If Pragmatic Play wanted to make a splash in the UK, it has certainly created waves with its exclusive Big Bass launch on Ladbrokes Coral...
Don't worry, that's it for the fishing/sea-related puns. Except, perhaps, for one or two.
Indeed, Global Gaming Insider was at Ladbrokes Farringdon this week as parent company Entain officially launched Big Bass slots in its shops - a game series that has taken the unusual route of succeeding online first and then finding its way into retail.
The deal with supplier Pragmatic Play sees exclusive rights to all Big Bass titles (including Bonanza, Splash, Hold & Spinner) across the operator's 2,700 UK shops.
Big Bass Splash is Entain's top-performing UK online slot this year, with the wider series having debuted in 2020. Its retail debut will be supported with in-shop promotions and tailored marketing campaigns.
Irina Cornides, Pragmatic Play COO, said: "We're delighted to further strengthen our relationship with Entain and bring our Big Bass titles to Ladbrokes and Coral shops throughout the UK.
"This retail rollout demonstrates the enduring appeal of the Big Bass brand and our ability to deliver engaging experiences across channels."
Online performance and retail rollout
Adam Goodall, Head of UK Slots and Table Games at Entain, and Albert Pesca, VP of Country Management, Arrise, joined Global Gaming Insider to talk through the mechanics of the launch.
Fishing-themed games are "hugely popular" in the UK, with Big Bass titles consistently ranking in the top 20 games for Ladbrokes and Coral.
For Q3, six of Ladbrokes and Coral's top online slots 50 were Big Bass titles - hence the logic behind an omnichannel expansion.
The first game to launch this month is Big Bass Bonanza, with Big Bass Splash following in early Q2 2026.
A further four games are planned, with six titles in total being made available over the next two years.
What was the process like going from online to retail?
Goodall told us: "We knew that, online, Pragmatic's Big Bass series of games is a hugely popular series with a loyal following. Before this release, Pragmatic content wasn't available in any sports betting retail shops - a real surprise given their strength online.
"There was work needed to build the first game to work on our betting terminals; we've worked closely with Pragmatic Play to really bring this first game to life, and it's great to see the fantastic results live."
Pesca told us that a retail launch allows players to "enjoy the same well-loved games wherever they choose to play, strengthening the franchise and enhancing the overall player journey and, of course, deepening Pragmatic's partnership with Entain."
He concluded that bringing Big Bass into retail felt like "the natural next step."
Together, Entain and Pragmatic Play will hope they've caught the big fish. I did say there might be a fishing pun left in me...
Ladbrokes and Coral, who merged in 2016 and are now Entain-owned brands, have been working with Pragmatic Play since 2019
