“I’ve played slot machines in Vegas and on cruise ships, and I don’t see a whole lot of difference between those and the Queen of Virginia machines,” said state Sen. John Cosgrove, R. Most skill-based slots at this point leave the skill elements to bonus events, as in Konami’s Frogger or IGT’s Tulley’s Treasure hunt. But GameCo and other companies breaking into the slot industry are eliminating reel play altogether and making the skill portion the main game. Is that a slot machine?
Until recent times, slot machines never involved any skill. They simply call you to spin the reels and let a random number generator (RNG) determine the results.
The slots world hasn’t really changed much in this regard. The vast majority of games still don’t involve any true skill.
In the mid-2010’s, though, certain developers began producing skill-based slot machines. In contrast to traditional slots, these games give you more control over the results.
Skill-based machines seem like a great idea in theory. They combine the excitement of slots with video games. However, they have yet to gain any traction in the casino gambling world.
These games don’t have to remain unpopular forever, though. I’m going to discuss different ways that producers can finally bring skill-based slots into the limelight. First off, though, I’ll cover more on exactly what these games are and how they work.
How Do Skill Based Slot Machines Work?
A skill-based slot machine contains several elements that differ from a regular slot. Here are the key aspects behind these unique games.
Much Like Standard Slot Machines
A distinction exists between a skill-based and regular real money slots. As mentioned before, the former actually provides a degree of control over the game results.
Furthermore, they also feature a great degree of luck. An RNG determines spin results just like with any other slot machine. You won’t notice much of difference between skill-based games and traditional slots until the bonus round kicks in.
Bonus Contains Skill
The method in which bonus rounds are triggered is yet another element that skill slots share with regular games. You normally need to land three scatter symbols anywhere on the reels to trigger the bonus.
Once the feature starts, though, the separation between skill-based games and regular slot machines becomes evident.
Here’s an example on how a skill-based bonus round works:
- Alien spacecrafts advance towards earth.
- You need to maneuver a spaceship around and blast the aliens to earn credits.
- The more accurate you are during the bonus, the more money you stand to win.
This is just one example of how a skill-based feature works. But you can get an idea on how your abilities influence bonus winnings.
Assuming you’re good at the particular game, you stand to earn more money from a slot. On the contrary, you’ll lose out on more funds if you aren’t good at the feature.
Variable Return to Player (RTP)
Many developers give casinos the ability to choose RTP settings for particular slots—especially in the land-based gaming industry.
Skill-based machines differ in this regard. Again, your ability to play a given bonus round affects how much money you win.
A certain slot might offer 90% RTP at the base level. It will provide up to an additional 7% payback based on how well you do in the feature.
The House Still Has the Advantage
Some gamblers get the wrong impression on skill-based slots and think that they can swing the odds in their favor. They may believe that they’ll earn over 100% RTP with enough skill.
Unfortunately, these thoughts aren’t really true. You’ll still be facing a house edge even if you master the bonus round.
Of course, you can significantly improve your chances of winning by conquering the feature. But you still need some luck to circumvent the house advantage.
Skill Based Slots Once Showed Big Promise
Slot machines fill both land-based and online casinos. Therefore, they obviously appeal to the masses more than any other casino game.
But the gaming industry has noticed a trend where younger people don’t play slots much. They instead opt for skill-based games like blackjack and poker.
Not wanting to miss out on future generations of gamblers, developers devised a new strategy: they’ll still continue mass producing traditional slots, but they’ll also roll out skill-based machines to attract millennials and generation Z’ers.
The idea here involves appealing to gamblers who love modern video games. Given that millennials and gen Z’ers have grown up with both console and smartphone gaming, they definitely fall into this crowd.
Of course, slot machine still draw many boomers and generation X’ers. However, developers feel that they need something extra for younger gamblers.
The theory behind launching skill-based slot machines is solid. As you’ll read below, though, it hasn’t panned out too well.
Where Did Casino Slots Developers Go Wrong?
Slots producers were seemingly on the right track when they began working on skill-based machines. The latter provide something that traditional slots don’t.
For some strange reason, though, they rolled out machines that feature arcade themes. For example, IGT released Centipede and Scientific Games released Space Invaders.
Both Centipede and Space Invaders were hot at one time. However, that point was in the early 1980s, when people actually visited arcades.
We’re now three decades past that era. Most millennials and every generation Z’er didn’t grow up on arcade machines.
