Online casino players in Australia are usually familiar with the name RealTime Gaming (also referred to as RTG). This company is one of the classic software providers of casino games, operating since 1998.
Several Australian online casinos are exclusively powered by RTG software, which is something that intrigued us. On top of that, the majority of our reviewed Aussie RTG casinos tend to be dubious, delaying payouts or not paying out winners all-together.
Why so many Aussie online casinos would be powered by this developer, when hundreds of other companies are also offering pokies, online casino games, and live dealer gaming solutions?
Regarding this investigative blog, we have dived into RTG and all the surrounding areas that players should be aware of, before signing up, depositing, and playing real money at such casinos.
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Areas of Concern Surrounding RTG Casinos
After a couple hours’ worth of research, we quickly identified a few areas that are worth noting in reference to RTG.
- Many exclusively powered RTG online casinos are not licensed.
- Many official sources report that the RTP of their pokies varies from casino to casino.
- Progressive jackpot games by this developer rarely payout.
- This company does not hold back from sourcing online casinos in countries that have laws against online gambling.
- Controversies in relation to this software provider.
The above are the red flags that our research into RTG brought up, which we are planning to explore in depth here. Nonetheless, RealTime Gaming is a company that also has a noteworthy history, and, possibly, future – thus, we will be also delving into the below areas:
- History of RTG
- Best RTG Pokies
- Best RTG Casino Games
- Top 10 RTG Casinos
- Rogue RTG Casinos in Australia
History of RealTime Gaming
When it first started operating, RTG was based in Atlanta, Georgia; it was one of the first big names of the iGaming industry, competing with other household names, such as Microgaming and Playtech. In 2007, RTG was purchased by Hastings International, and moved its operations in Costa Rica, where it is still located to date.
This developer is producing a range of casino games, which includes pokies, table games, real dealer games, instant games, scratchcards, progressive jackpots, and bingo. This is one of the justifications of online casinos, to run their sites with RTG software, as it is all-encompassing, offering a huge range of niches within the industry, satisfying pretty much all players.
Scandals & Controversies
As most companies that operate for many years, RTG has been involved in quite a few scandals. Here, we will report the ones that appeared in global news and have since left their mark on this iGaming provider.
Not paying a jackpot winner their $1.3 million win
In early 2004, a lucky American player who deposited $1,000 at Hampton Casino landed a progressive jackpot win at Caribbean 21. The winning prize exceeded $1 million, but the casino, and therefore RTG, refused to pay out the winnings, suggesting that the player used a ‘’robot – automatic play program that maximizes the player player’s odds by eliminating mistakes’’ (NBC News, 2004).
The player had also won $96,000 at Delano Casino, also powered by RTG, which were frozen by the company.
The player refused to make public comments after reaching out to Casinomeister, which did their best to help him settle the dispute.
After a long-period of disagreements, the player (who was also a programmer) and the casino team that was throwing allegations that he had cheated, reached a settlement – which details never went public.
A few years later, RTG removed Caribbean 21 from its game list entirely.
Crystal Palace Group casinos not paying out players
This company was owned by Warren Cloud, and sub-operated by his casino manager, Oliver Curran, with the first dying in 2008 from a heart attack. This south-African CEO owned several online casinos that were all involved in numerous controversies, all powered by RTG software:
- Americas Online Casino
- American Circus Casino
- American Grand Casino
- Casino Peru
- Cleopatras Casino
- Club Mardi Gras
- Club Regal Casino
- Golden Nile Casino
- High Rollers Lounge
- Jackpot Kings Casino
- Lucky Coin Casino
- Lucky Pyramid Casino
- Powerbet
- Royal Circus Casino
- Vegas Frontier Casino
- Vegas Riches Casino (Casino Listings, Rogue Warnings Blacklist)
The main problem with the Crystal Palace Group was its repeated denial to pay its players their rightful winnings. Instead, the company used to present excuses, issue coupons, and delayed the payouts through various other justifications. The company was almost listed in the stock market for £140 million, as they had accumulated huge profits by cheating their players – but this did not happen, and the group was disbanded following the death of its CEO.
Nonetheless, many of these casinos were purchased by Virtual Casino Group and Ace Revenue, which continued to engage in iGaming malpractices for the following years.
