What Will Be The Big Developments In Slots Games In The Next 18 Months?

One area in the iGaming space that continues to evolve and advance is online slot games, with these titles consistently boasting new creative innovations from various development studios in the space.?

The worldwide online casino market size was valued at USD 17.13 billion in 2023 with an expected annual growth rate of 12% to 2030. The slots segment captured the largest revenue share, of over 63% in 2023.?

The sector however is highly competitive, arguably saturated and over-supplied, with over 20,000 games from over 800 studios competing for game time.

So what exactly can we expect to see change and improve with slot games in the next 12-18 months? From new game formats, emerging features, and even new dynamic technologies, there are a number of things that may shape the future of slot gaming.

In our latest newsletter we take a look at what we could expect to see from this dynamic sector in the near future.

30-Second Summary

• The online casino slots sector is huge with over 20,000 known titles, highly competitive, and worth USD billions in revenue worldwide annually.
• Since the first slot games 130 years ago, slots games experiences are continually advancing through the application of new technology
• Following the mobile boom of the last decade, gamification and immersive gaming are driving products and experiences
• VR, AR and blockchain technologies will play an increasing role in game development and competitive edge?
• Pragmatic Play, Tom Horn, Evoplay and Yggdrasil are among the providers that are pushing the boundaries in slots experience
• LuckyStreak's content aggregation solution offers choice, favourable pricing, convenience and speed-to-market via a single, reliable and secure API integration

First: A Potted History of Slots

Slot games have come an extremely long way since their humble beginnings.?

Back in 1895 the first-ever slot machine was born, Charles Fey’s Liberty Bell. It featured 3 reels and a single payline, and set the foundations for all other slots that would follow.

Various manufacturers continued to experiment with these physical machines. But it wasn't until the 1960s that we saw the introduction of the first-ever electro-mechanical slots , paving the way for video slots.

In the 1990s, the advent of the internet resulted in the first online casinos. Along with these came the first online slots -? digital recreations of traditional land-based slots, opening the market to a more global audience.

By the 2010s, slots could be played on all manner of devices, particularly smartphones which have driven the significant increase in the iGaming market. Branded branded slots based on intellectual properties became all the rage, seeing an explosion in themes and visuals.

Innovative mechanics emerged, most notably with the launch of the Megaways from Big Time Gaming in 2015 which completely transformed the way in which slots operated.

Now in the 2020s, we’re seeing a new significant surge thanks to gamification features such as progressive jackpots, expanding symbols, cascading reels, and cluster pays all being staples.

What To Expect From Slot Games Going Forward

We have identified a number of key trends and technologies that could potentially begin to shape the iGaming space over the next 18 months.?

As covered in our recent newsletter, one of the biggest things is gamification : a nuanced approach that sees video game-style features added to titles, like daily missions, achievements and leaderboards becoming more commonplace.

As demand grows for more immersive and interactive experiences, developers will integrate things such as mini-games and buy-bonuses, in which players could have a direct influence on the outcome. This once again ties into the whole gamification of the online slot world.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

As is the case in many areas of the industry, Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two things that are likely to have a prominent impact on slots in the near and long-term future:

• With VR specifically, this will elevate the overall immersion of slots thanks to the inclusion of 3D environments in which users can directly engage with their own digital avatars.?
• As for AR, this overlays virtual elements into players' physical world, thus blending digital slots with the real world.?
• Although both of these technologies are still in their infancy, the growth in both as well as advances in device compatibility will push developers to create such features.

Big Strides in Mobile

Despite already being widespread in online slot games, mobile optimisation will only develop further.

5G networks will continue their global roll-out and become more ubiquitous, and this can not only help games offer better graphics and more complex game mechanics, faster internet speeds will mean quicker and seamless loading.

And games developers will exercise this opportunity to the limit, striving for better experiences and that winning game.

We talked about key trends in mobile gaming in this newsletter .

Crypto and Blockchain

With crypto casino software becoming more prominent than ever, cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies will only continue their rise, and slots games will exploit this developing opportunity.?

• Cryptocurrencies are becoming more prevalent due to wider take-up and the benefits of increased privacy and less scrutiny, transaction speed, global accessibility and generally lower fees. Read more in our recent newsletter .
• Tied-in very closely are the innovative possibilities of the blockchain, providing transparent, provably fair and secure gameplay and transactions.?
• Additionally, unique in-game assets such as crypto tokens and NFTs become a possibility, tied into gamification as a whole.

Which Providers Will Be Leading Slot Developments?

Although many different game developers are likely to present their own unique slot advancements and innovations, there a few major providers that we can expect to make key developments.?

Pragmatic Play

One of these is Pragmatic Play with this team building a reputation over the years which has seen them become one of the leading providers of online slots.?

They are known for their visual expertise, diverse range of themes, mobile-first design, feature-packed gameplay experiences, and promotions and reward functionality. And they are only likely to continue broadening their market-leading offering through innovation.

Tom Horn

Another name likely to make major strides in the world of online slots in the coming months is Tom Horn Gaming , with this team having already gained a lot of recognition for its unique designs and experimental game features.?

Already adding various elements of customisation into their releases, Tom Horn is positioned to push interactive features and customised experiences to a new level and exploring new technologies that may spring up going forward.

Evoplay

Moving onto Evoplay , this is a team that is already known for its ground-breaking approach to developing games, especially when it comes to the realm of interactive 3D experiences.?

Due to their forward-thinking approach and continuous incorporation of gamification already, it should come as no shock if this studio begins pumping out next-generation VR and AR dedicated titles.

Yggdrasil

Yggdrasil Gaming Ltd is yet another slot provider that is not unfamiliar with new and innovative game mechanics, something which is evident when taking a look at the releases already within their portfolio.?

Within the next 12-18 months, we expect this team continue to evolve and develop its own unique game formats, all whilst integrating new elements that take advantage of the gamification trend.

How LuckyStreak Is Powering The Growth of Slot Games

LuckyConnect is LuckyStreak’s content aggregation solution . It is built to serve the needs of online casino operators by providing a large, rich library of world-class slots, crash, instant and table games from the world’s leading providers.

LuckyConnect delivers on the key benefits that casino operators seek in a content aggregation solution including:

• A huge choice of high quality iGaming content?
• With favourable prices thanks to our volumes
• Enabling diversification of offering
• Conveniently and speedy
• Via the simplicity of one secure and reliable API integration

LuckyConnect offers you an experienced, professional and content-rich aggregation solution.

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