Slot development from idea to release: A conversation with the Chief Editor of ProInternet

I don't want to jump the gun, but I see online gambling evolving in two key areas: social responsibility and technological innovation.

03:17 28 June 2024

The legalization of gambling in Ukraine in 2020 created a new market for the global gambling games industry, which was quickly filled with products from leading gaming operators. For the Ukrainian public, this was a novel experience, but Ukrainian players proved to be discerning. For a game to gain popularity, novelty alone isn't enough. Even in a new market, a game's success hinges on a multitude of factors, from the originality of the concept to its technical execution.

We discussed this, along with the near-future tech trends of online gambling not only in Ukraine but also around the world, with Olena Bylytsya, the editor-in-chief of the information portal ProInternet.

Tell us a little about yourself. What is your role in ProInternet?

I wear many hats: a team member at the information portal ProInternet, a former employee of mobile game developer Playrix, an online gambling consultant, and a passionate player with extensive experience. Currently, I'm researching the internet gambling market, particularly the impact of modern blockchain technologies. I'm also dedicated to creating and sharing accurate information about online casinos, its apps and the entire gambling world. And the team of the ProInternet website, of which I am the editor-in-chief, helps me a lot in this.

What do you think influences the popularity of a particular slot machine?

The success of any slot is a mosaic consisting of many elements, not only technical and design, but also marketing. A compelling idea is just a starting point. If the developer does not follow the market situation and his product does not meet the expectations of the audience, success will remain illusory. In any case, new online slots should be different and, what is even better, have their own features that make them unique. These can be unconventional symbols, captivating animations, innovative gameplay layouts, musical accompaniment that conveys the mood, and so on.

Engaging players and keeping them hooked boils down to one core element: compelling slot machine features. Games that leverage free spins, progressive jackpots, bonus buy options, leveling systems, engaging bonus rounds, and thrilling gamble features tend to be highly successful. However, predicting the guaranteed popularity of a specific slot remains a challenge. Even industry giants aren't immune to flops. Look no further than Games Global's The Dark Knight and NetEnt's Aliens, both of which faced harsh criticism and ultimately vanished from casinos. Even innovative games can succumb to this destiny.

What are the important components that need to be taken into account when developing a slot machine?

I have already partially answered this question when I talked about the factors that ensure the popularity of casino slot machines. Here, I will only supplement the answer with some details that I consider the most important.

• Firstly, the slot should give a real chance of winning regardless of the level of volatility; otherwise, interest in it will dry up very quickly.
• Secondly, the game should have clear and understandable rules. A slot with a diverse and mathematically acceptable but difficult-to-understand system of calculating winnings can push the player away. As for what is commonly called a plot, its presence will be a big plus.
• And of course, gamble online slots must be designed with adaptability in mind, be available on different platforms and devices, especially mobile ones.

What storylines do developers use in modern slots?

To be frank, I haven't encountered online slot games with elaborate storylines like those found in modern computer games. In most cases, slot creators limit themselves to using recognizable images borrowed from films, literary works, computer games and television shows. And this is understandable: using a consistent storyline would complicate the gameplay, which gambling developers try to avoid. But the genre can be any; the main thing is that the content used is well known to players. The most popular among slot developers are fantasy, fairy tales, myths of ancient civilizations, and adventures, as well as real stories from the lives of famous people.

What, besides modern graphics, distinguishes new casino slots?

First, these are bonus features and game mechanics. Today, in online casinos, you can find slots with cluster mechanics, Megaways, Gigablox, Crash, Infini Reels, Popwins, Hold and Win, with regular and progressive jackpots, and various bonus features, for example, the option to buy spins for a nominal fee. Of no less interest are cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies integrating into the world of online gambling. Already now, many online casinos operating under international licenses use cryptocurrency as a means of payment, and there are also decentralized casinos that accept NFT. It is also important to note the emergence of Provably Fair technology, which allows players to verify the fairness of casino games online.

Tell us more about Provably Fair?

Provably Fair is a cryptographic system that allows players to independently verify the fairness of the game results. Before the game starts, the casino generates a random, unique number (ID) that the player can view. The player places a bet, and the amount is combined with the ID and hashed using a cryptographic function. Then, a checksum for the game result is calculated and sent to the player. Crucially, the player can independently perform these checks by comparing the hash they received with the one generated by the casino. If these checksums match, then the game was fair, and the casino did not manipulate the outcome.

What do you think about the future of the iGaming industry?

I don't want to jump the gun, but I see online gambling evolving in two key areas: social responsibility and technological innovation. I do not rule out that in some countries where gambling has been recently permitted, regulators will tighten control over it. However, the technical direction is of much greater interest. Here, game development has a treasure trove of opportunities. Beyond the integration of blockchain and cryptocurrencies, in the future, gambling developers will focus more on the realism of the gameplay and the creation of the effect of presence. To achieve this, slot sites will leverage augmented and virtual reality technologies. AI can also be used for the same purpose, as well as for personalizing the player’s experience and risk management.

This material was prepared on the basis of an oral interview with the editor-in-chief of the ProInternet website, Olena Bylytsya, who shared her point of view on the current situation in the online gambling market.