Online Casino Grey Markets
It is reasonable that some of our readers will not be accustomed with the iGaming industry. In such cases, it is normal to wonder how a casino can refuse to payout its players and get away with it; as the RTG casinos involved in the above scandals did.
Well, the online casino market is one of the most regulated ones, if you are gambling from a country that has respective legislation in place. Most reputable software providers are licensed through the same regulatory bodies that online casinos are, acquiring the right to offer their services in certain countries.
For instance, to operate an iGaming company in the United Kingdom, both the online casino and the iGaming developer must be licensed through the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), Alderney Gambling Control Commission, or Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission. Other regulatory bodies, listed based on their supervising region, include:
- Asia: Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore.
- Europe: Spillenmyndigheden, Gibraltar Regulatory Authority, Gaming Board of Hungary, Malta Gaming Authority, Norwegian Gaming and Foundation Authority, Inspectorate General on Gaming, Office for Gaming Supervision, National Gaming Board.
- Australia: Liquor & Gaming NSW, Queensland Gambling Commission, Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation, SA Independent Gambling Authority (Casino.org, Gambling Regulators).
If an online casino is unregulated, normally, they will not be able to offer licensed games from reputable software providers. Additionally, if an online casino that is licensed and regulated refuses to payout the players’ winnings, then, the players can report the incident to the regulatory body, which will take action to resolve the issue.
To avoid fines, red flags, or loss of license, regulated online casinos treat their players fairly.
Now, when it comes to RTG, this company is willing to provide its games to online casinos that operate without an official license, in gambling markets that forbid online gambling; such markets include Australia and the US, amongst others. In such instances, the players have nowhere to turn if they are scammed by an online casino operator – and RTG does not seem to care about this at all.
Rogue RTG Casinos & Operators
Therefore, it should not really surprise anyone that many RTG casinos, which are available to register and play from Australia, are blacklisted by sites like ours. For your information and protection, we will be listing a few of the many blacklisted casinos (and their operating groups) powered with RTG software that we have encountered so far.
AffAlliance Casinos
During our review of Free Spin Casino, Cherry Gold, Golden Lion, and Two Up RTG Casinos, we noticed some concerning areas. After some research, it became evident that the group under which these casinos operate are linked to Netad Management and Milore Ltd, which were both shut down after not paying out various players in 2015 (Casino Listings, Rogue Warnings Blacklist); the owners of these groups were send to jail.
These platforms used to scam players through unfair terms and conditions, which were employed to shut down the winners’ accounts. In other instances, players would only receive a very small amount of their winnings per month ($100 – $150 rate). Some other sites linked to this group, which you should be careful about are:
- DomGame
- Eclipse Casino
- Exclusive Casino
- Irish Luck Casino
- Supernova Casino
Below, you can see a few of the player reviews related to the above sites, so that you have an idea of how much distress they have caused over the years.
Exclusive Casino
KNOT2SMART, 2019
‘’Exclusive Casino uses the verification process as a way not to pay withdrawals. Six times over 7 weeks, I have sent in proper documentation and they didn’t get it or say it was incomplete. I am a 20 year veteran of RTG and this is only a ruse.They won’t tell you what they did not receive and take 10 days to answer an email if at all. One reply from them contradicts another. No phone number available for them. Chat always says they will look into it, but you never hear back from them. They say Bank transfers are the only way withdrawals are handled. They won’t issue a check or even Bitcoin. Exclusive Casino is a scam’’.
Eclipse Casino
Jeffas, 2019
’Withdrawal process is absolutely shocking, when you withdraw money they only part pay you and put the rest back into you playable balance just to get £100 has taken well over a month of constant hassle’’
Supernova Casino
SATANAPERKELE, 2017
’Maybe worst terms I have ever seen in a casino, deposited 50 played with it and went to 150 made a cashout, took about 8 business days cancelled and lost. After reading another reviews here, this casino should be blacklisted. Look their terms and you will see how crazy those terms are…’’
Arabath Solutions Casinos
Another RTG group of casinos, which has attracted substantial negative attention. Sites like Las Atlantis, Aussie Play, Slots Empire, and El Royale are part of this group. There are two main issues with these sites, namely, identification and payout rate.
The first challenge that players tend to face on Arabath casinos is to get their account verified. Players are often required to send their personal documents 5+ times, overall spending over a month at this stage.
