That being said, there are significant differences between the slot sites back then and the slot sites we see now. This article will take a deep dive into some of the popular sites of the day back in the early-to-mid 2000s, drawing comparisons with their modern-day counterparts.

Whilst the end-game is always the same for both operators and players, the methods used for acquiring new customers, the games on offer, payment methods and even the way games were launched were completely different to today, we’d almost go as far as to say that everything back then is completely alien when you really look at it.

Using the Wayback Machine, a website that has archived millions of web pages since the mid-1990s we’ve been able to step back in time and take a look at some snapshots of the most popular slot sites of the day, analysing what exactly was different about them.

The slot sites we analysed were Starluck.com (which later became Party Casino), spinpalace.com and 888.com, the latter two sites still exist under the same names today. The snapshots we viewed of Starluck were taken in 2003, 888 in 2005, and the snapshot of Spin Palace is from 2007, a year when online slots began to really take off. 

Design – Animated GIFs, simple navigation and dollar bills

It almost feels redundant to talk about the differences in site design and how things have changed over the last 20 years because like any element of design, trends come and go, methods have evolved and sites have naturally become cleaner and much easier to use.

But it would be wrong not to take a nostalgic look back at how they looked… Because boy did they look different! Back then operators attempted to squeeze every speck of information they possibly could onto the casino homepage, this was ultimately done to make the player’s transition from brick and mortar gambling to online gambling as simple as possible.

You have to remember that many people were still learning how to use a computer for the first time in their lives. If something seemed too complicated for a first-time PC user then they were ultimately going to leave the site and go straight back to a real casino.

One notable thing that deserves a mention is the use of animated gifs and game images. Back then sites featured a lot of moving parts to grab the users attention such as carousels that showed screenshots of familiar casino games and animated gifs and buttons urging players to click sign up and play ASAP.

There was a real sense of urgency around converting potential players into full-time customers in the early days, and truth be told, we don’t think that’s particularly changed much over the years, the only difference is operators are more subtle today than they were back then. 

Welcome bonuses – How did slot sites entice new players?

Speaking of urgency, we all know that slot sites use generous welcome bonuses to encourage new players to sign up with them, and it’s interesting to see exactly what was on offer back then, as there were some bonuses that certainly caused us to raise an eyebrow.

Spin Palace’s main welcome bonus saw players receive an eye-watering £1,000 in free cash to spend with no deposit required whatsoever, they were then given 1 hour to spend as much money as they possibly could before the time ran out (or their funds).

Once they’d made more than 100 bets and won £20 (or more) they could transfer the funds to their casino account and make a withdrawal (on the condition that they deposit £50). 

Starluck Casino and 888 Casino offered players standard cash bonuses upon making their very first deposit, keeping it nice and simple. No signs of any intricate free spins just yet.  

Accessing games – Ordering or downloading bespoke software

This might actually blow the minds of some younger readers, but back in the early 2000s players were not able to simply type a website into the search bar, sign in to their account and start playing their favourite games, oh no, it was more complex than that in some cases.

Early on players had two options, they could either download and install casino-specific software that allowed them to play their games, or they could order a free CD that would be sent via post, this CD contained the software that allowed players to sign in and play! 

Ff connection speeds weren’t an issue then the download was the natural choice for players keen to get playing right away. For most though, the infamous dial-up connection was the only option and so there were plenty of CDs making their way through the post!

Game choice – Dozens of online slots on offer!

As you can imagine, the choice of online slots on offer back in the early 2000s wasn’t exactly groundbreaking! Starluck offered ‘dozens’ of online slots whilst 888 had 15 in total. 

Spin Palace, a site that specialised in slots, had quite a generous selection of games that included 3-reel slots, 5-reel slots, feature slots, bonus slots, MegaSpin slots and Progressive slots. The two featured slots at the time were branded titles Tomb Raider and HITMAN. 

In addition to the above, each slot site heavily promoted classic table games such as blackjack and roulette as well as video poker. Notably, all three sites had a very strong focus on progressive jackpot slots such as Mega Moolah and Major Millions. 

This hardly comes as a surprise as their progressive jackpot prizes drive people to play in the hopes of winning life-changing amounts with a single big win. 

Slot sites in 2021 – Has much changed since the early 2000s? 

All of the casinos we looked at still remain in operation today, however, Starluck Casino has since become Party Casino. Speaking frankly, having examined their current-day counterparts, there’s only been a small handful of changes over the last twenty years, albeit huge ones.

Obviously, the biggest change for these three casinos (and everyone else) is the fact that sites have received multiple facelifts over the years in line with advancements in technology. These slot sites all boast greater usability and have a much larger focus on the games on offer, as opposed to just throwing GIFs all over the site and displaying a wall of information at players.

Downloadable casinos and CDs are naturally a thing of the past, all games are now developed in HTML5 even long before Flash reached the end of its life-cycle on December 31, 2020.

Welcome offers are much more flexible today and operators are giving players so much more than just standard bonus cash, with free spins, no wagering free spins, matched deposit bonuses, cashback as well as so much more.

