AGS can trace its roots back to 2005 and the rich and storied history of land-based tribal gaming. The company is well-known in North America, and increasingly the world over, for its Class II and Class III slot development and table game progressives, the success of which propelled AGS into the industry heavyweight it is today.
Over the past five years, AGS has accelerated its business through major investments in R&D, expanding its land-based footprint to seven studios – and launching its online-only digital game studio. It is the opening of this studio that has been the driving force behind the rapid growth of AGS’ Interactive division, establishing a strong foundation for its digital future.
Gaming’s digital direction
It would be an understatement to say that iGaming has seen monumental growth over the past two decades, significantly growing its market share against land-based gaming in major markets.
In 2024, online gaming made up 30% of nationwide commercial gaming revenue in the United States – a new record. It is an even more drastic story across the pond in the United Kingdom, where the latest yearly figures indicate that £6.9bn of a total £11.5bn in gross gaming revenue (excluding lotteries), or 60%, is now derived from remote gaming.
Resultantly, major land-based players the world over have shifted into the online space, either organically with new digital arms, or through acquisitions.
AGS’ Interactive growth
Against this backdrop, AGS’ Interactive division has been one of the success stories of the digital transition.
Now one of AGS’ three core operating segments, Interactive is consistently its fastest growing, reflecting the growth of the North American market. In 2024, the last year for which full financial information is available, AGS Interactive saw 86% year-on-year growth supported by improved margins across the division.
“Building on our long-standing history in land-based gaming, we recognised early on that a robust online presence was essential for future success,” said Zoe Ebling, vice president of interactive at AGS.
“In 2018, we strategically acquired Gameiom – a respected UK aggregator – thereby establishing our footprint in the online market, particularly in Europe. This move was driven by visionary leadership headed up by CEO David Lopez, who understood the potential of digital channels.”
AGS’ digital-only studio
It is no coincidence that outsized revenue growth for the division coincided with the launch of the company’s dedicated, online-only game studio in 2022. The new studio was designed to enhance AGS’ ability to port its proven land-based content into digital products, supplemented by new games designed from the ground up for online platforms.
The studio is comprised of a small-to-mid-size team operating wholly remotely, with personnel across the globe. Its results, Ebling said, have been phenomenal. An overall increase in the number of high-performing games has meant higher revenues have been delivered to operators, positioning the studio as a valuable partner to online brands both at home in North America and further afield in Europe.
AGS now has a portfolio of over 80 titles built in-house, complementing its larger library of more than 1,000 games, powered by AGS’ own remote game server.
Launching an online-only studio in the hyper-competitive iGaming market isn’t easy, but AGS managed to sidestep common mistakes land-based businesses arguably make, while leveraging the insights several decades of experience in game development have afforded the gaming giant.
“Our extensive experience in land-based gaming provided us with deep insights into game design, player engagement and regulatory compliance – assets that translated seamlessly into the digital realm.
“We have delivered proven, high-quality content across both platforms by integrating the established best practices of our traditional operations with a modern, agile approach to online gaming.”
Key iGaming challenges and land-based lessons
There are three key challenges land-based companies transitioning to digital must navigate, Ebling warned. The first is adapting to the faster-paced nature of the digital landscape. In land-based gaming, development cycles are typically longer, though also more methodical. Online gaming, by contrast, demands rapid execution and agility.
“We addressed this challenge by streamlining our development process and adopting a flexible, agile framework that allows us to build and iterate quickly without compromising quality,” added Ebling.
The second challenge was navigating the online gaming market’s much quicker pace of regulatory evolution. As a newer vertical in many jurisdictions, iGaming is subject to rapid changes that can complicate market expansions, however well planned they are.
Ebling explained that the regulatory expertise and robust licensing frameworks developed over decades of land-based experience came in useful in managing the regulatory complexities of the online space.
The third challenge is the increased competitive pressure of iGaming vis-à-vis land-based. With lower barriers to entry, the online gaming market is highly competitive, making standing out tricky – even if your products speak for themselves.
Here, AGS brought the weight of its scale to the table; AGS leveraged its extensive catalogue of land-proven games, and established relationships with operators – many of whom were also transitioning online – to maintain its edge.