Then, these casinos have a Term, hidden within their Ts & Cs, that allows them to payout the winnings of players in set installments, according to their Player Level. Details in regards to this term are not provided by the casino, and pretty much all players are considered to be at the lowest level; which means that they can get paid an average of $100 per month.
Both are enough to keep you well away forever from such RTG platforms; nonetheless, the name Arabath Solutions is not displayed on their websites, so you might fall victim to them. Below are some of the complaints from the active players in relation to the above sites.
Las Atlantis casino
Kayad, 2021
‘’CAUTION—Las Atlantis casino are nothing but SCAMMERS!!!! After rigorous account and banking verification, they DENIED payout of my winnings of $3000. Because they are registered in Curaçao, you have no rights or recourse to back you up. STAY AWAY.’’
El Royale Casino
Mark Brown, 2020
‘’I’m surprised that this site has any positive reviews as it’s a scam. I tried withdrawing decent winnings over 9 weeks ago and was continuously asked for the same information that I had sent a dozen times. Customer service is useless as they always reference back the “validation department” who again, makes excuses as to why they can’t submit payment. Don’t play here unless you aren’t interested in payouts.’’
Aussie Play
Heather530, 2021
‘’This casino sucks I got a 1200 dollar jackpot and they straight up stole it and put my balance to 90$ dollars and told me I was burnt .. DO NOT RECOMMEND THEY WILL ROB YOU!!!!’’
Paxson Marketing Ltd Casinos
Do you remember the scandal, that we mentioned earlier, in relation to Crystal Palace Group? Well, some of the casinos that operated under this group are now moved to the Maxson Marketing Casinos, all operating with RTG software; namely:
- Apollo Slots
- Jackpot Cash
- Silver Sands
- White Lotus
Below you can locate some of the player complaints that are linked to these sites.
Apollo Slots
Kelly, 2019
’This is a terrible site I hold the leader board by far Which means i have invested tens of thousands of austrlian dollars into this casino With no reward You can never get the on live chat And if u do they just disconnect u Withdrawals are impossible They no problem taking souch money but wont take a chat or message Absolutely no cash back ever Whats wrong with tgem xx’’
Silver Sands
MrKellyJayz, 2019
’Worst customer service ever. waiting over 30 mins for live chat response. customer loyalty means nothing to them… withdrawal times are painful. would rather recommend you use springbok casino than even bothering with silversands. bonus coupons arent bad but playthrough is high and max cash out is low’’
Other Red Flags with RealTime Gaming Casino Software
We expanded quite a bit on the area of RTG casinos operating without a license or regulations, which often results to players getting scammed. Nevertheless, there are quite a few more areas of concern when it comes to the RTG casino games software and how it is programmed to operate. We will delve into these below, as they are as alarming as what we have explored so far.
RTP Range & Manipulation of RTG Casino Games by Operators
With almost every single online slot games’ provider, each slot machine will come with a standard corresponding return to player rate (RTP). For instance, indifferently to the online casino that you play NetEnt’s Starburst slot, the RTP will be 96.09%. This figure is available on the provider’s official site, as well as across various iGaming-related websites.
What does this mean? Well, the game’s RTP illustrates that players will receive a return of 3.81% of whatever money they invest in this slot game; obviously, this figure is theoretical, calculated over 1,000,000 spins on each particular pokies machine – but it is the best indicator of the long-term casino payouts that a player is likely to receive.
When it comes to RealTime Gaming slots, their RTP comes with three different RTP options:
- 91%
- 95%
- 97.5%
Then, it is up to the casino operator to decide which one to employ. The highest of the three is spectacular, the second is about average, but the 1st figure is very low for modern slots. Nonetheless, the worst of all is the element of uncertainty with RTG casinos online, as this practice was only possible with land-based casinos in the past.
Therefore, the Real Series slots by RTG are better to be avoided or at least taken on with caution.
The provider itself has published a statement that is not true, but various reports indicate otherwise.
Progressive Jackpots that Never Payout
Moving on to another area of concern with RTG games, in specific, their progressive games. One of the best features of RealTime Gaming pokies is that they are connected to jackpots. Some are not really high, but others exceed $1 million. Even some of their poker games carry progressive pots, in some instances at least.
All that is great, but the negative element comes with the lucrative progressive pokies by RTG never actually paying out the maximum prize. For instance:
- Aztec’s Millions: progressive pokies has never paid out (prize over $3 million).
