Light & Wonder at a Glance
- Current name
- Light & Wonder, adopted in 2022
- Former name
- Scientific Games
- Headquarters
- Las Vegas area, Nevada, United States
- Listing
- Australian Securities Exchange, listed in 2022
- Leadership
- Matt Wilson, CEO
- Main businesses
- Land-based gaming machines and table games, SciPlay social casino games and online content
- Known brands
- Bally, WMS, Shuffle Master
- Known in Australia for
- Game families such as Huff N' Puff
Company Background
Light & Wonder's history goes back further than its name suggests. One of its predecessor businesses, Automatic Totalisators Limited, was founded in Australia in 1917 and later became Autotote in the United States. In 2000, Autotote acquired a lottery company called Scientific Games and adopted that name the following year.
Over the next two decades, Scientific Games grew through major acquisitions in the gaming machine industry, including:
- WMS Industries in 2013
- Bally Technologies in 2014
- NYX Gaming Group, an online gaming supplier, announced in 2017
In 2021, the company agreed to sell its lottery and sports betting businesses. The lottery business kept the Scientific Games name, and in 2022 the remaining gaming company rebranded as Light & Wonder. It listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in 2022 and is led by CEO Matt Wilson.
What Light & Wonder Is Known For
Gaming Machines
Light & Wonder designs gaming machines and games for casinos, clubs and pubs. Its catalogue builds on the Bally and WMS brands, which have long histories in land-based gaming. Machines in Australian venues must be approved by state and territory regulators before they can be installed. See How Do Slot Machines Work?
Huff N' Puff and Link Games
In Australia and New Zealand, Light & Wonder is known for game families such as Huff N' Puff, including linked versions in its Lock N' More Link series. Like many modern venue games, these combine base-game features with linked jackpot prizes. See Slot Bonus Features Explained and Progressive Jackpots Explained.
Table Games and Shufflers
Through the Shuffle Master brand, the company supplies card shufflers and table games to casinos, including variants of roulette, baccarat and blackjack.
Social Casino Games
Its SciPlay business makes social casino apps, such as Jackpot Party Casino and Quick Hit Slots, which are played with virtual coins. Those coins cannot be cashed out, but extra coins can usually be bought with real money. See Demo Slots Explained for the difference between demos and social casino apps.
Light & Wonder in Australia
Australia and New Zealand are an important market for the company. In 2025, Light & Wonder said that six of its 16 land-based game studios were dedicated to the Australian market, and it showcases new game families for local venues at events such as the Australasian Gaming Expo in Sydney.
Pokies in Australian venues are regulated by state and territory governments, and online casino games, including online pokies, cannot legally be offered to people in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
RTP and Volatility
Like other venue pokies, Light & Wonder machines do not usually display an RTP, and the figure can vary depending on how each machine is configured. Every gaming machine in an Australian venue must meet the minimum return set by its state or territory regulator. In New South Wales, GambleAware NSW explains that machines are required to return 85% to 92% of all money bet over their lifetime. See Pokies RTP Explained.
Linked jackpot games set aside part of their return for rare, large prizes. See Slot Volatility Explained.
Light & Wonder Games We Review
We do not currently review individual Light & Wonder games. For similar venue-style games, see our reviews of Aristocrat's Lightning Link and Dragon Link, and browse all titles in our Slot Game Reviews.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- Long history, with well-known brands such as Bally, WMS and Shuffle Master
- Large investment in games for Australian and New Zealand venues
- Wide product range, from machines to table games
- Listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
Weaknesses
- Venue machines do not usually display their RTP
- Linked jackpot games concentrate value in rare events
- Social casino apps involve buying virtual coins that cannot be cashed out
- Settings can vary between venues, making games harder to compare
Playing Responsibly
No manufacturer makes machines that are more likely to pay on any given spin. If you choose to play, take only your session budget in cash, set a time limit and stop when you reach either. Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.