How Mobile Video Slots Came to Dominate the Online Casino World

With mobile devices becoming more advanced and better technology available to software developers, mobile video slots take over online casino.

20:07 03 January 2023

Online casino sites have been entertaining players since the mid-1990s, but back then, the only way to access the basic games would be through your chunky home desktop computer. However, just 30 years later, times are very different and not only can we play online slots via mobile devices, but mobile-accessible video slots dominate the industry. 

With mobile devices becoming more advanced and better technology available to software developers, it is no surprise to see mobile video slots take over the online casino industry. This post highlights everything you need to know about mobile video slots in the online casino industry. 

The Rise Of Mobile Video Slots

As you would expect, the rise of mobile video slots has been parallel to the growth and popularity of mobile devices. As mobile devices become more advanced and more accessible, the number of people turning to them to access online gambling services surged massively. In accordance with this, software developers and casino operators turned their attention to mobile video slots. 

The first mobile-based online casino where players could enjoy games via their mobile phones was established in 2005 and released by leading software provider Playtech. Pub Fruity, a mobile-friendly online slot, was the first of its kind and started a future trend that saw many more mobile video slots released. However, despite the growing accessibility of mobile slots and casinos, they didn’t truly take off until 2013. At this point, there were over 100 mobile casinos available, and the quality of mobile devices at this time had drastically improved since the launch of the first mobile casino. 

The ever-rising quality and accessibility of mobile video slots have helped the gambling industry grow tenfold, especially in the online market. Remote gambling is now easier than ever, and since there is no drop in quality like there used to be, large amounts of gamblers are turning to their mobile phones rather than land-based casinos and high-street bookmakers.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, remote gambling activities accumulated a Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) of £6.4 billion, while land-based sectors had a GGY that totalled £3.5 billion. Of the £6.4 billion accrued in the remote gambling market, £3.9 billion was generated by online casino games as a whole, while slot games were responsible for £3.0 billion. 

What Makes Mobile Video Slots so Popular?

Online slots, as a whole, are some of the most played online casino games available, even when you do not consider the device they are accessed on. But what makes mobile video slots stand above the rest?

The truth is, there’s a variety of reasons why mobile slots have become so popular.

Convenience

One of the most important reasons for the incredible popularity of mobile slots is the convenience they offer. The entire success of mobile phones comes from their ability to access the web, make calls or even take pictures no matter where you are located. Whether you are at home, on a train or climbing a mountain, as long as you have an internet signal, you can do anything with a mobile phone, including play online slots. 

Being able to play your favourite mobile slots at any time or place is one of the key factors to their popularity. 

Game Quality

The quality of mobile games has had a huge role to play in the growth of mobile video slots. With better technology available and a clearer understanding of what slot players want, game developers are able to piece together exciting mobile slots that feature high-definition graphics, exciting bonus rounds and immersive gameplay. Pixelated games that offer a bland gaming experience are a thing of the past, with game quality improving every passing year. 

Game Selection

As with every aspect of mobile slots, game selection is another that has greatly improved over the last ten years. Having a diverse selection of games available not only keeps individual players better entertained but attracts a larger audience. For example, at one point, there was a very limited selection of mobile games available that would have included basic fruit machine slots. But now, online casino players have thousands of diversely themed video slots, along with table games, tv-show games and even live dealer games. 

The Evolution of Mobile Video Slots

As we have discussed, mobile video slots have been on an ascending journey that has no limit. Over the years, mobile slots have evolved in every aspect, including their quality, accessibility, game options, player safety and even mobile exclusive bonuses. While the domination of mobile video slots in the gambling industry has happened very quickly, it should come as no surprise when you consider the advantages they offer.

Harrison Score, an author at online bingo and slots portal WDW Bingo, said, "Almost 80% of our traffic is now from mobile, and this is a common story across our industry. This simply wouldn't be possible without the incredible improvement in mobile slot technology and design."

Mobile video slots are likely to continue to dominate the online casino world in the future as we see further improvements to game technology, accessibility and game selection.