If you’re looking for a modern fruit machine for a pub, club or licensed venue, you’ll quickly come across some familiar names.
Blueprint Gaming, Innov8 Gaming, Reflex Gaming and Inspired Entertainment are all established names in the UK gaming-machine market, but their machines aren’t all the same.
The cabinet is different. The screens can be different. The technology is different. And perhaps most importantly, the games available on the machine can be completely different.
For a pub owner, that can make choosing a machine more complicated than simply asking which manufacturer is the best.
In this guide, we’ll look at some of the main manufacturers and machines available to UK venues, explain the differences between them and highlight some of the games customers may recognise.
We’ll also look at why the games themselves can be just as important as the cabinet when deciding which machine is right for your venue.
What is a Category C fruit machine?
Most traditional pubs looking to install a gaming machine will be looking at Category C machines.
Category C machines are the type of gaming machines commonly found in pubs and other qualifying alcohol-licensed premises.
Under current Gambling Commission rules, a qualifying pub can generally make up to two Category C or D machines available after making the required notification to its local licensing authority.
Category C machines currently have a maximum stake of £1 per play and a maximum prize of £100.
Category C machines are also restricted to players aged 18 and over.
Why does the manufacturer matter?
A modern fruit machine isn’t simply a box with some reels inside it.
Today’s machines can combine:
• Large high-definition screens
• Touchscreen menus
• Multi-game platforms
• Remote game updates
• Modern note and coin handling
• Cashless and contactless payment technology
• Jackpot and bonus features
• Remote machine monitoring
• Different cabinet sizes and designs
But the biggest difference for many customers is the game content.
A player who walks into a pub and recognises a game they’ve played before may choose that machine because of the game, not because they know who manufactured the cabinet.
That’s why it is worth looking beyond the manufacturer and asking what games are actually available.
Blueprint Gaming
Blueprint Gaming is one of the most recognisable names in UK gaming content.
It has built a large portfolio of slot games, including several titles and game families that many UK players will recognise.
Diamond Leisure currently supplies a number of Blueprint Category C pub machines, including:
• Blueprint Velocity
• Blueprint Alpha Curve
• Blueprint Alphamax
• Blueprint Ultramax
Popular Blueprint games
One of Blueprint’s best-known game families is undoubtedly Fishin’ Frenzy.
The original Fishin’ Frenzy has developed into a wider family of games, with versions including Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Catch, Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Catch and Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish.
Blueprint continues to release new Fishin’ Frenzy titles, including UK-specific releases.
Other recognisable Blueprint titles include:
• Fishin’ Frenzy
• Fishin’ Frenzy The Big Catch
• Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Catch
• Fishin’ Frenzy Even Bigger Fish
• Eye of Horus
• King Kong Cash
• Red Hot Catch
Blueprint’s machines can provide access to a range of its established gaming content, with the exact games depending on the particular machine and current content configuration.
For a venue where customers already recognise Blueprint titles, having familiar games available can be an important consideration.
The important thing to remember is that not every Blueprint machine has exactly the same games, so it’s worth asking which cabinet and game menu is being supplied.
Innov8 Gaming
Innov8 is a UK gaming manufacturer and game-development company that designs its gaming content in-house.
Its range includes Category C pub machines such as:
• iSlot
• Illusion Pub
• Razor Pub
• Edge
• Edge Plus
• Stellar
Diamond Leisure currently supplies the Innov8 iSlot and Innov8 Illusion as part of its Category C pub-machine range.
The Illusion Pub is particularly distinctive, using a large 43-inch 4K display and touchscreen interface.
Popular Innov8 games
Innov8 has developed its own portfolio of games.
Examples include:
• Show Time
• Piranha Pat
• Razzle Dazzle Deluxe
• Holy Grail
• Double Dragon
Piranha Pat is an interesting example because it uses a fishing theme, with a sticky-fish free-spins feature.
Show Time is another example, combining a Wheel of Fortune feature, free spins, cash prizes and its Strike It Lucky feature.
This demonstrates an important point: two machines can both offer fishing-themed games, but the actual game, features and manufacturer can be completely different.
Reflex Gaming
Reflex Gaming is another major UK manufacturer of gaming machines and gaming content.
