Scientific bought out another slots giant, Bally, in 2014, for $5.1 billion, which brings Barcrest and Bally under the same roof for the first time.Īlthough in terms of land-based slot machines Barcrest are all about the classic three-reelers, they've still managed to launch some pretty impressive online video slots. Then, in 2011, IGT sold off Barcrest to Scientific Games in a deal worth £35 million. However, Barcrest still continued to develop the games under their own name. International Game Technology (IGT) UK bought out the firm in 1998 in a deal worth £42 million as IGT aimed to gain a foothold in the European market. It was a market leader in offline machines even in the late 1990s - manufacturing and selling over 35,000 in 1997 alone - but attracted the gaze of a much bigger fish. Like a much-loved toy being passed down to new children, Barcrest has experienced various takeovers in recent years. These motherboard cards allowed for more innovative 'skill-based' features on fruit machines in cafes and arcades (think Trail Bonuses and 'board games'-style rounds). Innovation followed through the 1980s as the developer's fruities were distributed across Europe and new 'MPU' machines appeared. About BarcrestĮstablished in Manchester, England, in 1968, Barcrest started out producing machines for bingo clubs, arcades and pubs, and quickly became the UK's biggest fruit machine manufacturer. The Manchester-born machine manufacturer has been providing games for decades, and even thought the firm has changed hands once or twice during its lifetime, it still churns out some excellent online slots for the masses. If you've played a fruit machine in a British amusement arcade or cafe in the past 25 years, chances are it was developed by Barcrest.

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