Provider profile
Big Time Gaming, the Studio Behind Gold
Who built Gold, how it reaches Canadian casinos, and what that means for players.
See partner offer- Reel count
- 5x3
- RTP value
- 95.03%
- Number of lines
- 20 fixed paylines
- Volatility rating
- medium
Gold is developed by Big Time Gaming, a Sydney-founded studio established in 2011 and best known for inventing the Megaways mechanic. The studio was acquired by Evolution in 2021 and now operates as part of Evolution's group content stack, distributed to operators through aggregation platforms rather than direct download.
- Founded 2011 in Sydney, Australia
- Acquired by Evolution in 2021
- Gold released 2014-07-15, part of the studio's core catalogue
Big Time Gaming's background and portfolio
Big Time Gaming was founded in Sydney in 2011. Public sources consistently name Nik Robinson as CEO, with Huw McIntosh and Ian Schmidt cited as co-founders or senior creative leaders. Coverage describes the studio as small in staffing but disproportionately influential, with one source citing roughly 33 million euros in 2020 revenue driven mainly by licensing rather than direct game sales.
The studio's reputation rests on inventing and popularizing Megaways, alongside mechanics such as Bonus Buy, Win Exchange, Hold and Spin, and later branded systems like MegaClusters and Megapays. Bonanza Megaways and Extra Chilli Megaways are the titles most frequently cited by industry press as defining the studio's identity.
The studio's own catalogue page lists 90 titles in total, with Megaways forming the largest single category at 46 titles. Gold, released in July 2014, sits among the studio's earlier non-Megaways releases: a conventional 5x3, 20-payline HTML5 slot built for both mobile and desktop, offered on the studio's site in multiple languages including French-Canadian.
In 2021, Evolution completed the acquisition of Big Time Gaming Pty Ltd for up to 450 million euros. That deal folded the studio into a wider group content stack alongside NetEnt, Red Tiger, Ezugi, and Nolimit City, and it changed how many operators receive BTG titles: increasingly through Evolution's own distribution rather than a standalone integration.
Distribution otherwise runs through platform and aggregation partners rather than direct-to-casino launches. Public statements point to Scientific Games' OpenGaming as the exclusive platform for BTG content in North America and the US, alongside EveryMatrix CasinoEngine, SoftSwiss, and SkillOnNet serving other regions.
Gold versus other Big Time Gaming releases
| Gold Megaways | A separate remake with 6 reels and up to 1,000,000 ways to win, distinct from the original 5x3, 20-line Gold and easy to confuse with it by name alone. |
|---|---|
| Bonanza Megaways | The studio's most cited flagship title, built on the Megaways mechanic that Gold does not use; Gold runs on fixed 20-payline math instead. |
| Extra Chilli Megaways | Another Megaways-driven release frequently referenced by industry press as defining the studio, unlike Gold's fixed-line, non-cascading structure. |
Track record and industry standing
Big Time Gaming's reputation is built primarily on innovation rather than volume: it is widely credited by industry press as the studio that created and popularized Megaways, and it received the Best iGaming Software Experience award from Casinomeister in 2017, with Bonanza and Danger High Voltage cited in connection with that recognition. Public sources reviewed do not document major payout disputes or a pattern of unresolved player complaints tied to the studio itself. The most significant corporate event on record is the 2021 Evolution acquisition, which moved the studio into a larger group structure and changed some of its distribution arrangements.
Studio strengths and limitations
| What works | What does not |
|---|---|
| Long track record and industry recognition for mechanics innovation, including the Megaways system | Focused output around Megaways titles means older, non-Megaways games like Gold receive comparatively less press attention |
| Backed by Evolution's distribution network since the 2021 acquisition, giving wide operator reach | Distribution runs through aggregation platforms, so exact game availability depends on the individual operator's catalogue rather than the studio directly |
| Games built on HTML5, supporting both desktop and mobile play |
Terms worth knowing
Megaways
A mechanic invented by Big Time Gaming that varies the number of symbols per reel each spin, changing the number of ways to win; not used in the base version of Gold.
Aggregation platform
A distribution layer, such as EveryMatrix CasinoEngine or SoftSwiss, through which operators receive Big Time Gaming content instead of integrating the studio directly.
HTML5 slot
A game built to run in a browser without a separate download, the format Big Time Gaming states its titles, including Gold, are built on.
Licensing revenue
Income a studio earns from operators paying to offer its games, described in industry coverage as the main revenue driver for Big Time Gaming.
Studio and game milestones
- Big Time Gaming founded in Sydney, Australia.
- Gold released on July 15.
- Studio received the Best iGaming Software Experience award from Casinomeister.
- Evolution completes acquisition of Big Time Gaming Pty Ltd for up to 450 million euros.
Questions about Big Time Gaming and Gold
Is Gold one of Big Time Gaming's Megaways titles?
No. The original Gold uses a fixed 5x3 layout with 20 paylines. Gold Megaways is a separate, later release with 6 reels and a variable-ways structure.
Did the Evolution acquisition change how Gold is distributed?
It placed Big Time Gaming inside Evolution's group content stack alongside studios such as NetEnt and Red Tiger, which affects how some operators now source the game rather than integrating the studio on its own.
Does Big Time Gaming publish official specs for Gold?
The studio's own game page confirms 5 reels and 20 paylines, but detailed math figures for RTP, volatility and maximum win are not published directly by the studio on that page.
Which platform does Big Time Gaming use to reach operators in North America?
Public statements point to Scientific Games' OpenGaming as the exclusive platform for Big Time Gaming content in North America and the US.
Who leads Big Time Gaming's creative direction?
Nik Robinson is cited as CEO, with Huw McIntosh and Ian Schmidt named in public sources as co-founders or senior creative leaders.
What recognition did Big Time Gaming receive in 2017?
The studio received the Best iGaming Software Experience award from Casinomeister in 2017, with Bonanza and Danger High Voltage cited in connection with that award.