Ultimately, rather than see widespread sweeping changes (other than in a regulatory sense), most online slot sites have just leveled up over the years, becoming sleeker and more user-friendly, featuring a much broader range of online slot and casino games. 

This piece was authored by P P .

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With an unbeaten 50-0 professional record, many consider Floyd Mayweather to be the greatest boxer to ever lace up the gloves, and CasinoBeats had the pleasure of speaking with both Mayweather and Games Global’s Chief Product Officer, Andy Booth, to find out the inspiration and collaborative processes involved in the creation of the upcoming slot, Money Mayweather. 

CasinoBeats: After conquering the world of boxing, what inspired you to branch out into the world of igaming, and how does the partnership with Games Global align with your brand?

Floyd Mayweather Jr: After conquering boxing, branching into igaming was inspired by the desire to reach new audiences and engage fans in innovative ways. The partnership with Games Global aligns with my brand by expanding my influence beyond the ring, creating interactive experiences that reflect my persona and achievements while resonating with both boxing fans and the igaming community. 

This collaboration allows for the development of creative content that showcases the excitement of boxing and represents an evolution of my brand, ensuring its relevance and impact in the digital landscape.

CB: How did the partnership with Floyd transpire and what about the boxing legend makes him a perfect focal point for an online slot?

Andy Booth: The partnership between Games Global and Floyd Mayweather emerged from shared objectives, brand alignment, and creative collaboration to develop an engaging online slot game.

Mayweather’s iconic status as a multi-weight boxing champion and his high-profile persona make him an ideal focal point for the game, attracting both dedicated boxing fans and casual players while enhancing the overall gaming experience.

CB: What involvement have you had in the creation of Money Mayweather and what references to your brand can fans look forward to in the game?

FMJ: In the development of Money Mayweather, my team contributed by providing creative input to ensure the game authentically reflects my brand and persona. Fans can look forward to personalised features that highlight my lifestyle, as well as engaging and interactive elements that celebrate my boxing career and enhance the overall gameplay experience.

CB: How has the essence of Floyd’s persona and brand been captured in Money Mayweather?

AB: The Money Mayweather slot captures Floyd Mayweather’s essence by incorporating luxurious themes that reflect his lifestyle, using iconic imagery of his likeness and featuring dynamic gameplay inspired by boxing.

The game also embodies his trademark bravado and confidence through its narrative and promotional materials, while an engaging soundtrack enhances the overall atmosphere, creating an immersive experience that appeals to both his fans and a wider igaming audience.

CB: How does the partnership with Games Global allow you to connect with your global fanbase in a different way, and have you any future plans to continue exploring the world of online casino games?

FMJ: The partnership with Games Global allows me to connect with my global fanbase through interactive and engaging online gameplay, extending my brand beyond traditional boxing experiences and reaching diverse markets worldwide. I am super excited for this partnership with Games Global!

CB: In what way does the collaboration with Floyd enhance Games Global’s reputation as a pioneering provider of combat-themed content? 

AB: The collaboration with Floyd Mayweather enhances Games Global’s reputation as a pioneering provider of combat-themed content by associating the brand with a globally recognised sports icon, which boosts visibility and credibility.

This partnership allows for authentic and high-quality game design that resonates with combat sports fans, showcases innovative gameplay mechanics, and expands our best-in-class portfolio.

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Coming hot on the heels of the industry’s annual descent on the entertainment capital of the world, the impact of previously unranked games, in particular within the new game rankings, is once again felt despite dropping from 12 to seven.

Our attention is first occupied by the overall top games by gross gaming revenue, where International Game Technology retains its place at the summit as the Blackjack table secures a percentage of 3.7.

Sister title Cash Eruption lead frogs one place month-on-month to become the leading slot title with overall GGR of 2.15 per cent, as Digital Gaming Corporation’s Gold Blitz drops from silver to bronze with 1.46 per cent.

Of the top 25 titles that are dominating the GGR charts, online slots maintain the lion’s share with 17 games. Live casino, all courtesy of Evolution, has five entrants, while table games comprise the remaining three. Video poker remains out of the top 25.

Continuing with the overall rankings, Evolution’s Live Dealer Speed Baccarat drops to second place after storming to the summit at its first attempt, with the aforementioned Blackjack offering surging from third to make it a double triumph.

However, rounding off the top three is AGS’ Mega Diamond, which will become a prominent feature throughout the latest monthly breakdown. In its first feature, the slot title edged out Capital Gains, also an AGS game, as well as DGC’s Fire and Roses Joker and Gold Blitz. The latter falling from second to sixth.

In the slots breakdown, Mega Diamond sits ahead of Capital Gains, as Fire and Roses Joker and Gold Blitz once again trail. Light & Wonder’s 88 Fortunes, a consistent top performer, round off the top five.

A total of seven unique suppliers are represented in the top 10, which is once again hailed as “showing continued variety in the segment”. These are Light & Wonder, DGC, AGS, Evolution, IGT, ReelPlay and Greentube. The top 25 also features the likes of Everi, Anaxi and Inspired.

