Williams Interactive (WMS) Casino Gaming Software
WMS Gaming is one of the oldest standing gaming software companies. Also known as Williams Interactive, WMS Gaming was created by Harry E Williams. It wasn’t until 1974 that Williams Electronics was formed, bringing what would later become WMS into the gaming industry.
In 1943, the Williams Manufacturing company was making pinball machines. This allowed for an easy transition to casino gaming. They were already in the business of creating machines for entertainment. They simply needed to add the gambling aspect to their design. They did just that in 1988, when they acquired Bally/Midway.
WMS Gaming introduced its first video lottery terminals in 1992. They made their mark on the evolution of slot machines when they tried to experiment with some problem-solving tactics. They ended up with the introduction of multi-line, multi-coin games with secondary bonuses.
WMS Gaming has a strong commitment to following regulatory standards. Because of this, players from the United States are not permitted to use WMS software. They have maintained their headquarters within the US despite this fact.
In 2013, WMS Industries was acquired by Scientific Games Corporation. This was one of the largest leisure services mergers in history with Scientific Games Corporation paying a whopping $1.5 billion for WMS. Though officially a Scientific Games Corporation company, WMS Gaming continues to operate under its own name.
Some Background On WMS Gaming
When Was WMS Gaming Founded?
WMS Gaming was founded in 1943, originally as Williams Manufacturing Company. They joined the gaming scene in 1988 with the acquisition of Bally/Midway.
Where Is WMS Gaming Based Out Of?
Founded in the US, WMS headquarters is located in Waukegan, Illinois. They also have offices in the UK, India, Spain, and Sweden.
What Does WMS Gaming Software Do?
WMS Gaming started its transition into the online gaming industry in 2009. They began by offering games to online casinos based in the UK. They have since begun offering their most popular games to online casino operators worldwide through their subsidiary Williams Interactive.
The strength of WMS Gaming is its incredibly strong roster of recognizable licensed slot machine games. Games like The Wizard of Oz, Bruce Lee, I Love Lucy, and Star Trek have a strong following as land-based casino games. This has carried over to their online casino popularity.
Though their online casino game selection is limited, the titles they do offer a widely popular.
WMS Gaming has relied upon their game popularity within brick and mortar casinos to carry them into the online casino world. This tactic has worked well for them as their online presence is in high demand.
If there is an area of gambling-related services that WMS gaming is lacking in, it’s their mobile casino options. Being that their focus has been on the actual machine design of gaming since their origin in the 1940’s, their transition to the online software arena was slow to start.
They have realized the need for this niche within their business, and have been implementing more mobile software options. WMS Gaming has a strong following on their Jackpot Party and Monopoly slot machine games. They have transitioned these games to online mobile options, and have continued to receive a strong following. They are in the process of expanding their online mobile game offerings, which will keep them relevant in today’s gambling world.
Why Is WMS Gaming Relevant?
WMS Gaming introduced its first multi-line, multi-coin slot machine game in 1996 with Reel ‘Em In. This was also the first game to have secondary payout options. This game became hugely popular and still remains a favorite today.
Another big hit for WMS Gaming was their introduction of the Monopoly brand slot machine game. This offered a high amount of player interaction and bonus payouts. Since its implementation, the Monopoly slots have added a large progressive jackpot aspect. To this day, Monopoly is still one of the most popular slot machine games in casinos.
Perhaps WMS Gaming’s biggest claim to fame has been their Jackpot Party series of slot machines.
They even implemented a casino called Jackpot Party Casino, which focuses on that game series. Other games in the series include Super Jackpot Party, Boom, and Filthy Rich. These games can be found in almost every land-based casino as the game has gained a loyal player fan base.
WMS Gaming offers a progressive jackpot that is linked to all WMS titles called the Jackpot Party Progressive. This means that any player, on any WMS game, on any bet, could trigger the bonus round that could award this jackpot. They also have a progressive jackpot called the Life of Luxury Progressive. This jackpot is linked to their Jungle Cats and Riches of Rome games.
Popular Games from WMS Gaming
As already mentioned, WMS Gaming has some of the most well-known slot machine titles to date. These are their Jackpot Party series, Monopoly, and Reel ‘Em In. Other popular unlicensed titles from WMS include Zeus, Raging Rhino, Dancing in Rio, and Hercules: High and Mighty.
They also have an incredibly vast selection of licensed slot machine game titles. Some of the most popular of these include: Elvis the King Lives, Wonder Woman Gold, The Lord of the Rings, I Love Lucy, Star Trek, and The Wizard of Oz.
Conclusion
WMS has been in the gaming world for a long time. They have been devoted to creating fun machines from their start in the pinball and arcade game industry. This means they’re a company that knows how to make something entertaining for the player. They have carried this over to their casino game software.
What you will get with WMS Gaming casino software is reliability and an incredibly addicting fun factor. There’s a reason the casino games created by WMS Gaming have remained top playing titles for many years.
In an area where new games are available every day, that speaks volumes for their game quality.