We have already mentioned that IGT is the company that brought us Cleopatra and Pharaoh's Fortune, but those are just two of the titles in a list of games that reads like a Who's Who of online classics. Whilst online gaming is, of course, one of IGT's most important interests, the company also works across other industry channels and is involved in everything from the creation and manufacture of gaming machines to social gaming projects and the operation of lotteries. The company, which now employs more than 12,000 staff, is headquartered in the UK, but also has operating headquarters in Italy, Nevada and Rhode Island. It had already created a Wheel of Fortune progressive jackpot slot for the traditional casino world, so when online gaming was born, it knew exactly how to set itself apart from other early online developers. IGT was a huge success from the outset, so by the time the internet brought with it the prospect of online gaming, the company was very well placed to lead the way. That company eventually became International Game Technology in 1981, and its focus at the time was the manufacture of slot and video poker machines for the casino industry. IGT's roots go right back to the mid-1970s when American businessman William Redd founded a company called A1-Supply.
