Relax Gaming
Relax Gaming is a Malta studio with two distinct identities: it makes original high-volatility slots, most famously the Money Train series, and it operates an aggregation platform that distributes third-party slot content through a single casino integration. The Money Train series is the studio's strongest contribution to the slot market, featuring a respin-mechanic at extreme volatility with maximum win potential well into the five-figure multiplier range. Dream Drop is its progressive jackpot network. The aggregation side means the Relax Gaming section of a casino lobby can contain titles from many different studios alongside the originals.
Key takeaways
- What it makes: extreme high-volatility original slots (Money Train series, Hellcatraz) plus a third-party aggregation platform that distributes content from partner studios.
- Flagship games: Money Train 2, Money Train 3, Money Train 4, Temple Tumble, and Hellcatraz; the Money Train series defines the studio's reputation.
- Dream Drop jackpots: Relax Gaming's progressive jackpot network contributes a portion of qualifying bets across multiple titles to five prize tiers, with the Mega tier paid out at least once per month.
- Volatility warning: the Money Train series is extreme-high variance; most sessions end without a significant win, and the buy feature costs up to 100x stake.
- RTP note: Money Train titles typically publish 96.4%; the buy-feature version may carry a slightly different certified RTP depending on the casino build.
Relax Gaming games we've reviewed
- Money Train 4 96.5% RTP Read review
- Hellcatraz 96.46% RTP Read review
- Money Train 2 96.4% RTP Read review
- Temple Tumble 96.25% RTP Read review
- Money Train 96.2% RTP Read review
- Money Train 3 96.1% RTP Read review
The studio’s two functions
Relax Gaming occupies an unusual position: it is both a game developer with a strong original catalogue and an aggregation platform that distributes other studios’ content. Most players encounter it through the Money Train series and may not realise the Relax Gaming lobby section at their casino also contains titles from partner studios that Relax distributes but did not make.
That distinction matters when evaluating quality. The core Relax original titles have a consistent standard. The aggregated partner titles vary, just as they do in any distribution network. When playing a Relax Gaming-labelled game for the first time, the in-game credits identify whether it is a Relax original or a partner title.
How the Money Train bonus works
The Bonus Express respin mechanic is the reason the Money Train series has the reputation it does. The bonus round starts with three respins and a mostly empty grid. Each Money symbol that lands locks into place and resets the counter to three. If no Money symbol lands on a respin, the counter decreases. When the counter reaches zero, the round ends.
The locked symbols carry values and abilities. The Collector gathers the cash values of all other symbols in its row or column. The Payer distributes its own value to adjacent symbols. The Sniper targets the highest-value symbol and multiples it. The Necromancer respawns symbols that have already paid. When multiple character types land near each other, their abilities interact, multiplying outcomes across the grid.
The extreme maximum wins on Money Train titles come from full-board scenarios where high-value collector and multiplier characters interact across many locked positions. Those sequences are rare; the bonus round more commonly resolves with two to six locked symbols and a modest win. That gap between the typical outcome and the maximum is what defines extreme volatility.
Temple Tumble and Hellcatraz as alternatives
Temple Tumble is a cascade-based slot set in a collapsing temple. Reels are replaced by a waterfall of symbols; winning combinations clear and new symbols fall from above. Free spins introduce multipliers that increase with each cascade step. It is a high-volatility game with a more traditional feel than Money Train, and it attracts players who want the Relax standard without the complexity of the respin mechanic.
Hellcatraz is set in a prison and uses a grid that fills with locking wilds during the bonus round. Each locked wild adds a multiplier to the board total, and the round ends when the grid is full. The maximum win is lower than Money Train but still at the extreme end of what licensed casinos offer. Hellcatraz is a better fit for players who find the Money Train character-ability system hard to follow but still want very high volatility.
Dream Drop: the monthly-guaranteed jackpot
Dream Drop’s defining feature is the Mega tier’s monthly guarantee. Unlike progressives that run until a winner hits the qualifying combination, the Dream Drop Mega jackpot must pay out by the end of each calendar month regardless of pool size. That creates a predictable reset cycle.