Ebling listed a prime example of this as the omnichannel launch of Rakin’ Bacon Odyssey with Caesars in New Jersey last year, which was part of a strategy to bring AGS’ highest-performing content to players wherever they are playing.
‘Our land‐based roots have been instrumental in shaping our success online’
“These strategies have been central to our success as we navigate the dynamic digital landscape. Our land‐based roots have been instrumental in shaping our success online.
“In the world of physical casinos, every game is rigorously tested in a live environment, meaning only the highest-quality experiences make it to the floor. Our established track record gave us a strong foundation when transitioning to digital.
“Beyond game development, our expertise in licensing, compliance, and financial management streamlined our move into the digital space. Strong industry relationships and deep player insights – gained from years in land-based gaming – continue to guide our approach, setting us apart from digital-only competitors.”
AGS’ claims are backed up by results. AGS Interactive achieved the #1 Overall Supplier position in May in Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG)’s US game performance chart and kept it for two consecutive months. AGS has also held the #1 Slot Supplier spot for eight consecutive months, as well as landing #1 New Overall Supplier for five consecutive months in 2025. In 2024, AGS received the gold ‘Rising Star In Casino’ award at the SBC Awards North America, and in 2025, the AGS team took home gold at the EKG Awards for ‘Top Performing New Online Slot Game’ for its game 3X Ultra Diamond, an online-first game that was created solely by its online studio.
“Our digital studio’s success is built on a foundation of talented industry experts and an agile, innovation-driven approach to game development,” Ebling said. “We’ve achieved impressive results by ensuring that we have the right people in the right roles, which has allowed us to develop a robust and flexible framework that rapidly brings complex, engaging titles to market.
“Rather than merely porting games from our land-based operations, we design our digital titles from the ground up. This approach – focused on optimisation and efficiency – has enabled us to outpace our competitors. Our commitment to innovation and quality is underscored by the accolades we’ve earned.”
The road ahead for online game studios
Solid foundations may be in place, but the dynamism and rapid evolution of iGaming industry means one cannot rest on their laurels.
Two key trends are shaping the future path forward for AGS’ digital-only studio. The first, of course, is artificial intelligence. AI has become a transformative force in game development processes the world over, and that’s equally true of online gaming.
Ebling noted that AI has enabled AGS’ studio to accelerate production, helping it create and iterate on games much faster – while also providing deeper insights into player behaviour that inform design decisions. For example, AI-enabled tools are being integrated into quality assurance (QA) scripting and testing, ensuring titles are better informed and more polished over time.
AI doesn’t come without challenges for studios, however. “If not implemented carefully, AI can introduce bugs or compromise security – issues we remain vigilant about,” Ebling warned.
“Ultimately, while AI is streamlining our workflows and boosting our efficiency, we’re committed to balancing these benefits with rigorous oversight to preserve creativity and ensure robust security in every game we develop.”
‘We view our extensive library as an opportunity to offer highly tailored experiences’
The second vital trend is localisation, which has become not a want but a need as changing regulation opens up new markets. Localisation is crucial but it goes beyond translating texts and must include the adaptation of game mechanics, branding and promotional strategies to cultural nuances, Ebling said.
Thanks to its land-based background, AGS is in the privileged position of being able to leverage its own IP, and already has experience bringing games to a new audience.
“We view our extensive library as an opportunity to offer highly tailored experiences. We work closely with each operator to understand their long-term business goals and unique audience profiles. This means our account managers use our games as versatile tools – curating and localising content to fit specific market needs.
“Our success in both North American and European markets is a testament to this approach. By aligning our curated content with each operator’s strategy, we help guarantee that players find the games that match their tastes and expectations, ultimately creating a more engaging and personalised gaming experience.”
AGS has grown far beyond its roots in physical slot games, cabinets and table products to see Interactive become a vital part of its business, and its digital-first studio is an integral ingredient in that success. As iGaming grows, both in absolute terms and relative to land-based gaming, AGS’ digital-only studio setup has poised it for continued growth in profile and prominence.
Zoe Ebling, vice president of interactive, AGS
In 2022, AGS launched a dedicated, digital-first game studio that has become a highlight in the wider success of its Interactive division. What lessons can we learn from the gaming giant’s adaptation from its land-based roots?