Since its transition into the online sphere, the casino industry has really taken off. Nowadays, it’s a global sector valued at a whopping US $231 billion – and it’s only expected to become even more lucrative in the coming years. Given that slots represent as much as half of that revenue in some markets, it’s clear that they are by far and away the most popular casino game.
But what, exactly, has transformed these humble drum-reel machines operated by a pull lever into a multi-billion-dollar industry? While there is no single reason why slots remain as popular as ever with gambling enthusiasts across the globe, there are a number of contributing factors to their unparalleled and enduring success. We explore a handful of the most pertinent below.
Simplicity
For many people, there’s little attraction in taking the time to learn a complex set of rules and devising a strategy to come up trumps. Slots capitalise on this desire for simplicity by operating on a highly straightforward set of principles: all punters need to do is select their preferred game, choose their stake and number of pay-lines and spin the reels. That’s it! The ingenuity of this simplicity is what draws most people to the game and keeps them there.
Speed
Sitting down to a game of poker is quite the commitment in terms of time, since you could be occupied for hours at a time as you try to outsmart your opponents and walk off with the pot. Slots, by contrast, are extremely time-efficient, with a single spin of the reels taking just a second or two. In this way, punters can still enjoy the thrill of playing the game, even if they only have a short window in which they can indulge in it.
Variation
Whereas table games like poker, blackjack and baccarat have a fixed set of rules with only minor variations available, slots are endlessly customisable. This means that there are new slots being released all the time, with modern titles often themed upon a specific pop culture trope or other recognisable activity. For example, there are sports-themed slots, TV-themed slots, book-themed slots and music-themed slots, to name but a few.
High RTP
Have you ever come across the term “return to player”? Shortened to RTP, this denotes the percentage of money invested that a player can expect to receive back over a prolonged period of time. Slots have some of the highest RTPs of any casino game on the market, meaning punters are more likely to recoup their funds while playing. It should be noted, however, that RTPs are calculated over thousands of spins, so they shouldn’t be used as a yardstick for a single playing session.
Bonus rounds
Another way in which the developers of slot games endeavour to keep their products engaging and their customer base satisfied is through the addition of side missions and bonus rounds. These are normally triggered when a specific symbol appears on multiple reels, allowing the player to enter a completely different type of game which not only piques their interests, but potentially multiplies their winnings, too.
Whether you love them or loathe them, there’s no denying that slots are hugely popular with the global population – and bearing in mind the pros listed above, it’s not difficult to see why.
