How online slots are attracting gamers, as well as gamblers

The slot machine has been a mainstay of casinos, arcades, pubs and even motorway service areas for as long as we can remember.

In fact, up until fairly recently, you would be likely to see one in your local chippy or kebab shop, too. To the untrained eye, they might look more or less the same as ever. A cacophony of sound, flashing lights and spinning reels that is, perhaps, quick to swallow your coins but more reluctant to spit any out.

Looks, however, can be deceptive. While spinning reels are still an important part of a slots based game, there is far more to them today, meaning that they are attracting a whole new audience, for whom the lure of a win is incidental to the fun of an engaging game.

From themes to story arcs

For the past 20 or so years, slot machines have had different themes to them. Back in the late 20^th century, the only real difference between a slot machine based on Star Wars and one based on The Simpsons would be the music, the artwork and perhaps some bespoke aspect to a bonus game, such as Homer Simpson having to pick from a choice of donut boxes. Other than that, it was the same old story of spinning the reels and hoping for a match.

Today, the complexity of the games has increased dramatically. Take a look at a game like Book of Ra Deluxe as a case in point. Set in Ancient Egypt, it requires players to guide an adventurer through secret tombs and unravel their mysteries. It is a game that rapidly draws you in, and the most fascinating thing of all is that it stands up for itself and is just as enjoyable to play as a free game, without wagering money. Of course, the possibility of a big win adds a little extra excitement, however.

Appealing to a wider audience

The arrival of the mobile era has changed gaming in plenty of ways. There are more platforms, more choice and crucially, more gamers. The image of the gamer as some sort of teenage nerd has been left well behind in the 1980s, and nowhere is this more obvious than in the casino sector. After all, this is the land inhabited by the James Bonds and Danny Oceans of this world.

Even more importantly, in the mobile gaming sector, developers have got wise to the fact that the largest part of their client base is female. This is another stereotype-buster, and it is the reason that TVs have been full of slots style games aimed squarely at the female market. Examples include the ever-popular Starburst, Cleopatra, Golden Goddess and countless others.

Greater evolution is coming

The slots landscape, particularly online, but also in the casinos and arcades, is at an exciting stage of evolution, and not just because of our obsession with our smartphones and technology. Recent legislative changes in Nevada mean that slots no longer have to be 96 percent down to chance and are now permitted to be more skill-based than they used to be. This means game developers can really start to make the most of the bonus rounds and the story side of their slot games, to the extent that those spinning reels will ultimately be the side show, not the main event.

Why is this relevant to us in Warrington? Well, Nevada is the casino capital of the world, and it will only be a matter of time before the machines that are already starting to appear along the strip will be commonplace all across the world.

 

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