Its current range includes modern digital cabinets such as:
• Reflex Cyclone
• Game Pro
• Game Master 2
It also produces analogue gaming machines for the UK market.
Diamond Leisure currently supplies the Reflex Cyclone as part of its Category C pub range.
Popular Reflex games
Reflex’s Game Master 2 uses its Phoenix game menu, which contains a range of games including Big Game Fishing with Gamble+.
The machine supports multistake play at 25p, 50p and £1, with a £100 jackpot in its Category C configuration.
Reflex also has other digital and community-style content across its wider range, with content being updated remotely through its technology platform.
Reflex can therefore be particularly interesting for venues looking for modern cabinets combined with regularly refreshed digital content.
Inspired Entertainment
Inspired Entertainment is another major name in the UK gaming market and is particularly relevant when discussing pub machines.
Its Vantage Category C cabinet was specifically developed for the Category C market and uses Inspired’s server-based gaming platform.
Diamond Leisure currently supplies the Inspired Vantage as part of its Category C pub-machine range.
The Vantage platform is designed to provide access to a large library of gaming content, with games able to be updated and delivered remotely.
Popular Inspired and Bell-Fruit games
This is where Cops ‘n’ Robbers comes in.
Cops ‘n’ Robbers is an Inspired Entertainment / Bell-Fruit game franchise.
It is one of the recognisable game families associated with Bell-Fruit’s gaming content.
There are several versions and variations, including:
• Cops ‘n’ Robbers Big Money
• Cops ‘n’ Robbers Bigger Big Money
• Cops ‘n’ Robbers Bigger Big Money Christmas
• Cops ‘n’ Robbers Big Money Trick or Treat
Other Inspired content includes titles and game families such as:
• Gold Cash Free Spins
• Golden Winner
• Big Big Fishing Fortune
• Wolf It Up!
• Bigger Piggy Bank
• Cash Bank
Inspired has continued to expand its gaming content, including new releases and additional versions of established game mechanics.
Blueprint vs Innov8 vs Reflex vs Inspired
Blueprint
Machines: Velocity, Alpha Curve, Alphamax, Ultramax
Examples of games: Fishin’ Frenzy, Eye of Horus, King Kong Cash, Red Hot Catch
Key difference: A large portfolio of established UK gaming content and recognisable game families.
Innov8
Machines: iSlot, Illusion, Razor, Edge, Stellar
Examples of games: Show Time, Piranha Pat, Holy Grail, Double Dragon, Razzle Dazzle Deluxe
Key difference: In-house game development and remotely updated content.
Reflex
Machines: Cyclone, Game Master 2, Game Pro
Examples of games: Big Game Fishing and other Reflex/Phoenix content
Key difference: UK-developed hardware and gaming content with its own technology platform.
Inspired
Machines: Vantage
Examples of games: Cops ‘n’ Robbers, Gold Cash Free Spins, Golden Winner, Big Big Fishing Fortune, Wolf It Up!
Key difference: A large server-based content library including Inspired and Bell-Fruit games.
Why can the games matter more than the cabinet?
Imagine two modern fruit machines sitting next to each other in a pub.
One has a huge screen and impressive lighting, but the customer doesn’t recognise any of the games.
The other has a slightly more conventional cabinet but features a game the customer already knows and enjoys.
The second machine may attract more play.
That’s why choosing a fruit machine shouldn’t be based purely on:
• Screen size
• Cabinet appearance
• Manufacturer name
• How new the machine is
The game selection can be just as important.
A customer who specifically likes Fishin’ Frenzy may look for a Blueprint machine.
Another customer may recognise Cops ‘n’ Robbers and prefer an Inspired/Bell-Fruit machine.
Someone else may prefer a particular Reflex or Innov8 game.
This is why an experienced supplier should be able to discuss the actual content on the machine rather than simply saying, “This is a Blueprint” or “This is a Reflex.”
Fishing games are a good example
Fishing-themed games are a particularly good example of how different manufacturers can approach a similar theme.
Blueprint has its well-known Fishin’ Frenzy franchise.
Innov8 has Piranha Pat, which uses a fishing theme and sticky-fish free spins.