In the new game rankings, the aforementioned Mega Diamond leads the way, with last month’s one and two, namely Fire and Roses Joker and L&W’s Rich Little Piggies Meal Ticket, down one place each.

A total of seven new releases make the top 25, with the leader joined by DGC’s Trojan Kingdom (6th), Anaxi’s Buffalo (9th), White Hat Studios’ Fire Coins (13th) and Wolf Legends Megaways Jackpot Royale (14th), Fantasma Games’ Payday Express (23rd) and Evolution’s Blobsters Clusterbuster (24th).

The new overall ranks are identical to the new slot ranks for another consecutive month, with each of the top 25 representing titles that fall in the bracket of the latter list. 

Previously, the potential of the chasing pack has been touched upon in detail by Rick Eckert, Managing Director of Slot Performance and Analytics at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, with Anaxi, Aristocrat’s real-money gaming division, one citing as causing much optimism. 

Following the latest breakdown, he commented: “The increased presence of igaming suppliers and omni-channel content is more evident every passing year and noted below from our coverage.  

“Mega Diamond from AGS enters the OGPD ranking number one in the new slot ranks. This theme has been tracked in our retail database since July ’22 and was ranked 25th last month in the core video reel high denom segment where it is currently performing best at the $1 base denomination.  

“Anaxi/Aristocrat much anticipated release of Buffalo makes its debut in the OGPD ranking number nine in the new slot ranks. This title is the top grossing game in retail but indexing lags other popular titles from the supplier we are expecting to populate online. 

“Blueberi’s Devils Lock powered by Bragg Gaming Group moves up the ranks again this month now at number sixteen in the new slot ranks. This game features perceived persistence and cash on reels that are overly prominent in retail but still trending up online. 

“Later this month, we will take a deeper dive into online game attributes through our quarterly data insights report.”

Looking specifically at the supplier mix, Evolution unsurprisingly continues to lead the way, although another decline in share, as touched upon earlier, was evidenced. 

Through September the group occupied 21.2 per cent (September: 2s.4 per cent) of GGR, with 85.7 per cent (September: 83.5 per cent) of its gaming suite represented as online slots.

IGT was next in line, however a slight recovery to 17.4 per cent (September: 16.7 per cent) halted a significant slide felt one month earlier. 85.9 per cent (September: 85.2 per cent) of its portfolio were tracked as slots.

L&W remained third, although the group’s percentage of GGR also rose slightly to 15.8 per cent, up from 15.1 per cent month-on-month. 90.1 per cent (September: 87.9 per cent) of the group’s gaming suite are slots.

Slots remained the dominant segment when looking at the total games tracked with a total percentage of 91.2 (September: 90.1 per cent), ahead of table games’ falling 3.8 per cent (September: 4.9 per cent).

Live casino was next in line with 1.9 per cent, ahead of instant win’s 1.6 per cent, video poker’s 1.1 per cent and the 0.2 per cent shared by lottery and bingo/keno. Each remained consistent month-on-month.

Mobile retains its frontrunning status with the highest percentage of theo win generated at 69.9 per cent (September: 70.8 per cent) and leads across most segments, with desktop, via a theo win of 29 per cent (September: 28.5 per cent), soaring ahead in video poker, virtual sports and lottery. Tablet continues to bring up the rear with 1.2 per cent (September: 0.8 per cent).

This latest analysis examined data from Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut across 32 online casino sites, tracking 50,885 games to represent around 64 per cent of the market.

If interested in learning more, subscribing, or participating in the Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Database reach out to Rick Eckert at reckert@ekgamingllc.com.

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Following Rick Eckert, Managing Director of Slot Performance and Analytics at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, speaking of expectations for this superiority to continue, an anticipated drop in market share for the former pair has been witnessed once again.

The familiarity witnessed across previous months when looking at the overall top grossing games was cast aside through September, as Evolution’s Live Dealer Roulette slipped from second to eighth with overall GGR of 1.1 per cent.

IGT’s Blackjack table game retained first place with dominant GGR of 2.75 per cent, with the top ranked slot of DGC’s Gold Blitz, which has had control over the new ranking across recent months, taking silver with 2.11 per cent.

Cash Eruption rounds off the top three, with the IGT title possessing a 2.01 per cent control of GGR after dropping one position month-on-month.

Of the top 25 titles that are dominating the GGR charts, online slots maintain the lion’s share with 17 games. Live casino, all courtesy of Evolution, has five entrants, while table games comprise the remaining three. Video poker drops out of the top 25.

Remaining with the overall rankings, Evolution’s Live Dealer Speed Baccarat secures top spot at its first attempt, with Gold Blitz down one position to finish ahead of the third placed Blackjack of IGT.

In the slots breakdown, DGC’s Fire and Roses Joker, which is also making its first appearance, blazes a path to second to sit behind sister title Gold Blitz. AGS’ Capital Gains climbs one place to claim bronze.

