Branded slot machines

What are branded slot machines?

A branded slot is one that pays to use somebody else’s intellectual property. The studio signs a licence with the brand owner and can then use the name, logo, characters, music or catchphrases inside the game. An unbranded slot invents its own world: Starburst’s gems or Book of Dead’s explorer belong to the studio that made them.

Brands come from many places. Board games and TV game shows translate easily into bonus rounds, which is why Monopoly and Deal or No Deal appear on several machines. Films and TV dramas bring characters and scenes; we cover those in detail on our page about TV and film slot machines. This page looks at branding as a whole: how licences work, what they change, and whether they cost players anything. The wider types of slot machine hub lists the other formats.

Kinds of brand you’ll find on slot machines

Two UK-based studios stand out in that list. Blueprint Gaming, headquartered in Newark, has built several film and TV titles, often pairing them with its Jackpot King progressive. Barcrest, the British machine maker now owned by Light & Wonder, has used Monopoly as well as its own Rainbow Riches. Big Time Gaming brought its Megaways mechanic to Monopoly.

How a brand licence becomes a slot machine

The detail of each deal is private, but the process follows a familiar shape. The brand owner wants its name used well and safely; the studio wants recognisable content that stands out in a crowded lobby.

1. The studio agrees a licence with the brand owner, usually for a set period and set markets.
2. The two sides agree how characters, logos, music and catchphrases will appear.
3. The studio builds the maths model separately: reel strips, paytable, features and RTP versions.
4. The art and features are fitted to the maths, for example a board-game bonus or a banker’s offer.
5. An approved test house checks the game against the rules of each market before release.
6. The game goes live; when a licence ends, the studio may have to withdraw or rename it.

Testing is the same for branded and unbranded games. The Gambling Commission explains the role of approved test houses (opens in a new tab) in checking that games meet its technical standards, and our page on how slot machines are tested follows that process. A recognisable name gets no special treatment.

Branded slot machines before online slots

Licensed names arrived on machines well before online casinos. Monopoly is the clearest thread, appearing first on a British quiz machine and then on American casino slots.

Participation slots are machines a maker places in a casino under a revenue-sharing arrangement rather than selling outright, a model that suited expensive licensed themes. JPM was the UK fruit machine market leader in 1987, and its Monopoly machine was a skill with prizes machine rather than a pure game of chance. Our history of slot machines in Britain puts these machines in context.

Do branded slot machines pay less? Same-studio RTP compared

A common belief is that licence fees are passed on to players as a lower RTP. Studios don’t publish their licence costs, so the claim can’t be checked directly, but we can compare published RTPs. The fairest test is to set branded games beside unbranded ones from the same developer.

In these pairs the branded game sits within about a point of its studio stablemate, sometimes above and once just below. Lower figures do exist: our data lists House of the Dragon at 94%, with 92% and 93% versions, and The Goonies Megaways at 95%, with 92% and 93% versions. The lesson is the same as for any slot: read the RTP in the help screen rather than reading anything into the name. Our guide to what makes a good RTP gives a benchmark.

Branded slot machines: cost per 100 spins and max win

Turning RTP into money shows how small, or large, the differences are. The table uses 100 spins at £1, so £100 is staked; the average cost is the house edge in pounds. Max win is shown where our data has it.

Between the top and bottom of the table, the gap is £2.55 per £100 staked on average. That matters to regular players, though a single session swings far more. Volatility also differs: Narcos is rated medium, while Rick and Morty Megaways is rated high.

How brands shape the bonus features

The licence matters most in the bonus round, where designers try to recreate the feel of the original.

Board games: Monopoly

Monopoly Big Event triggers a board bonus when scatters land on reels 1, 3 and 5, and adds Dancing Wilds in the base game. Monopoly Megaways keeps the brand but swaps the board for a reel set that ranges from 64 to 117,649 ways, a mechanic explained on our Megaways slot machines page.

Game shows: Deal or No Deal

Deal or No Deal Megaways triggers its Deal or No Deal bonus game through consecutive cascade wins, echoing the show’s box-opening tension, and adds a Jackpot King progressive. Its RTP isn’t in our data, so check the help screen; the slot catalogue entry for Deal or No Deal Megaways (opens in a new tab) lists its specification.

TV characters: Rick and Morty

Rick and Morty Megaways lets the player choose between four character-based free spins modes, including one themed on Pickle Rick. Mode choices like this are a free spins design, not a way to change the RTP; each option is balanced to the same return.

Jackpot versions of branded games

Several branded titles exist in a standard version and a progressive jackpot version. In a jackpot version, part of every stake funds the jackpot pool, so the return from ordinary spins is lower. Our data shows the effect on a Blueprint game: King Kong Cash Even Bigger Bananas is listed at 96%, and at 94.99% in its Jackpot King version. Unless you land a jackpot, the version with the lower base RTP costs more on average.

When a branded slot appears twice in a lobby, the jackpot badge is the clue. Our pages on progressive jackpot slot machines and what a slot jackpot network is explain where that money goes.

Branded slots and the rules on appeal to under-18s

Popular brands bring a responsibility. Since 1 October 2022, the CAP Code has stopped gambling advertising from having a strong appeal to under-18s, a stricter test than the older “particular appeal” rule. The Advertising Standards Authority’s guidance on gambling ads and appeal to children (opens in a new tab) explains how characters, celebrities, animation and other content are judged.

The rule applies to advertising, including casino lobbies and promotions, rather than banning any particular game. In practice, each licensed theme has to be judged on its own appeal to young people before it is promoted, whatever the game’s audience was meant to be. This site writes about branded games for adult readers only.

How to judge a branded slot machine before you play

• Ignore the logo for a moment and open the help screen: note the RTP, volatility and max win.
• Check whether you’re looking at a standard or jackpot version; the base RTP can differ.
• Compare it with an unbranded game from the same studio to see whether the theme costs you anything.
• Read how the bonus is triggered; a famous bonus game may be rare.
• Try the demo first, available after age verification, to see whether the features suit you.
• Set your stake and session budget as you would for any slot.

Are branded slot machines worth playing? Pros and cons

Branded slots suit players who enjoy the source material and still check the numbers. They suit less well anyone who chooses a game because of the brand alone.

Branded slot machine myths

• “Licence fees mean branded slots always pay less.” Same-studio comparisons in our data don’t show that; individual games vary.
• “The game plays like the TV show.” The show’s format is a theme; outcomes come from an RNG and a paytable.
• “A big brand means bigger jackpots.” Max wins depend on the maths model; Narcos is listed at 1,506× while Rick and Morty Megaways is listed at 50,000×.
• “Branded games are checked more leniently.” Test houses apply the same standards to every game.
• “You need to know the brand to win.” Knowing the film or show changes nothing about the odds.

Where to play branded slot machines: partner offers

Licences and lobbies change, so a branded game can appear or disappear; search the casino’s lobby for the title before you join. All three need you to be a new customer aged 18 or over, and terms apply. Coral’s reward is 100 free spins at 10p for selected games, released after you deposit and place £10 of slot bets, with a 48-hour window to accept and 7 days to use them. Ladbrokes releases 50 free spins at 10p every day for 10 days, up to 500, after £10 of slot play, with a 23:59 daily claim deadline. PlayOJO’s 80 free spins at 10p are tied to Big Bass Bonanza, an unbranded game, and need a first deposit of at least £10.

Winnings from the spins are paid without wagering at all three. PayPal and Skrill deposits don’t count at Coral or Ladbrokes, and because the two brands share an owner, holding new accounts at both may not be allowed. The no wagering free spins guide explains how these spins pay out.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.