Young players would theoretically appreciate the skill aspect. Meanwhile, old gamblers would like playing games that they grew up with through the bonus rounds.
But herein lies another problem: developers and casinos have done a bad job of marketing skill-based slots. They often put these machines right next to traditional slots games.
Therefore, gamblers who walk by don’t notice any difference between Space Invaders and Sex and the City—other than the themes. They merely see what appears to be two regular slots.
How Can Developers Right the Ship?
Designing skill based games is challenging and game producers must take a two-pronged approach to skill-based machines if they ever want them to be popular:
- Use themes that specifically interest young players.
- Make 100% sure that everybody knows the relevant machines contain skill.
Maybe developers don’t yet feel comfortable putting Call of Duty, or another difficult first-person shooter, in the bonus round. But they should think along these lines if they want to capture younger gamblers’ attention.
After all, not many millennials are moved by Centipede or Pong. They want games that feature the type of skill and graphics they’re used to with consoles and smartphones.
Regarding the marketing part, casinos could dedicate a small portion of their gaming floors to skill-based gambling. If they labeled the section with a clearly visible sign, then more gamblers would realize that these games are different from regular slots.
Casinos could provide their skill-based games through traditional means too. They could put out a few social media posts on their new floor section.
Of course, promoting and creating a dedicated area for a new type of gaming is risky. Slot machines are proven moneymakers right now.
A casino could end up losing out on lots of revenue if skill-based slots don’t take off. But then again, these games have little chance to succeed if they’re not receiving any push.
Is It Too Late for Skill Based Slot Machines?
Slots with skill first hit casinos in the mid-2010’s. The industry was hoping that these games would take off among millennials and provide some hope.
However, these hopes haven’t come through. Again, most people don’t even realize that a skill-based slot machine is any different from the next game.
Of course, land-based casinos need to do something if their slot machines aren’t drawing young people. Some variation of skill slots might be the answer.
Conclusion
The future doesn’t look bright for skill-based gaming right now. Then again, these types of slot machines are only around five years old.
Casinos rolled them out several years ago in an effort to draw younger players. These initial efforts have proved fruitless, but there’s still time.
Video poker, which is found in abundance alongside slots, didn’t really catch on when it was introduced in the mid-1970s. It took around 5-8 years to truly draw gamblers’ attention.
Developers might want to tweak some of their earlier work with skill-based slots. But they definitely shouldn’t give up on these games just yet.
Slot machines have been entirely based on luck for decades. Unlike blackjack or poker, they don’t offer any control over the results.
However, a new breed of skill-based slots has begun to enter casinos. These games do provide the chance to control results to a degree.
Casinos aren’t necessarily offering skill-based slot machines willingly. Instead, they see a new trend on the horizon that could leave them obsolete if slots aren’t modified.
I’m going to discuss this new trend along why it’s forcing casinos to offer new types of slot machines. But first, I’ll cover more on how skill-based and traditional slots differ.
What Do Skill-Based Slot Machines Offer that Regular Slots Don’t?
A regular slot machine works as follows:
- You make a bet
- You spin the reels
- The random number generator (RNG) comes up with a combination
- Your results are displayed on the reels
You can see that the RNG decides the spin’s fate.
Some gamblers appreciate the complete randomness of slots. They don’t like overthinking every decision and would rather take a pure gamble.
Skill-based slot machines offer something different than this traditional setup. They feature bonus rounds that involve a high degree of skill.
Scientific Game’s Space Invaders is a perfect example of these games. This slot is based on a 1978 arcade machine that was later adapted to the Atari system.
Here’s how this slot machine’s bonus round works:
- You trigger the bonus with three or more scatter symbols
- You can choose between free spins and a skill-based round
- The latter brings up a second screen that’s filled with alien invaders
- You control a small spacecraft at the bottom and shoot at the advancing aliens
The base game still plays like any normal slot. You spin the reels and await a random result.
However, the key difference is in how the bonus works. You improve your chances of winning money by becoming more skilled at the bonus round.
Millennials Aren’t Playing Regular Slot Machines
The main reason why casinos are trialing skill-based slots is that millennials aren’t playing the traditional machines.
This generation, which was born between 1981 and 1996, visits casino resorts for the bars, nightclubs, and amenities. They’ve even shown some affinity for table games like blackjack and mini-baccarat.
However, millennials just don’t play slot machines like previous generations. They’re not impressed by the fancy graphics and features of the average modern slot.