A total of seven unique suppliers are represented in the top 10, which is hailed as “showing continued variety in the segment”. These are Light & Wonder, DGC, AGS, Evolution, IGT, ReelPlay and Greentube.

In the new game rankings, the aforementioned Fire and Roses Joker sits atop another podium, with a pair of fresh L&W releases in Rich Little Piggies Meal Ticket and Coin Combo Perfect Peacock closing in the second and third positions.

White Hat Studios’ The Goonies Jackpot Royale, up from 21st place, and Greentube’s Charming Lady’s Boom round out the top five.

The new overall top games rankings table is dominated by DGC with seven entrants, which comes narrowly ahead of L&W’s six. Almost half of the top 25 are previously unranked games, with new releases counting 12 entrants.

The new overall ranks are identical to the new slot ranks for another consecutive month, with each of the top 25 representing titles that fall in the bracket of the latter list. 

Reflecting on the group’s performance on social media, Neill Whyte, Chief Commercial Officer of DGC’s B2B division, said: “For us, competition keeps us on our toes. It creates an environment that makes us produce better content and experiences for our customers and their players. It requires us to build closer relationships with our customers to find the edge to make us stand out over others.

“We don’t always get it right, and more often than not, we beat ourselves up trying to understand ‘the why’. What does the data say, what do the lobby reviews tell us, what is the feedback from the customer, etc., but overall, we tend to focus on games and the content.”

Looking specifically at the supplier mix, Evolution unsurprisingly continues to lead the way, although another decline in share was evidenced. 

Through September the group occupied 21.4 per cent (August: 22.4 per cent) of GGR, with 83.5 per cent (August: 84.8 per cent) of its gaming suite represented as online slots.

IGT was next in line once again a drop was also witnessed here after recording 16.7 per cent (August: 19.1 per cent) of GGR, with 83.5 per cent (August: 85.2 per cent) of its portfolio being slots.

L&W remained third, although the group’s percentage of GGR rose slightly to 15.1 per cent, up from 15 per cent month-on-month. 87.9 per cent (August: 90.6 per cent) of the group’s gaming suite are slots.

Slots remained the dominant segment when looking at the total games tracked with a total percentage of 90.1 (August: 90.9 per cent), ahead of table games’ 4.9 per cent (August: 4.4 per cent).

Live casino was next in line with 1.9 per cent (August: two per cent), ahead of instant win’s 1.6 per cent (August: 1.1 per cent), video poker’s 1.1 per cent (August: 1.2 per cent) and the 0.2 per cent shared by lottery and bingo/keno as each remain consistent month-on-month.

Mobile retains its frontrunning status with the highest percentage of theo win generated at 70.8 per cent (August: 69.9 per cent) and leads across most segments, with desktop, via a theo win of 28.5 per cent (August: 28.9 per cent), soaring ahead in virtual sports and lottery. Tablet continues to bring up the rear with 0.8 per cent (August: 1.2 per cent).

This latest analysis examined data from Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut across 34 online casino sites, tracking 50,105 games to represent around 64 per cent of the market.

If interested in learning more, subscribing, or participating in the Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Database reach out to Rick Eckert at reckert@ekgamingllc.com.

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The online global gambling market is worth $88.65bn in 2023; it has a compound annual growth rate of nine per cent, and slot games are the most popular product at online casinos. It’s a massive industry, and like all major industries, it has a growing environmental responsibility. 

In recent years, as the climate crisis has grown ever more pressing, stakeholders in the casino and slot gaming industry have turned their attention to sustainability, reducing their carbon footprint, and making environmentally responsible choices. 

Many slot sites now use the environmental, social and governance framework to assess business practices and guide strategic decision-making processes. This is changing how slot sites operate internally and trickling down to more sustainable practices for players. 

What is the environmental impact of online slots?

The exact environmental impact of the online slots and casino industry is unknown. While the Gambling Commission and other actors collect data on revenue, costs, tax, number of players, gambling behaviours, and other areas, environmental metrics are not currently used to assess the industry’s impact.

While it’s accurate to say that online casinos reduce the carbon footprint of physical casinos, the widespread nature of online players, plus the lack of accounting and collection methods, has made it difficult to calculate the energy consumption of the entire industry. 

However, research from the USA details that the servers, data centres, and networks that are instrumental in running online slot sites and other industries account for 1.8 per cent of the country’s energy use. Worldwide, this is expected to increase to two per cent, equivalent to the aviation industry in terms of carbon footprint.

As the popularity of online slots and gaming increases and the drive for ever-better graphics and more impressive games and platforms continues, this energy consumption is expected to rise, with the World Economic Forum predicting it will reach 14 per cent of the world’s total emissions by 2040.

On top of the carbon emissions created through energy consumption, the environmental impact of slot sites also includes electronic waste produced by the industry as older technologies are upgraded and replaced.

ESG: the future-proof strategy to success

Profiteering without factoring in social and environmental impact is no longer a strategy for success in today’s operating environment. Instead, online gambling businesses are integrating the ESG framework into their operations, and it’s being hailed not only as an environmental model that works but also as a future-proof strategy to guide businesses.

