Slingo Originals: the studio that owns a whole genre
Most studios make slots. Slingo Originals makes Slingo, a hybrid of slots and bingo that is its own category, and the studio effectively owns it. The format has been around since the 1990s, but it took Gaming Realms to turn it into a modern online product line. Play Slingo Rainbow Riches and you get the whole idea in one game: a bingo grid, a slot reel and a prize ladder.
Who Slingo Originals is
The Slingo name goes back to 1994, when it was invented by an American developer, Sal Falciglia, and it first reached the public on AOL in 1996. The journey to today ran through a couple of owners: RealNetworks acquired Slingo for 15.6 million dollars in 2013, then sold it to London-listed Gaming Realms in 2015. Gaming Realms built the Slingo Originals studio around the mechanic and has since produced more than fifty themed titles. That ownership matters, because it means a single company develops and licenses the format rather than every studio cloning it, which is why Slingo games share a consistent feel. For the wider business behind it, see our Gaming Realms review.
How Slingo actually works
The format is the product, so it is worth explaining plainly. A Slingo game uses a five by five grid of numbers, like a bingo card, with a single slot-style reel beneath it. Each spin reveals numbers that you mark off the grid, and completing a line of five, called a Slingo, moves you up an increasing prize ladder. You typically get a set number of spins, often around eleven, with the option to buy extra spins to keep going when you are close to a prize. Symbols like jokers let you mark any number, devils block a column, and free spins extend the round. It sits between a slot and a bingo game, which our bingo guide and slots guide both touch on from their own sides. The catch worth naming is the buy-extra-spins mechanic: it is where a Slingo session can quietly get expensive if you keep paying to chase a near-complete card.
The games and where to play
The catalogue leans heavily on recognisable brands, which is Gaming Realms' commercial strength. Slingo Rainbow Riches and Slingo Deal or No Deal are among the best known, alongside dozens of original and licensed themes. The studio distributes through Gaming Realms' own platform and aggregation partners, so Slingo titles appear across a wide spread of regulated casinos and bingo sites. As with any game, RTP can be configured, so check the figure in the info screen following our RTP guide. Operators thinking about adding a differentiated game category to a lobby will find the format useful reading alongside our casino launch guide.
The verdict
Strengths: a genuinely distinctive format that nobody else owns, a strong set of branded titles, and a consistent, easy-to-learn structure. Weaknesses: the gameplay is repetitive across titles since the mechanic is fixed, and the buy-extra-spins option can run up a session cost quickly if you are not disciplined. Slingo Originals is the studio for players who want something between slots and bingo rather than another reel game. For the parent company see our Gaming Realms review, pick a licensed site from our casino reviews, and set limits first with our responsible gambling tools. 18+.
Slingo Originals FAQ
Who owns Slingo Originals?
Gaming Realms, a London-listed gaming company, owns Slingo Originals. It acquired the Slingo brand in 2015 and built the studio around the format, which it both develops and licenses to other operators.
What is Slingo?
Slingo is a hybrid of slots and bingo. You spin a slot reel to mark numbers off a five by five grid, completing lines to climb a prize ladder over a set number of spins, with optional paid extra spins to continue.
What are the most popular Slingo games?
Slingo Rainbow Riches and Slingo Deal or No Deal are among the best known, drawing on recognisable brands. The studio has produced more than fifty themed titles in total. Watch the buy-extra-spins cost and keep to a budget. 18+.