New technologies and features are constantly being developed to enhance the player experience in the online slot game industry. Technological innovations have significantly upgraded the online casino industry, making it more accessible to all gambling enthusiasts. Many casino industry trends will be incorporated into the online gambling industry in the following decades, including the most popular casino games – the slots.
Because of the rapid growth, online slots have become one of the most popular forms of online gambling. A digital version of traditional slot machines is virtual or video slots played online on a computer or mobile device. Online casinos are now a great way for players to access many slot games from the comfort of their homes.
So, in this blog post, we will reveal the slot game trends for 2023 and see all the technologies that make all gambling experiences much better. Let’s see the most prominent slot trends for this year and benefit from them firsthand:
Online slot games trends
Online casino games are changing fast, and many online casinos take massive advantage of attracting more players with exclusive slots. There are different kinds of slots, like free online slots, progressive jackpots, real money slots, classic slots, etc., with generous welcome bonuses and free spins for newcomers. What is a trend in the slots industry, and how easily can you access thousands of free slots online? You can find the answer right below:
Trend #1: Artificial Intelligence (AI) for better gameplay
The online slot games industry is beginning to see a significant impact from artificial intelligence (AI), and it is likely to become more important in the future. AI is more beneficial for game providers than players, focusing on building predictive algorithms and adjusting the game features accordingly. It will boost the player experience and provide outstanding gameplay like never before.
On the other hand, AI will impact the player’s behaviour on a specific online casino site playing online slot variations. The AI will help slot lovers to pick their favourite slots game with precise game recommendations according to their recent activity on the gambling platform. That way, all people can access and play online slots as they previously played without the need to manually search for specific variations. Similarly to this, the AI chatbot or an in-built AI system will give you a suggestion for claiming bonus spins or bonus games so that it would be so helpful even for the non-tech-savvy players.
Trend #2: VR and AR for increased user experience
As the name implies, augmented reality (AR) enhances the user’s existing surroundings with a super-imaginable layer of virtual objects and sensory experiences. AR can augment your familiar environment by adding items, characters, sounds, or a user interface. You may imagine a dragon sitting on your sofa while playing your favourite slot or a Pokemon character emerging from a bush on the street. Most AR applications don’t require any special hardware besides a smartphone.
That’s when some sophisticated online casinos offer AR-based and VR-based online slots for a better and unforgettable user experience in the same way you play live. You can play slots thanks to AR without any expensive equipment, or you can use some basic VR headsets for diving into the world of playing slots in another dimension. It brings a lot of excitement during the gameplay and gives the same feeling as playing on slot machines like those in Las Vegas.
Trend #3: Cryptocurrency gaming and faster transactions
Cryptocurrencies and their transactions are based on cryptography, providing anonymity as a significant benefit. There are different and new virtual wallets that provide untraceable transactions for all your casino deposits and withdrawals. In countries with high taxes on gambling winnings, many slot players choose to pay in cryptocurrency and skip the high rates.
Crypto casino payments are easy to handle, especially for high-rollers who win large amounts of money. The banking system isn’t friendly to gamblers, and you must go through a few steps before the funds reach your account. Cryptocurrency allows you to instantly obtain virtual currency and convert it to cash whenever needed. So, that’s how many trustworthy online casinos provide crypto payments or are entirely changed into crypto casinos.
Also, slot enthusiasts enjoy the best slots in restricted regions thanks to cryptocurrencies. Blockchain-based casinos will improve their profit margins throughout the year, and more and more will provide crypto-based slot games. Even brick-and-mortar casinos are expected to accept crypto deposits and withdrawals on their official websites. Tend always to play responsibly and enjoy real money gaming firsthand.
Trend #4: More arcade games as slot games
Casino games you used to play in arcades and pubs are now reimagined as monetized entities for gambling companies. Aside from entertainment, arcade gambling games offer free money and various cash prizes. Back in the day, arcades were a reason you would gather with your friends and try to win symbolic bonus money.
Technology is now advanced, and casino arcade games are becoming increasingly popular. That’s the online slot games industry scenario, providing unforgettable and little nostalgic experiences playing arcade progressive slots, mobile slots and other games. Smartphones are increasingly used to play real money online arcade games, so make sure you prepare your mobile devices for extended fun on the go.
Bringing back happy memories and playing your favourite games is possible without ever leaving your home. All online casinos are user-friendly and allow you to play arcade games for real money prizes, which is one of the loudest trends in the iGaming industry this year.