- Jackpot Pinatas: over $1 million and never paid out.
- Megasaur: over $1 million and has never paid the progressive pot.
- Cleopatra’s Gold: stands at $1+ millions and also never paid out.
- Aztec Gold: seeds at $1 million but has also never be won.
On the other hand, there is a recorded win of $1.2 million on Shopping Spree jackpot slot. The above is not written to suggest that RTG jackpot pokies are developed in a way to never pay out players, however, it seems like a longshot that you will be the first one to win them.
Keep in mind that NetEnt, Microgaming, and Playtech progressive pokies payout the max winning prize on an average of 3 – 6 months.
RNG has stated that the above is happening due to their games being less popular compared to other developers.
‘’Burning’’ the Jackpot Wins through the Terms & Conditions
Both above points are cross-checked and sourced by various independent publications. Onto this third point, we stumbled upon it on a public forum, and it actually surprised us with its insights, so we thought we share it with more readers.
So, generally, online casinos that offer no deposit bonuses, directly or indirectly, block the progressive jackpots from paying out. With RTG casinos this is not the case. A player who has never deposited funds could win the progressive jackpot. The drawback?
All no deposit bonuses are capped to a maximum cashable amount ranging from $50 – $200. Thus, if a player lands a jackpot win with this amount, the casino does not have to pay it. On top of that, the RTG casino will then accumulate the returns that supposedly ‘paid out’ from future players, so that the RTP of the slot is averaged.
This is super sketchy indeed, but you would think that it does not happen that often, right? Well, evidence show otherwise, as one user states ‘’I won 2 Jackpots by my self on RTG Casinos while using a Freechip. So i could see with my own eyes how it works. And be sure, we talk here about a very massive amount of Money’’ (Christian.Waschewski.1, 2014).
Best RTG Pokies & Casino Games
Still, RTG powers thousands of online casinos across the globe, and surely above 500 in the US and Australia at an exclusive fashion. Therefore, let us also highlight all the positive elements that the games of this developer offer, which can be enjoyed at the fair and licensed RTG casino sites (we will help you find them later on this page).
Software
The RealTime Gaming casino software is an all-encompassing one. Most providers focus exclusively on a niche within the casino industry; for instance, Evolution Gaming produces live dealer games exclusively, while MrSlotty is only powering pokies. In contrast to those two, RTG takes a similar approach to Playtech and Microgaming; producing a range of online slots, jackpot games, progressive casino games, table games, and live dealer solutions.
Further, most of the RTG casino games employ HTML5 technology, SFX sounds and graphics, which is indicative of the smooth and solid mobile experience they promise.
The only negative aspect of RealTime Gaming software is that it still requires download on the players’ devices to enjoy the full games’ portfolio. Unlike other software providers, who exclusively offer their titles in an instant play, no download format.
Online Slots
The biggest part of RTG casinos is represented by online pokies, with over 200 titles in total. The graphics and payouts of their slot games are stunning, while the themes are more on the classic side. Players will not struggle to find single payline slots, 3 reelers, 5 reelers, and even ways to win games.
The company constantly strives to come up with new features to offer something unique to their players. Some interesting bonus features exclusive to RTG pokies include:
- Win Win Feature
- Feature Guarantee
Some of their best non-jackpot pokies are Bubble Bubble, Super 6, and Cash Bandits. The two of the above also have sequels, as they accumulated monumental success after they got released. Another noteworthy innovation of RTG provider can be observed within their Real Series slot games; all featuring multi-million progressive jackpots (even if they do not pay often, they are a huge incentive).
Casino Games
There is hardly an online casino that only offers online slots to its players. Thus, it should not surprise us that RTG is also the host of multiple table games; with a total of 30+ casino games, one can play the following game types on RTG casinos:
The payouts are as high as 99% on selected RTG online casino games. Still, there is something that deserves even further attention – the progressive table games from RTG. There is no other software provider, to our knowledge at least, that has produced table games with progressive prizes:
- Let Em Ride Poker: Bets range from $1 – $120 and the progressive jackpot often exceeds $100,000.
- Caribbean Stud Poker: This poker game can be played solo vs the dealer, and the progressive pot is close to $400,000 at the time of writing.
- Caribbean Draw Poker: Get the 5 best cards in hand and win the progressive jackpot.