This group has grown up during a technology boom that’s seen online gaming and smartphone use spread like wildfire. Millennials can simply pull out their phone and play a wide variety of games — gambling or otherwise.
In contrast to Baby Boomers and Generation X, they didn’t grow up visiting casinos just to gamble. Therefore, millennials don’t experience the same nostalgia that older gamblers do on slot machines.
The average millennial sees slots in land-based casinos as more relics than anything. But casinos are hoping to change this trend by injecting skill into the equation.
Gambling venues in both Las Vegas and Atlantic City have rolled out this new class of slots. They hope that the combination of skill-based bonuses, cool features, and good graphics is enough to attract young players.
Getting Skill-Based Casino Games Right Is Difficult
Skill-based gaming is still in its early stages. But so far, the results have been marginal at best.
The gaming world has been offering these slots since 2015. Neither millennials nor older gamblers are flocking to these machines.
Game Of Skill Slot Machines
One problem is a lack of awareness. Most players don’t realize that certain slots in Vegas and AC casinos feature skill.
Another potential problem is that developers just haven’t found the right combination to draw more gamblers.
Bonuses only account for around 3-5% of total return to player (RTP). This might not be a large enough degree of control for millennials, who are used to playing skill-based video and mobile games.
One more challenge for developers is figuring out the right type of bonuses. They’re going with old arcade games for now, which is a step in the right direction.
The idea is to use simple skill-based games that don’t turn off casual gamblers. After all, a 70-year-old grandma doesn’t want to play a slot where the bonus is patterned after Call of Duty.
But herein lies another dilemma: if the goal is to attract millennials, then why focus on arcade games from the 70s and 80s?
Uncertain Future with Skill-Based Slots
Aside from all the challenges I just highlighted above, casinos and developers must also deal with a high degree of uncertainty.
In the end, they could just be wasting their time by testing out skill-based slot machines. Nothing guarantees that these games will draw young adults.
Skill-based gaming sounds like a great idea in theory. Giving players the ability to decide their own fortunes is appealing.
Tournament.com, for example, found out the hard way that there are problems associated with such gaming.
They introduced an online betting platform for Half Life and Counter Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) in 2007. Players could gamble on their team’s success on Tournament.com.
This idea sounds amazing in theory. Competitive gamers could win money by playing the games they love.
However, successful gamers would purposely play badly to lower their rating. They could then compete against lower-rated players and guarantee themselves more winnings.
Casinos don’t face the exact same set of trials as a video game betting site. But they too must worry about if the gambling world is ready for a new concept.
What Will the Future of Slot Machines Look Like?
Skill Based Gaming Machines
The same skill-based slots that we see today may or may not ultimately win players over. In this case, what will the future of slot machines be?
Obviously, I can only speculate on the matter. But future slots will likely be closer to both social gaming and console/computer games.
Social games like Angry Birds, Candy Crush, and Plants vs. Zombies have become highly popular over the years. These games walk the fine line between being both entertaining and easy enough for the average person.
Many millennials would appreciate a more-hardcore gaming experience in casinos. After all, a good CS:GO player won’t get much stimulation from shooting Atari aliens that move at a snail’s pace.
Therefore, complex video games could make their way onto casino floors. Players would gamble on their abilities in games similar to CS:GO, Call of Duty, and Halo.
GameCo is already experimenting in this category with Danger Arena. This first-person shooter involves betting on your ability to blast armored soldiers.
Conclusion
The slots world is always evolving. Once three-reel games played on mechanical drums, these machines have transformed to reflect modern gaming better.
Virginia Skill Based Slot Machines
Nevertheless, they still aren’t catching on with younger gamblers. Millennials would rather visit a casino nightclub or spa than sit on a slot machine.
The good news is that these same visitors are still spending money. The bad news is that they’re not playing the casinos’ cash cows.
The industry fully realizes that they’ll be in trouble if they don’t find something that appeals to millennials. Skill-based slot machines are the first step in figuring out what young adults want.
The jury is out on whether these games are a success. They’ve only been available in casinos for a few years and haven’t been major hits thus far.
Developers may need to tweak the subject matter for the bonuses. Their early efforts include arcade adaptations that mainly appeal to older gamblers.
Both social and complex video gaming would very likely be popular among millennials. The fact is that gambling on games like Candy Crush and Halo hits closer to home with young players.
Again, these efforts are still in the early stages. But it’ll be interesting to see the end product of what finally does attract millennial gamblers.