Trend #5: Hold and Respin slot games
This trend is mainly related to the slot casino bonus, or, more precisely said, bonus rounds and funds. Many options are available in the fast-growing category of hold and respin slots. A simple bonus game may use this feature, and a more complex bonus game can result in a large jackpot or a basic reel swing. Lock-and-respin matches are the only bonus occurrences that are so adaptable that they can be used as a primary game.
The “hold-and-respin” bonus format is a relatively new feature to slot games, but it has a long history in these types of games in other versions. In the past, slots featured lucky free spins that separated into various coloured wedges, and players would bet on which colour they believed would they appear first. However, as game developers become more innovative thanks to the new technologies, they will continue to explore new and exciting features like “hold-and-respin” slots. This new format is expected to be well-received by players and has a long lifespan in the world of slot games.
New slot games features
If you love to play slots online, you probably can’t wait to win or use some in-game features that top casinos provide to the players as winning combinations boosters. Progressive jackpot slots usually have points multipliers that increase your earning potential as the game flows. In this section, you will find the top new slot game features that will increase your winning chances and make a huge profit on any slot you play.
In-game accumulator to triple your winnings
It’s not uncommon to see games with traditional accumulators, such as pots, fireworks, or other elements, that slowly fill up and, at some point, explode into a bonus. The triple accumulator format is becoming more common in the slot games industry. The best online slots for such bonus multipliers are:
- Coin Combo Series
- Goldfish Feeding Time
- Monopoly Lunar New Year
- Rich Little Piggies – Meal Ticket and Hog Wild
It has generally been the trend for accumulators to enhance bonuses, but implementing these enhancements has varied. When different accumulators are used, additional bonuses are available for the slots player respectively. For instance, the classic three reel slots games have points accumulators that can lead you to win cash prizes and sweeten your account. Make sure you play casino games with such features and become a winner in a blink of an eye.
Slots theme variations
In addition to the triple accumulator, many other things are popping up everywhere. Various Wild-style games are being offered by multiple iGaming companies, where wild symbols appear on the first two reels, followed by multiple forms of cash.
Occasionally, companies release minor variations of their previous successful games to make the player experience better and more exciting. Recent examples of such scenarios are the following slot titles:
- Double Money Link
- 5 Treasures Golden Door
- Dancing Drums Prosperity
- Ultimate Fire Link Explosion
- 88 Fortunes Emperor’s Coins
Please note that many other online games have different variations depending on the game providers. Choose your favourite ones and start playing slots for big cash rewards.
Cash rewards on the slot reels
Even though the cash funds on the slot reels are an evergreen trend, it continues to snowball this year as a part of the Hold and Spin slot machines style. The cash on-reel slots are rapidly expanding their presence on the market with exciting prizes for slot players. The players can bet on many free games and gain different cash prizes, free spins winnings or win real money thanks to this feature. Compete in various free slot tournaments and try to win max cash rewards not found daily on casual gambling platforms.
Top slot games at EkstraPoint
We at EkstraPoint provide a lot of exciting and trendy slot games competitions where you can attend and dive into massive prize pools. To start playing in any slot competition, you have to register on our platform and fulfill all the required details. Then, you are free to choose between dozens of slot competitions, such as:
- Cash prizes competitions
- Just started competitions
- Live competitions
- Popular competitions
- Ending soon competitions
- New credits competitions
- And many more!
On the same competition page, you can see the latest winners, our top 3 players in your chosen competition and the prize pool. Usually, the winners get hundreds of thousands of EP points and big money awards depending on the game they picked. The best online slot tournaments you must try on EkstraPoint are Bank Job, Fun Fruit, Samurai Slot and many more.
Conclusion: New technology leads to new winning opportunities
Slot games are the primary online gambling force in the iGaming industry, and their popularity has risen in recent years. The trends in slot games have been shaped by advancements in technology that lead all players into advanced gambling practices. The slot games industry is constantly rising from launching different mobile and crypto casinos to integrating VR and AI.
Despite global economic downturns and regulatory challenges, it still marks significant prosperity thanks to the growing number of slot players. As the industry continues to adapt to new technologies and trends, we at EkstraPoint think that slot games will continue to be a central part of the online gambling landscape. Choose your favourite online slot machine, deposit and place the max bet to win huge sums.