For players tracking jackpot timing, this matters. In the final days of a month where the Mega has not yet paid, the pool has had the full month to accumulate. That is not a beatable edge, because the timing of the trigger within the remaining window is random, but it does mean the Mega payout at month-end is larger than at month-start. Base-game return on jackpot-participating titles is slightly reduced by the pool contribution, which is worth knowing before comparing Dream Drop titles to non-jackpot versions.
Aggregation platform: what it means for players
The Relax Gaming aggregation platform integrates third-party studio content into a single feed for casino operators. From a player’s perspective, this means a casino that uses the Relax platform can offer a wide range of studios through one lobby section. The operational benefit is lower integration cost for the casino; the player benefit is a broader catalogue without multiple separate integrations.
The aggregated titles are not Relax originals. They have their own RTP certifications, volatility profiles, and studio quality levels. Using the Relax platform for delivery does not change the underlying game maths. Checking the credited studio and the in-game RTP applies to aggregated titles exactly as it would to any other game.
Where to play Relax Gaming titles
The Money Train series and Temple Tumble are widely available at licensed operators including offshore and crypto-friendly casinos. Casinos on the crypto casinos and fast-payout casinos pages include operators carrying the full Relax catalogue with verified payout records.
Money Train games carry real financial risk. The buy feature costs up to 100x stake for direct bonus access; most sessions will not produce a significant win. Set a hard session limit before you start. Free, confidential support is available from GamCare and Gambling Therapy.
Frequently asked questions
Are Relax Gaming slots rigged?
No. Relax Gaming holds licences from the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission, and all titles are independently certified. The extreme variance of the Money Train series is a documented feature of the maths; a bonus round that produces a very large win requires a specific combination of character interactions that is rare by design. The long-run RTP is certified; reaching it in practice requires a very large sample of spins, which is what high-volatility maths describe.
Who owns Relax Gaming?
Relax Gaming is privately held and operates independently. It is not part of the Evolution group. The studio is headquartered in Malta and holds MGA and UK Gambling Commission licences. It runs both its original content development arm and an aggregation platform that distributes third-party studio content to casino operators under a single integration.
What is the best Relax Gaming slot?
Money Train 2 is the studio's most-played and most-referenced title. Its Bonus Express respin mechanic, with locking character symbols that interact during the bonus round, produces the extreme wins the series is known for. Hellcatraz and Temple Tumble are the next most played, both high-volatility but with simpler bonus structures. Which is best depends on how much complexity you want in the bonus round.
What is the Money Train mechanic?
The Money Train bonus starts with three respins and a mostly empty grid. Each Money symbol that lands locks in place and resets the counter to three. Locked symbols carry cash values and character abilities: the Collector gathers values from its row or column, the Payer distributes its value to adjacent symbols, the Sniper multiplies the highest-value symbol. When multiple characters land near each other their abilities interact, which is where the extreme multiplier sequences originate. When respins run out, all locked values are combined and the multiplier applied.
What RTP does Money Train 2 have?
Money Train 2 publishes 96.4%. Some casinos run a lower certified build; confirm the figure in the game's information panel before you play. The RTP is reached across a combination of base-game pay and rare large bonus events. Sessions without a bonus round will typically end below the RTP, which is the expected experience on an extreme-high-variance game, not an indication the maths are wrong.
What is the Dream Drop jackpot?
Dream Drop is Relax Gaming's multi-tier progressive network with five tiers: Rapid, Mini, Midi, Maxi, and Mega. The Mega jackpot is guaranteed to pay at least once per calendar month, so the pool resets monthly rather than accumulating indefinitely. The Rapid tier pays frequently at low values; the Mega pays less often but at higher amounts. A portion of each qualifying bet feeds the prize pool rather than the base-game RTP, so effective non-jackpot return on participating titles is slightly below the headline figure.