In any industry, it is important to keep up with the changing times. The casino industry is no exception. The way slot machines are put together and marketed are about to undergo certain changes and are already undergoing others.
One change to expect is the rise in pop-culture themed slots in relation to creative projects like TV shows and movies. What this means is that until now, slot machines have always come out after the TV show or movie they are based on. But in the not so distant future, companies will start releasing new slots at the same time their TV or movie counterpart is released. It is believed this will drum up more publicity for both the creative project and the slot machine game. The idea is that players will engage in games if they like the movie or TV show it’s based on and vice versa.
Most new slot machines are created based on what longtime slot players want and expect in their games. Going forward, slots will be created with new and possibly completely inexperienced players in mind. This may include creating physical machines that don’t look like the typical slot. A company called Scientific Games is currently working on developing an electronic game table that uses augmented reality to make the gaming experience feel more interactive. It will feature a laser projector that displays the game’s bonuses onto the game’s tabletop. Other plans are to build a game terminal that makes players feel like they are on a smartphone.
Some players are hesitant to spend time and money on a slot they haven’t been exposed to. Thanks to certain YouTube users, this doesn’t have to be a problem anymore. They, along with slot machine bloggers, are exposing players to games the blogger or YouTube user is playing on their own. These players film themselves trying the game, along with a running commentary in some cases. This means players can see a slot’s bonus features and payouts before they decide whether or not to try the game themselves.
Because of this, slot machine manufacturers are taking note of this new way to reach potential new players. The savviest companies are keeping a close eye on YouTube to see if their slots are being played and talked about. They are also using their own YouTube channels to market new slots to players who may not have been exposed to them otherwise.
Land-based casinos have recently begun to face the issue of a decline in the use of paper money. Non-cash payments for games are becoming the new norm at some casinos, and this is expected to become a growing phenomenon. IGT is already ahead of the game as the first slot machine manufacturer to launch a mobile app that players can use to pay for their games while they are at the casino or before they even get there.
