WMS has one of the oldest pedigrees of any company that is still active in the casino industry today. From their roots as the Williams Manufacturing Company, which was founded in 1943, they have become a leading supplier of pinball machines, arcade and video games (through their Midway Games division), and finally in the gaming industry through a subsidiary first known as Williams Gaming, and now referred to as WMS Gaming.

Today, WMS produces a wide variety of products for land-based clients, from slot machine cabinets that feature a variety of licensed properties – many of which are licensed out to casinos rather than sold to them outright – to video poker games and video terminals for state-run lotteries in the United States and elsewhere. But while the US market may still be their bread and butter, the brand has expanded well beyond their American roots, and in 2012 the company expanded to online and mobile gaming, a move that brought their games to the UK and many other jurisdictions.

One of WMS’ major contributions to the gaming industry was a move away from generic themes in slot machines. They were an innovator in the world of bonus rounds with their famous Reel ‘em In machine, and then started grabbing up properties that they could use for licensed slots, starting with the popular board game Monopoly.

Today, much of their success in the online gambling industry is thanks to these licensed games. WMS has a large portfolio of machines that their clients can offer on their sites, but the most popular tend to be those that are based on famous celebrities, movies, or board games. While they may not have the widest range of such games, this is still the firm that innovated in this area, and they are one of the main reasons why so many other developers also offer these games today.

In most markets, WMS is essentially known exclusively for their slots games, but you might look at that as a strength, as they provide an excellent complement to more rounded solutions from other providers. Some of the best examples of great machines in their collection today include the including:

KISS: Based on one of the most popular rock and roll bands in the world, KISS is a port from a very similar game that was first offered in US casinos. This five-reel slot features 100 paylines, including many on what is called the “colossal reel set,” a 12-by-5 layout that gives players a seemingly endless number of ways to win. The background music, look, and symbols (including Gene Simmons’ infamous tongue) will all be familiar to fans of the band.

The Wizard of Oz: Is there any film that has become more beloved by several generations of fans than this one? In the Wizard of Oz machine, You’ll be matching classic symbols like ruby red slippers, tornados, and one flying house across 30 lines of five-reel action. There are also several thematic bonus rounds, like the Flying Monkeys that bring free spins and a Road to Emerald City special feature. If you love the film, it’s worth pointing out that this developer has also created two other games based on this property: Wizard of Oz: Ruby Slippers and Wizard of Oz: Wicked Riches.

Bruce Lee: The life of the most famous martial artist of all time is the subject of this game (as well as a second, more complex slot, Bruce Lee: Dragon’s Tale). The game uses a unique format: there are five reels and 60 paylines, but the first two reels only feature two symbols each, while there are four locations on the final three. Lee himself is the wild symbol for this game, while there are three different ways to trigger a free spins bonus.

Reel ‘em In: With all of the big name games you can play on WMS sites, it’s easy to forget about what might be the provider’s biggest hit of all time: Reel ‘em In! While the fishing theme may not feel that special today, it’s important to remember that the use of bonus rounds on a video slot (or any machine, really) was a major innovation back in 1996. Find a few lure symbols, and you’ll get to play in the special fishing contest feature round, while players will also have the chance to play for local progressive jackpots if they can catch the biggest fish.

As we’ve already pointed out, WMS has a long track record of success and quality products in the land-based industry. We mean this not only looking back on their decades of work in casinos, but also in their video games and pinball operations: the kinds of entertainment products that clearly laid the groundwork for innovating on slot machines as well. It’s little surprise that this was a developer that was able to bring new life to slots, since they were approaching the industry from an entirely different direction.

But for all of their brick-and-mortar success, the company has just as little history when it comes to providing service to online gambling sites. This has impacted their market penetration somewhat, as they aren’t nearly as popular as some of the devoted Internet-only firms or their land-based competitors like IGT that jumped into the virtual gambling world a bit earlier. There are still plenty of sites that offer their games, of course, including some big brands in the UK – but it’s not quite the diversity of options you’ll see for some other providers.

Still, we don’t think this should dissuade you from playing their games. It’s clear that WMS has one of the best selections of intellectual properties when it comes to their slots lineup, and while they can’t boast a particularly impressive set of table games or video poker choices, they usually aren’t tasked with supplying every game to casino sites: instead, their excellent offerings are included as part of a wider package that includes options from several providers. If any of the developer’s games look interesting to you, we can recommend a number of excellent sites where you can play their wonderful titles today.