This week, IGT announced a 9% increase in revenue for 2013. The company has released a number of real-money games in the online and land-based markets, but most of IGT’s growth can be attributed to its progress in the social gaming industry.

“We continue to drive significant revenue and earnings per share growth through the successful execution of our strategy and disciplined approach to capital allocation,” says Patti Hart, CEO of International Game Technology. The area in which International Game Technology experienced the most growth was in social gaming During the 2013 fiscal year, the company’s social gaming revenue increased by 151% to $219 million.

IGT is one of the few real-money casino operators that have made a successful foray into the world of social gaming. The company acquired social gaming leader Double Down Interactive in 2012 for $500 million, an investment that is truly paying off. While IGT’s social games are free to play on Facebook and other social networking platforms, the company earns generous revenue through advertising and in-game purchases.

Many of IGT’s most popular online pokies are available at Double Down Casino, merging the two worlds of social gaming and online gambling. Players can make the transition from wagering on real-money to playing free social games, or vice versa. The success that IGT has experienced in the world of social gaming should serve as a great example for other real-money casino operators.

While most gaming firms are interested in expanding into newly regulated online gambling markets, there is a great opportunity for operators to turn a substantial profit in the social gaming market. From social gaming to land-based pokies, IGT is always a leader in development. There is room for much more growth for IGT, and we are eager to see what the company has to bring to the table in 2014.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.