Essentially, ESG is a framework incorporated into a company’s business model. It enables businesses to identify and improve their social and environmental impact to become more sustainable and socially responsible companies. This is leading slot sites to incorporate several eco-friendly initiatives.

Eco-friendly power and procedures: with millions of gamblers using slot sites and online casinos daily, eco-friendly hosting is one of the most significant ways slot sites can reduce their carbon footprint. Eco-friendly hosting seeks to reduce the energy used by servers and their cooling systems, as well as changing the energy source from fossil fuel sources to renewables. 

Switching to cloud storage can also be fundamental as it reduces the energy required to run online slot sites and the storage and data-processing demands needed. Additionally, engaging in good business practices such as reducing paper consumption and properly recycling electronic equipment are easy strategies to implement that can have a notable impact.

Hardware and software: some game developers and gambling platforms also reduce environmental harm by using more efficient hardware and software. For example, some pioneering slot developers are creating games with smaller file sizes, optimising graphics, and reducing the energy required when playing the game. More efficient use of software and eco-friendly game design can make a significant difference to games that are energy intensive, like live dealers and live-streamed slots.

IGT has more recently hit the headlines for championing this area, joining the Science Based Targets initiative, formally adopting a low greenhouse gas policy, and aligning with the 2015 Paris Agreement. The fact that IGT’s commitment has been publicised shows the potential for positive marketing outcomes for slot developers when aligning with green goals and environmentally friendly business practices.

Carbon off-setting and donating to good causes: responsible slot sites can engage in carbon off-setting (investing in environmental projects to balance the emissions they create), such as tree planting projects and investing in green technology through funding ecological research and development charities and bodies.

Promoting eco-friendly practices and play: slot sites can incentivise players to engage in environmentally responsible play and actions. For example, they can promote using more eco-friendly e-wallets that are powered using clean energy by offering extra bonuses when players use such methods. They can also encourage players to limit their gambling by using budgets and play time reminders, which reduces long and energy-intensive slot gaming sessions while protecting players from excessive gambling.

Role of the consumer

As the gambling industry holds vast economic power, operators can be instrumental in educating consumers to make more environmentally impactful choices and leading by example. Still, consumers have a role in creating change in the industry by deciding which slot sites they give their money to. The more consumers favour sustainability by effectively voting with spending power, the faster the industry will adapt to more eco-friendly practices to align with consumer wants. 

Additionally, while not putting the responsibility on consumers, players can also independently opt for games that consume less energy, such as titles with simpler graphics, avoid live streams, use renewable energy companies to power their homes, ensure their data storage is regularly cleaned out, and recycle hardware, like smartphones while avoiding unnecessary upgrades.

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In figures reported by the region’s Gaming Control Board, revenue through September came in at $476.27m, up 6.2 per cent from the $448.47m gained one year earlier. 

Total tax revenue generated from slot machines, table games, sports wagering, igaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests stood at $197.72m.

Per casino property, Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course remains the Pennsylvania leader with revenue of $77.04m, an increase of 16.75 per cent year-on-year from $65.99m.

Valley Forge Casino Resort sits in second courtesy of a 24.55 per cent uptick to $66.08m (2022: $53.05m), with Parx Casino taking bronze as revenue of $55.83m remained largely stable.

Looking at another of the commonwealth’s reporting segments, igaming tracked a 41.48 per cent year-on-year increase from $112.72m to $159.49m.

Online slots unsurprisingly led the way with $114.74m, up less than 47.32 percentage points YoY from $77.89m, as igaming tables surged ahead 31.65 per cent with $42.36m (2022: $32.17m). Online poker continued to fall, this time by a little under 10.42 per cent to $2.38m (2022: $2.65m).

It’s another case of familiarity in the property-by-property online casino standings, with Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course leading the way with $66.85m, up 86.66 per cent from the past year’s $48.64m.

This is ahead of Valley Forge Casino Resort’s 80.92 per cent increase to $35.43m (2022: $19.58m), with Rivers Casino Philadelphia closing September at $29.24m, 11.73 per cent ahead YoY from $26.17m. 

In addition to releasing its latest financial statement, the PGCB also revealed that this latter facility has had a licence renewal, with a unanimous vote issued regarding the category two stand-alone casino certification gained by Sugarhouse HSP Gaming.

Looking at specific game types,, retail slots remain the dominant force with revenue of $198.52m. Retail table games dropped 7.83 per cent to $75.221m (2022: $81.62m).

Total sports betting handle through the month was $726.25m, which represents a rise 12.56 percent point YoY from $645.24m. Revenue reached $36.63m, down 27.05 per cent from $50.21m.

Furthermore, the Pennsylvania gambling authority has also levelled $73,075 in fines to a pair of casino establishments, as well as one video gaming terminal facility.

The largest of these was issued to Live! Casino Pittsburgh, which was penalised $30,000. Two thirds of this figure was for two instances of self-excluded individuals gaining entrance to the gaming floor and gambling, while $10,000 concerned an individual under 21 gaining access to play slots.

