From real life to reel animation

Over time, the game of slots has undergone a significant makeover. From traditional “fruit machines” usually found in pubs that bore the Why do slots remain so popular for online casino playersheavily recognisable symbols of our favourite fruits, advances in technology and software have given slots a more animated and video game-like look. Many, if not all, casinos have now switched to video slots and with the digital world giving birth to innovative online entertainment forms such as online casinos, the levels of animation and interaction have also improved vastly. Characters have been introduced to follow and even embody the player in front of the screen.

The Role of Gamification

With greater capabilities afforded to game developers and online casino platforms, online slots games are now enriched with a greater variety of features for a player to get stuck into. With the basic slots game play itself, animation has allowed game developers to move quickly away from the basic objective of matching symbols. Slots games of the current era have been taken to another level of complexity with different combinations of tiles equating to different rewards.

This is just one aspect of gamification implemented by game developers. Gamification is the idea of promoting player engagement. This could come in the form of objective-based spins to try and achieve different prizes or reach the next level. The concept of levels in a slots game is itself an example of a way to engage a player, as are bonus rounds.

Benefit from Bonuses

One advantage that online casinos have over land-based casinos is the ability to shower players with bonuses. From the point of signing up, free spins are awarded which are usually followed up by further bonuses for a variety of actions. This generosity is extended to the way bonuses are implemented in online slots games. While offering too many bonus rounds would water down the importance and relevance of them, giving a player more opportunities to play bonus rounds that come with greater multipliers is a prime example of gamification.

In some online casinos, players also have the opportunity to buy bonus rounds, which accelerates progress in a slots game. Buy bonus slots have proved popular with a section of players. However, some markets have reacted against the introduction of this bonus in online slots games licensed by their regulators. The UK was the first online gambling market to ban bonus buy slots in 2019, followed by the Netherlands, with Sweden currently discussing the possibility of following suit.

Slots on the Move

While gamification and enhanced graphics and soundtracks play a huge role in the success of online slots, there is one factor that appeals most to players. The conversion of slots into an online format created a new level of convenience when playing titles such as Gonzo’s Quest and Starburst. Furthermore, online slots enthusiasts were provided with greater accessibility and the ability to spin the reel on the move due to the evolution of mobile apps.

As well as technology, programming and coding has also come a long way in recent years to the point where complex online casino games can be played flawlessly on portable devices such as mobile phones and tablets. The portability is a significant factor behind the continued rise of online slots. With so many capabilities in its relative youth, online slots could garner an even greater following in years to come.