Reflex offers Big Game Fishing with Gamble+.
Inspired has produced Big Big Fishing Fortune as part of its wider content portfolio.
They’re all fishing-themed games, but they’re not the same game and they come from different developers and platforms.
For a pub owner, this demonstrates why simply asking whether a machine has “fishing games” isn’t enough.
You need to know which game is actually on the machine.
Digital or traditional reel machine?
The manufacturer is only one part of the decision.
You also need to decide whether a modern digital machine or a traditional reel-based machine is more appropriate for your venue.
Digital machines can offer:
• Multiple games
• Large screens
• Touchscreen menus
• Modern graphics
• Remote content updates
• Multiple game themes
• Modern payment and cash-handling technology
They can be particularly suitable for modern pubs, sports bars and venues where the machine needs to stand out.
Traditional reel-based machines provide a more familiar fruit-machine experience.
Some customers prefer the physical reels and straightforward layout because it feels familiar.
They can work particularly well in traditional pubs and clubs where customers have used similar machines for many years.
The important thing is to match the style of machine to the customers who actually use your venue.
Does the newest machine always perform best?
Not necessarily.
A brand-new cabinet isn’t automatically the right choice for every venue.
Customer preferences, game familiarity, machine position and the overall environment can all influence performance.
A machine in the right location with games customers enjoy can be more suitable than an impressive-looking cabinet placed somewhere customers rarely see.
This is why Diamond Leisure looks at the individual venue rather than installing exactly the same machine everywhere.
What should you consider before choosing a machine?
1. Your customers
Think about who uses your venue.
A traditional local pub may have very different gaming preferences from a busy town-centre sports bar.
2. The games
Ask exactly which games are available on the machine.
Don’t simply ask which manufacturer made it.
3. The cabinet
Consider the size, visibility, screen configuration and overall appearance.
4. The position
A machine should be visible and accessible without obstructing customers, staff or important walkways.
5. Reliability
A machine that isn’t working cannot entertain customers or generate income.
Find out who is responsible for maintenance and how quickly faults are dealt with.
6. Updates
Ask whether games can be updated remotely and how often new content becomes available.
7. Payment technology
Modern machines can use advanced note and coin handling and may be compatible with additional payment technology.
Ask your supplier which payment options are available on the particular machine.
8. Machine rotation
Customer preferences change.
Ask your supplier what happens if the machine isn’t performing as expected or a different game mix becomes more appropriate.
Which machines does Diamond Leisure supply?
Diamond Leisure currently advertises a range of Category C pub machines from Blueprint, Reflex, Inspired and Innov8.
The current advertised range includes:
• Blueprint Velocity
• Blueprint Alpha Curve
• Blueprint Alphamax
• Blueprint Ultramax
• Reflex Cyclone
• Inspired Vantage
• Innov8 iSlot
• Innov8 Illusion
Availability and game configurations can change, so the exact machine available for your venue will depend on current stock, content and suitability.
So which manufacturer is best?
There isn’t one manufacturer that is automatically the right choice for every pub.
Blueprint has recognisable titles such as Fishin’ Frenzy, Eye of Horus and King Kong Cash.
Innov8 has its own in-house games and platforms, including titles such as Piranha Pat and Show Time.
Reflex combines its own cabinets, content and technology, with games such as Big Game Fishing available through its digital pub platforms.
Inspired offers a broad server-based content library, including the well-known Bell-Fruit Cops ‘n’ Robbers franchise.
The right choice depends on the combination of games, cabinet, technology, reliability and customer preference that suits your particular venue.
Need help choosing the right fruit machine?
Diamond Leisure supplies, installs and maintains commercial gaming machines for pubs, clubs and licensed venues across the North West.
We can look at your venue, available space, customer profile and existing entertainment before recommending suitable equipment.
Our current Category C pub range includes machines from Blueprint, Innov8, Reflex and Inspired, giving venues access to different cabinets, game libraries and styles of machine.
We can also provide flexible hire and profit-share arrangements, with installation, maintenance and ongoing support included.
Call 0333 200 3340, email info@diamondleisure.co.uk or contact Diamond Leisure online to discuss the right machine for your venue.