Parx Casino was penalised $18,075 for a failure to submit two licence renewal applications in a timely manner, while Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores was hit with a $25,000 fine for not providing the PGCB with ownership structure changes involving its five VGT truck stop establishment locations.

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Reporting the latest set of monthly figures, the region’s Gaming Control Board reported that revenue through the month reached $467m, up six per cent from the previous month’s $440.49m and 8.85 per cent from $429m year-on-year, but falling shy of a half a billion dollar mark that appears to be proving elusive at the moment.

Total tax revenue generated from slot machines, table games, sports wagering, igaming, video gaming terminals and fantasy contests stood at $192m.

Per casino property, the top three remain unchanged from the past month as Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course unsurprisingly maintained its leading status via an increase of 125.62 per cent to $70m (2022: $55.79m). The previous month recorded $72.58m.

Parx Casino has narrowed the gap month-on-month, but still lags some way behind with revenue of $56.1m, down less than one percentage point from the previous year’s $56.37m and 9.32 per cent from $51.32 MoM.

Rounding off the top three is King of Prussia’s Valley Forge Casino Resort with a revenue increase of 32.07 per cent, the largest in the state, to close July at $54.64m (2022: $41.37m). This is also up 6.74 per cent from June’s $51.19m.

Looking at another of the commonwealth’s reporting segments, igaming tracked a 35 per cent year-on-year increase from $98.57m to $132.89m, however, this is down 1.9 per cent from the previous month’s $135.43m.

Online slots unsurprisingly led the way with $114.66m, up less than one percentage point YoY from $113.9m, as igaming tables surged ahead 48 per cent with $35.36m (2022: $23.89m). Online poker continued to fall, this time by a little under five per cent to $2.63m (2022: $2.76m).

It’s another case of familiarity in the property-by-property online casino standings, with Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course leading the way with $54.39m, up 40.97 per cent from the past year’s $38.58m.

This is ahead of Valley Forge Casino Resort’s 67.4 per cent increase to $29.22m (2022: $17.45m), with Rivers Casino Philadelphia closing July at $26.82m, 8.52per cent ahead YoY from $24.71m. 

Harrah’s Philadelphia maintained a trend of securing the largest percentage increase after recording a 80.29 per cent surge to $5.69m (2022: $3.15m).

Looking at specific game types across the year, retail slots remain the dominant force with revenue of $214.68m, which represents a slight increase when compared to the $213.9m generated in one year earlier. Retail table games dropped 3.77 per cent to $83.41m (2022: $86.68m).

Total sports betting handle through the month was $338.45m, which represents a rise of less than one percentage point YoY from $433.65m. Revenue reached $32m, up 126 per cent from $25.44m.

Revenue for video gaming terminals was $3.35m, a decline of 7.23 per cent YoY from $3.61m, with fantasy contests down 24 per cent to $655,886 (2021: $858,569).

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Those are the words of Jo Gideon MP for Stoke-On-Trent Central, who was addressing the ongoing efforts in a timely Betting and Gaming Council blog that comes as a first batch of consultations draws to a close.

Following the white paper’s much delayed publication earlier in the year, this initial wave covers age verification in premises; remote games design, building on earlier work on online slots; direct marketing and cross-selling and financial risk and vulnerability checks for remote operators.

A next round of consultations will place a focus on socially responsible incentives and gambling management tools, the UK Gambling Commission’s Executive Director, Tim Miller, noted last month.

“Often, the debate around betting is terse, ill-informed, and frankly patronising”

Citing the influence that online gambling juggernaut bet365 has had on her own city, Gideon addressed a debate that she labelled as often being “terse, ill-informed, and frankly patronising”.

“Often, the debate around betting is terse, ill-informed, and frankly patronising. First and foremost, it is, and remains, a hobby,” she wrote.

“This is true for Stoke as it is for many other places. For my constituents, having a bet with money they have earned and paid tax on is no different to going to the pub and having a pint.

“And yet that hobby is often derided or judged, and by association, so are the businesses that operate in the UK legitimately, in a highly regulated market. If this hobby, and the businesses which support it, are undermined, it will have an economic impact.”

Despite looking within her immediate region throughout, the impacts across numerous other cities outside of London are also cited as benefiting “from a UK sector which leads the world”.

She added: “Across the country, betting and gaming supports around 110,000 jobs, generates £7.1bn for the economy and contributes £4.2bn in tax for vital frontline services. 

“That investment flows from high streets to hospitality, from tourism to tech, in Stoke and across the UK.”

Turning attention back to reforms and the aforementioned white paper, Gideon welcomed a “once-in-a generation opportunity to modernise betting regulations” in a balanced, proportionate and evidence-based manner.

“…much is still undecided, and indecision causes uncertainty for customers and businesses”

“No one is immune to some of the risks betting can bring; in this respect, it is very similar to the alcohol industry,” she continued.

“So measures like an ombudsman to improve customer redress, enhanced spending checks online to ensure swift interventions can take place, and modest modernisation plans for land-based operators like casinos, are all very welcome.

