In the first episode, we briefly mentioned that Pragmatic Play appeared after the disappearance of TopGame. Today, we go back in time to show in detail what the new brand was built on and what controversies surrounded its creation.
⏳ From TopGame to Pragmatic Play- continuity or rebranding?
TopGame operated from the late 2000s and became infamous in the industry for:
Missing jackpots-over $6.4 million in winnings that were never paid out.
Numerous “technical problems” in games -glitches that always, by coincidence, worked against the player.
Partnerships with operators of poor reputation, often running without a license or under licenses from tax havens.
In 2015, TopGame suddenly disappeared from the market. Shortly after, Pragmatic Play emerged-with a new logo, new branding, but… the same technological core, parts of the same staff, and a very similar game catalog.
🕵️♂️ Technology with a past
An analysis of Pragmatic Play’s early games revealed:
Identical audio files and graphic elements as in TopGame titles.
The same mathematical models and RTP distributions in multiple games.
A server structure indicating that parts of TopGame’s infrastructure had simply been renamed, not rebuilt from scratch.
In practice, this meant the “new” provider did not arise from innovation – it was the continuation of an existing operation under a fresh name.
⚠️ Controversies from day one
In its very first months, Pragmatic Play faced allegations of:
Inheriting TopGame’s client portfolio and continuing to work with casinos that were already blacklisted in the industry.
Ignoring unresolved disputes over unpaid winnings from the TopGame era- claiming it was “a different company.”
Using rebranding as a way to distance itself from a bad reputation without changing actual business practices.
📄 Lack of licensing transparency
At launch, Pragmatic Play secured licenses in less restrictive jurisdictions, avoiding markets with strong regulatory oversight. This effectively meant:
No obligation to publish detailed financial reports.
Minimal requirements for independent game audits.
Freedom to partner with virtually any operator-including those previously involved in scandals.
📌 Coming up in the series
In Part 3 of Pragmatic Files, we will look into specific personal and technological links between TopGame and Pragmatic Play-including game code analysis and recurring “bugs” that somehow survived the “rebranding.”
💬 Your story matters
if you have evidence or memories from the TopGame days, they can help complete the picture of this transformation.
