top of page

IGT PlayDigital Named No.1 Games Innovator 2025, Followed by Light & Wonder, Octoplay, Aristocrat Interactive & SPRIBE

GamblingIQ reveals the global heavyweights and rising stars driving the most transformative & innovative games releases in its June edition, 'Beautiful Minds'

London, UK - June 2nd, 2025 – GamblingIQ has unveiled Beautiful Minds, its latest magazine featuring the leading global games studios innovators for 2025. Drawing on in-depth analysis of game mechanics, engaging user experiences, operator feedback and technical prowess, the report identifies IGT PlayDigital, Light & Wonder, Octoplay, Aristocrat Interactive and SPRIBE as the leaders in 2025.


“These are the studios setting new benchmarks in content, technology and player engagement,” GamblingIQ reports. “From omnichannel rollouts and data-driven features to cross-platform social experiences and minimalist, trust-focused design, these companies exemplify the cutting edge of iGaming innovation.” 




IGT PlayDigital: Omnichannel Integration and Data-Driven Personalisation

IGT PlayDigital holds the top spot, leveraging its land-based heritage to synchronise new titles across casino floors and online platforms. In the next year, the studio plans to launch Eternal Link Warrior’s Empire and Kitty Glitter Grand simultaneously in bricks-and-mortar venues and digital operators, underscoring its commitment to a truly unified player experience. Central to this strategy is the Engagement Platform, which allows operators to run fully customisable promotions using prize drops, leaderboards, missions and more. By harnessing the Engagement Platform's versatile widget framework and real-time performance data, operators can tailor promotions to specific player segments as well as run multiple integrated mechanics, fostering deeper player engagement. 


The PlayDigital studio’s capabilities have been clearly demonstrated by Cash Eruption, which led online game performance charts in the United States for ten months in 2024. IGT’s Gaming and Digital Business, propelled by its extensive content roadmap and mature omnichannel infrastructure, remains well-positioned for the future as the standout innovator in orchestrating cross-platform player journeys.



Light & Wonder: Masters of Content Depth and Cross-Platform Reach

Light & Wonder has cemented its reputation by offering an expansive content portfolio that bridges land-based casinos, real-money online platforms and social gaming. Through the OpenGaming™ platform, licensed operators can access a library of over 440 titles, while mobile social hits—such as Jackpot Party Casino—keep players engaged beyond the casino floor. Under the leadership of Simon Johnson, appointed CEO of the iGaming division in January 2025, the studio continues to report robust quarterly revenues, showcasing operator confidence in its content and technology.


One standout example is Squid Game: One Lucky Day, a release that paired blockbuster Netflix branding with Light & Wonder’s cross-platform expertise, (recently released in Solaire casino Manila, Philippines). By integrating social-media chat features, real-time tournaments and in-game achievement systems, the studio blurred the lines between traditional slot play and a communal gaming experience. Headquartered in Las Vegas with over 6,500 employees globally, Light & Wonder continually mines market trends and anticipates emerging player preferences. Its Spark initiative—designed to nurture collaborations with emerging studios—further ensures a pipeline flush with high-impact releases for operators.



Octoplay: Precision-Focused, Data-Driven Game Design

Since its foundation in 2022 by industry veteran and strategy leader, Sweden’s Carl Ejlertsson, Octoplay has adhered to a disciplined, metrics-driven approach to innovation. Rather than chasing every emerging trend, Octoplay refines a select few mechanical innovations until they resonate deeply with players. Operating under licences in Malta, the UK, Ontario and Denmark, the studio has partnered with leading operators such as William Hill, BetMGM Ontario and Flutter. In April 2025, Octoplay rolled out Cod Chaos Golden Catch across Paddy Power, Sky Vegas and Betfair—a bespoke release showcasing its ability to align novel mechanics with operator requirements.


A key innovation is the side-bet feature “Jackpot Hunt”, which achieved an 80 per cent opt-in rate in Ontario and delivered over four million winning outcomes in under two years. By analysing vast troves of player data, Octoplay iterates on mechanics until they strike the right balance between novelty and familiarity. The studio has posted an 11× year-on-year revenue growth and nearly doubled its output quarter-on-quarter; today, it releases an average of five titles per month. This disciplined cadence—rooted in real-time feedback loops—has propelled Octoplay from a nimble startup to a faster-rising force in the global iGaming arena.




Aristocrat Interactive: Harnessing Legacy IP for Scalable Digital Success

Aristocrat Interactive represents the culmination of decades of land-based expertise channelled into a dedicated real-money iGaming division. Formed in mid-2024 through the integration of Anaxi and NeoGames, this Las Vegas-headquartered outfit is led by CEO Moti Malul. Aristocrat Interactive’s structure includes five core business units—spanning Content & Aggregation to White-Label Services—that provide operators with turnkey solutions for iLottery, iGaming and sports betting.


Leveraging iconic land-based IP such as Buffalo™ and Timberwolf™, the division delivers over 440 titles via its Fusion™ and Ignite™ platforms. With a global workforce of over 2,100 professionals, Aristocrat Interactive targets £800 million in revenue by fiscal 2029, reflecting a compound annual growth rate above 20 per cent. Strategic acquisitions—such as Pariplay, Aspire Global and BtoBet—bolster its portfolio, ensuring operators have access to an end-to-end suite of services from development and distribution to platform management. By offering comprehensive B2B support and world-class infrastructure, Aristocrat Interactive continues to deliver the stability, scale and innovation that operators demand.



SPRIBE: Revolutionising Social Engagement Through Minimalist Crash Games

SPRIBE has redefined the “crash game” genre with a minimalist, mobile-first philosophy. Founded in 2018 under CEO David Natroshvili, the studio is licensed across the UK, Malta, Ontario and other jurisdictions. SPRIBE powers over 5,000 online casinos and engages 50 million monthly active users. Its flagship title, Aviator, can process up to 400,000 bets per minute thanks to provably fair mechanics and an ultra-streamlined user interface tailored for mobile devices.


In 2024, Aviator drove a 40 per cent increase in engagement through partnerships with platforms such as Adjarabet (Flutter) and Bet365, and branding collaborations with UFC and AC Milan. Embracing the motto “we didn’t just ride the crash game wave; we built the surfboard”, SPRIBE has championed transparency, simplicity and social interaction. By integrating in-game chat, global leaderboards and avatar customisation, Aviator has become a social hub as much as a gaming title. Its rapid expansion across Europe and Latin America demonstrates how a trust-focused, minimalist approach can capture younger demographics and maintain sustained growth.



>> Print Magazine - Operators, Join Our Mailing List: info@gamblingiq.co.uk 


bottom of page