- Caribbean Hold’em Poker: Win up to $50,000 by betting on the progressive jackpot as a side bet.
Specialty Games
On top of the above games, one can also find the category of Specialty titles on RTG casinos. Ignoring the casino games that we touched upon above, there are other games that you can also play from RTG, which are similar to old arcade games. Each is unique, offering a gambling twist. Our favourite is by far Banana Jones.
Some RTG casinos will also offer 3 live dealer rooms: Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat – all following the classic game style. Unfortunately, there is no Sic Bo or Andar Bahar in their games’ list.
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It is reasonable that US and Australian readers would still turn to RTG online casinos, even if there are quite a few red flags with this provider. As these markets are not served by other software providers (due to fear of fines/loss of license), players from these countries should do their best to find safe and trustworthy RealTime Gaming casinos online – to avoid any disappointment when requesting to get their winnings.
Generally, it is our job to help Australian players locate the best online casinos. Therefore, before we close this piece, we will also provide a list with the solid RTG casinos that accept AUS players and offer an overall smooth gambling experience.
- Fair Go Casino is by far the best online casino with RTG software in Australia. Enjoy 200% match bonus and 20 free spins when you first join and deposit on the site.
- Slottica is multi-software online casino, licensed through Curacao. Launched in 2019, it has shaken the Australian market with its stunning bonuses and 2,000+ casino games.
- Ignition Casino is another worthwhile platform, that is exclusively available to US and Aussie players. Providing access to both RTG and Rival pokies, it is safe to play at based on all user reviews.
- Ozwin Casino is an exclusive RTG casino, licensed through Curacao and operated by a parent company under the same name. Sign up and claim up to $2,000 bonus and 50 free spins for RTG slots.
- Planet7Oz is another great platform that Aussie players can enjoy RTG jackpots at. It does not carry an official license, but all player reviews indicate that the site is safe and pays out on time.
- Sloto’Cash is another exclusive RTG online casino that you could safely deposit and play on. Operating since 2007, it is the safest Deck Media casino we have encountered.
- True Blue Casino is licensed through Costa Rica, and it is one of the most popular online casinos in Australia. With a range of bonuses, various progressive games, and loyalty rewards – it is worth checking out.
- Uptown Aces is the RTG casino with the best value in terms of new player bonuses; join and claim up to $2,500 at 250% bonus rate.
- JackMillion is one of our favourite RealTime Gaming casinos, as the site interface is easy to use, the ongoing bonuses impressive, and the mobile-side is as smooth as a casino can be.
- Spinaru is the last suggested RealTime Gaming casino, which also provides access to games by Betsoft and other providers. There are 0 complaints linked to it, while its Curacao license is active to date.
So there you have it, a complete overview of RTG. When searching for an online casino to play, make sure to check for an active license, operating company info, player reviews, and banking methods. Also, we urge you to verify your account prior to depositing funds, as this will diminish the payout waiting time significantly. And lastly, you must never forget that Terms & Conditions set by casinos apply, so read through them carefully to avoid any disappointments.
You must never forget that Terms & Conditions set by casinos apply, so read through them carefully to avoid any disappointments
Enjoyed this article into RTG casinos? Then, check out our investigation into not on Gamstop casinos.
Bibliography
- https://www.casinolistings.com/casinos/rogue-warnings-blacklist
- https://www.askgamblers.com/online-casinos/reviews/exclusive-casino-casino
- https://www.askgamblers.com/online-casinos/reviews/eclipse-casino
- https://www.askgamblers.com/online-casinos/reviews/supernova-casino
- https://www.casinofreak.com/casino-reviews/las-atlantis-casino-review
- https://www.casinofreak.com/casino-reviews/aussie-play-casino-review
- https://chipy.com/reviews/silversands-casino-review
- https://www.bestuscasinos.org/blog/can-you-trust-realtime-gaming/
- https://www.gamblerspick.com/progressive-jackpots/rtg-progressive-jackpots-r7/
- https://www.askgamblers.com/forum/topic/4420-edited-i-have-some-serious-doubts-in-rtg-casinos/
- About the Author
- Affiliate Disclosure
Michael has reviewed and verified all information on this page. Having worked in the iGaming industry for over 8 years, he is the most capable person to help you navigate online casinos, pokies, and the Australian gambling landscape.
