves Broadcom Premier Partner status
Continent 8 Technologies now a Premier Partner for Broadcom's VMware Public and Private Cloud services
Pragmatic Play to Return to BiS – SIGMA Americas
Malta based Pragmatic Play are set to return to the BiS - SIGMA Americas event, as they look to increase their presence in Latin America
Swintt pops the latch on massive multipliers in Jackbox Multi
Swintt's latest Premium release treats players to an exciting progressive multiplier feature
Booming Games secures Romanian B2B license
Casino game developer Booming Games are now able to provide operators who operate in the licensed Romanian iGaming marketplace
SwinttStudios teams up with Twin Win Games
Ukraine's Kyiv based casino studio Twin Win Games signs up to Swintt’s innovative partnership programme
