The hottest topic in Las Vegas gaming over the past few months has been skill-based slots. The excitement is warranted, given that these new slots games – due out in 2016 – will inject some skill into the time-honored tradition of spinning the reels. But with all the hype, you’d think that skill-based slots are set to dominate Nevada casinos. However, as we’ll discuss below, this will be far from reality.
Skill-based Slots only “looking for a Small Space”
Eric Meyerhofer, CEO of Gamblit Gaming, has been at the forefront of bringing skill-based slot machines to Vegas. But even he admits that this isn’t a complete revolution, just a different offering for Vegas gamblers.
“We’re just looking for a small space, not the whole floor,” said Meyerhofer.
The key idea behind having skill slots is to engage Millennials, who largely don’t embrace standard slot machines offered today. However, Nevada casinos can’t risk turning off their core demographic, which is middle-aged and older gamblers. So as Meyerhoter contends, the skill-based slots transition will be a conservative one over the first few years.
What can We expect from Vegas Slots in the Future?
As the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports, slots makers have had success by developing a variety of themed games like “House of Cards,” “TMZ,” “Orange is the New Black,” “Game of Thrones,” “The Simpsons” and “The Big Bang Theory.” However, the new line of slots will resemble smartphone and PC games more than TV shows and movies.
“Guitar Hero,” “Angry Birds” and “Candy Crush” are some of the proposed themes for what we can expect when these skill-based machines do hit gaming floors. According to Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Andrew Zarnett, this fresh line of games is exactly what the industry needs.
“The slot machine needs a face-lift if it stands a chance to appeal to the next generation of players,” Zarnett said. “Younger players dislike them, as they seem primitive to the exciting games that millennials play on their cellphones.”
Assuming these games are a success, we can likely expect to see far more skill-based slots down the road.