“But much is still undecided, and indecision causes uncertainty for customers and businesses. The white paper launched eight separate consultations, and the proposals arising from those consultations could yet have huge ramifications on the betting and gaming sector, and for Stoke. It is vital we get those right if we are to protect jobs and investment.”

In order to achieve this, “the regulator has a key role” it was written as a conclusion neared. The UKGC, Gideon argued, must ensure that consultations and final proposals align with political direction set by the government.

“That is particularly true on the thorny issue of affordability checks. When these were proposed as part of the white paper, we were told they would be frictionless and occur without customers being aware,” she concluded.

“That must be the case, or it risks driving punters from the regulated sector toward unregulated, unsafe operators on the black market.”

The post Jo Gideon MP: gambling reform can <br> provide long term boost for jobs & investment appeared first on CasinoBeats.

That is the belief of Rick Eckert, Managing Director of Slot Performance and Analytics at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, who was speaking upon publication of the latest Eilers-Fantini monthly overview of the US igaming ecosystem.

Across the core gaming segments that each of the dominant three boasts distinct expertise, Eckert has suggested that impending competition could shift the tide somewhat over the coming months.

“For now these three will continue to lead the pack for online suppliers in the US market but as shown in our GGR trends of the OGPD report, Evolution and IGT have lost share in the past 12 months while LNW witnessed an increase in share for the previous six months but regressed by nearly two per cent in July,” he commented. 

“Each of these top suppliers also has unique threats to their share as well. Evolution should expect competition with live casino product from Playtech, IGT with the increased development of RNG table and video poker content from operator studios, and LNW with increased competition with slot content namely from DGC, Everi, and White Hat Studios as we also still patiently await Anaxi to make a big push.”

The familiarity witnessed across previous months when looking at the overall top grossing games was restored through August, with Evolution’s Live Dealer Roulette top three stalwart back into the bronze medal position after slipping to seventh during July.

IGT maintained top spot through its Blackjack title, with the online gambling group’s Cash Eruption slot reclaiming its second placed finish.

Of the top 25 titles that are dominating the GGR charts, online slots maintain the lion’s share with 18 games. Live casino, all courtesy of Evolution, has four entrants, while table games comprise a pair and video poker counts a sole entrant.

Remaining with the overall rankings, last month’s slots number two in DGC’s Gold Blitz reclaimed top spot after slipping to second.

Inspired Entertainment’s Stacked Fire 7s fell one place, while Light & Wonder’s Miss Midas climbed from number 1,193 to finish the month in third spot.

Eight unique suppliers were represented in the top 10 once again to maintain variety in the segment, with Light & Wonder, DGC, AGS, Evolution, IGT, Inspired, ReelPlay and Everi the studios in question.

In the new game rankings, Gold Blitz is accompanied by fellow DGC slot in Squealin Riches, which sits in third, as well as Everi’s Gold Standard Jackpots at the top of three.

White Hat Studios ranks three games in the top 10 with Almighty Buffalo Megaways Jackpot Royale, The Goonies Jackpot Royale, and Peaky Blinders, while DGC counts six of the top 25.

The new overall ranks are identical to the new slot ranks for another consecutive month, with each of the top 25 representing titles that fall in the bracket of the latter list.

Quizzed on the maintained strength posed by DGC, Eckert responded: “DGC continues to place strong new themes month to month on our top new slot ranks but many fail to ‘stick’ and move to our top slot ranks without the new filter, this filter segments to only games released in the past 180 days. 

“The average performance between overall and new slot rankings for the top 25 in each respective group is nearly halved when looking at only new slots, 8.5x vs 4.5x. 

“An opportunity for DGC remains getting placed at more sites, while they have shown an increase in sites tracked in our coverage from 13 to 19 sites in the past 12 months that still only places them at 2/3 and their top performing games only at ¼ of those sites tracked.”

Looking specifically at the supplier mix, Evolution unsurprisingly continues to lead the way. Through August the group occupied 22.4 per cent (July: 22.7 per cent) of GGR, with 84.8 per cent (July: 85.5 per cent) of its gaming suite represented as online slots.

IGT was next in line once again regarding the supplier percentage of GGR with 19.1 per cent (June: 18.1 per cent), with 85.2 per cent (July: 85.4 per cent) of its portfolio being slots.

L&W remained third, with the group’s percentage of GGR standing at 15 per cent, down from 16.4 per cent month-on-month. 90.6 per cent (June: 90.3 per cent) of the group’s gaming suite are slots.

Slots remained the dominant segment when looking at the total games tracked with a total percentage of 90.9 (July: 91.3 per cent), ahead of table games’ 4.4 per cent (July: 4.1 per cent).

Live casino was next in line with two per cent (July: 1.8 per cent), ahead of video poker’s 1.2 per cent (July: 1.2 per cent), instant win’s 1.1 per cent (July: 1.2 per cent) and 0.2 per cent shared by lottery and bingo/keno as each remain consistent month-on-month.

