Buck Stakes Entertainment Slot Games & Demos
8 Golden Skulls Of Holly Roger
Betty's Big Bonanza
9 Skulls of Gold
8 Golden Skulls of Holly Roger MEGAWAYS
Money Mines
4 Diamond Blues – Megaways
About Buck Stakes Entertainment
Durban, South Africa is not where most people expect a slot studio to be born, but then Buck Stakes Entertainment has never been particularly interested in doing what is expected.
Founded in 2021 and operating exclusively through Games Global, the studio was assembled almost entirely from veterans of Derivco, one of the most significant development houses in the iGaming industry.
Chief Product Officer Janine Lusted brought over a decade of Derivco and Microgaming experience to the table, having worked across slots, table games, live dealer products, and more before helping to build Buck Stakes from the ground up. The rest of the core team followed a similar path, combining deep technical expertise with a genuine passion for making games that feel different.
That ambition to do something different is the through-line across the entire catalogue. Their debut, 8 Golden Skulls of Holly Roger Megaways, arrived in 2021 with all the firepower of a Megaways engine firing on full cylinders. Up to 117,649 ways to win, Rolling Reels, Mystery Symbols, Firepot jackpots, and a Bonus Wheel loaded with free spin multipliers made it a statement of intent from a studio nobody had heard of yet. The max win sits at 19,000x and the RTP at 96.86%, setting a high bar for what followed.
What followed was arguably even more interesting. Betty’s Big Bonanza introduced the studio’s own Love To Win No Loss mechanic, an original feature that ensures non-winning spins are never truly dead. Every spin without a win collects heart tokens instead, which accumulate towards milestone rewards that unlock spins on the Big Bonanza Wheel. It is a genuinely clever piece of design rooted in player psychology, making each spin feel meaningful regardless of outcome. The 1950s drive-in diner setting, jazz-tinged soundtrack, and roller-skating waitresses gave it a visual identity that stood out sharply in a lobby full of generic themes.
The portfolio also stretches beyond traditional slots. The FlyX series brings crash-style gameplay with multipliers that climb until they crash, with a max payout of 10,000x and an RTP around 97%. The Mega Money Wheel series offers a wheel-of-fortune format with VIP variants for higher-stakes players. 4 Diamond Blues Megaways and 9 Skulls of Gold round out a catalogue that is compact but consistently punches above its weight.
Volatility across the range sits predominantly in the high bracket, with RTPs hovering around 96% to 96.86%, and all titles fully optimised across desktop, mobile, and tablet through the Games Global platform.
“Buck Stakes are a studio that clearly have a lot of talent behind them. The Megaways debut was strong but Betty’s Big Bonanza is the one that really got my attention. That Love To Win mechanic is a genuinely smart idea and it shows a team thinking about players rather than just mechanics. Good stuff from a studio still very much on the rise.” Mark, Content Editor
“Really enjoyed the Buck Stakes catalogue. The pirate Megaways game is a lot of fun and Betty’s Big Bonanza has this really satisfying feel where you never feel like you’re spinning into nothing. Decent games from a studio worth keeping tabs on.” Aisley, Streamer
FAQs
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Durban, South Africa? That is not a typical home for a slot studio.
Not at all, and that is part of what makes Buck Stakes interesting. Founded in 2021 by a tight-knit team of former Derivco veterans, the studio brings a distinctly South African perspective to games distributed across the global Games Global network. -
What is the Love To Win No Loss mechanic?
It is Buck Stakes’ own original feature introduced in Betty’s Big Bonanza. Rather than a non-winning spin simply disappearing, it collects heart tokens instead. Accumulate enough and you unlock spins on the Big Bonanza Wheel, which awards cash prizes, jackpots, or free spins. Every spin contributes something, which changes how the game feels to play entirely. -
What was their debut game and is it worth playing?
Their first release, 8 Golden Skulls of Holly Roger Megaways, is still one of their best. A full Megaways engine with up to 117,649 ways to win, Rolling Reels, Mystery Symbols, Firepot jackpots, and an 19,000x max win made it a very confident introduction from a brand new studio. -
Do they make anything other than traditional slots?
Yes. The FlyX series is a crash-style game where multipliers climb until they bust, offering up to 10,000x and an RTP of around 97%. The Mega Money Wheel series takes a wheel-of-fortune format with VIP variants built for higher-stakes players. -
What volatility should I expect across the catalogue?
Predominantly high, with RTPs sitting between 96% and 96.86% across the main titles. These are not gentle, low-variance sessions, they are built for players who enjoy the chase. -
How big is the catalogue?
Still relatively small, which is actually part of the appeal. Every release has been deliberate and considered rather than rushed out to fill numbers, and that shows clearly in the quality and originality across what they have produced so far.
Mark Bowley
Head of Content
Jamie Rosen
CEO & Co-Founder