Mobile maintains its frontrunning status with the highest percentage of theo win generated at 69.9 per cent (July: 70.2 per cent) and leads across most segments, with desktop, via a theo win of 28.9 per cent (July: 28.6 per cent), soaring ahead in virtual sports. Tablet continues to bring up the rear after remaining consistent with 1.2 per cent.

Addressing the dominance of slots, Eckert spoke of if the gap between the segment and the rest is simply going to grow and grow moving forward.

“The game category revenue mix for online casinos in the US market is consistent with land-based casinos with slots accounting for roughly 80 per cent (78.5 per cent  online vs 82.5 per cent  land-based), which would lead me to believe there will not be much movement here,” he said.

This latest analysis examines data from Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut across 33 online casino sites, tracking 47,507 games to represent 64 per cent of the market.

If interested in learning more, subscribing, or participating in the Eilers-Fantini Online Game Performance Database reach out to Rick Eckert at reckert@ekgamingllc.com.

The post Top US suppliers facing unique threats to their share:  Eilers-Fantini appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Believe it or not, these are also still being innovated today on a global scale, although this familiar sight is being done so in the form of those 5×3, 5×4 et al spinning reels.

This headline term also represents one that drives so much of the day-to-day make-up of this industry, but one that it could be argued is losing much of its meaning, primarily due to the incredible over eagerness of its usage. 

It could be stated that this is to be expected given the never ending tidal wave of titles that are released on a weekly basis, but does this development of more of the same point to the fact that we’re simply nearing the end of the line in product innovation for online slots? Are we actually seeing any innovations when it comes to such features and mechanics?

This certainly divided opinion, albeit briefly, in a trial run of iGaming Daily, SBC’s podcast that is produced each week day, and is one that needs to be elaborated on a little more than a simple yes or no. Otherwise, I would be around 500 words short of my word count.

There is undoubtedly innovation, but in the wider content of the industry is this enough?

Copycat syndrome is rife, think of the numerous iterations of everyone’s favourite adventurer in Indiana Jones, or how much of a love affair we have with fruit, etc… 

It could be argued that Megaways cis worthy of an inclusion here if looking at things from a mechanics point of view. Personally, I know countless slot enthusiasts who think certain mechanics “make every game look the same” (not my words – don’t shoot the messenger).

“…the impact of the players themselves must also be placed under the microscope”

From a purely media perspective, it is particularly crucial to be careful of attaching words such as innovative and innovation to anything and everything. This is a familiar sight each day by many across the industry, however, as alluded to above, It does start to feel like it’s losing all meaning.

Another key thing to keep in mind, in my opinion anyhow, is the concept of innovation versus progression. Are a large slice of the concepts labeled as innovative truly transformative? Or are they simply kicking something that we are already all too familiar with down the road a little more?

After almost six years in the industry, some ‘innovative’ concepts seem to have been spoken about almost as much as Latin America has been dubbed the next big thing. Although it is refreshing that significant progress has been made across the latter. 

Getting back to the topic at hand, the impact of the players themselves must also be placed under the microscope, in addition to the trust of operators in welcoming fresh concepts. 

An individual could well be comfortable with what they know, or simply not be blessed with masses of time to spend looking for title/s to play. The double sided coin here balances the effectiveness of a lobby against the thought that said player/s would simply head straight to what they know. 

How much innovation is too much? To this point, maybe we could consider the Aesop fable of the tortoise and the hare.

Swinging things back to slots and the tidal wave of output that was touched upon earlier, could the danger be that there’s now more of a focus in producing a catalogue that appeases the many? Or simply producing a vast amount of games?

“Supporting unique content through quality marketing and positioning is imperative to tipping the scales”

If you throw enough ideas at the wall, one will stick, right? The heightened output is undoubtedly an advantage to some. Those being the larger studios that could potentially be particularly well versed at enjoying success across multiple territories and demographics.

Building upon this is the risk that potential hit titles are simply being swamped by the volume of competition? Could true innovation be slipping between the cracks, or be a mere whisper among the ear splitting noise of more established and much better funded counterparts? This, it could be argued, is unless they are backed by an equally solid mixture of the right marketing and partnerships with operators.

Rounding all of this up, as I’m now currently above the word count and our SBC Leaders Editor will shout, where do slots go from here? What does the future hold? How do studios innovate?

To engage and excite you need to stand out. In the mid to long run, innovation is undoubtedly key to surviving the content deluge.

However, a balance between innovation (that’s the 14th usage of this word in one form another in the article – who am I to say it’s overused), and familiarity must be struck.

Reinventing the wheel every month can push players in the wrong direction, while, on the flip side, a consistent outlay of reskins is simply not the way forward. 

Thinking outside of the box is crucial, and those that churn out the same, or incredibly similar, content will inevitably get left behind.

Casinos also play a crucial role. Supporting unique content through quality marketing and positioning is imperative to tipping the scales in the right direction

Should operators promote unique content in the correct manner, this would help foster, and further, creativity throughout the industry. 

It is simply not a numbers game. Quality must win out over quantity.

The post Op-ed: innovation is simply not a numbers game appeared first on CasinoBeats.