Listen to the article
In Western countries, around 70% of the revenue of casinos comes from slots. So, why do so many people like to play slots in both land-based and online casinos? There are likely to be several reasons for this.
People tend to like slot machines because they generate a lot more excitement than other casino games. If there is a large jackpot associated with a slot machine then it is even more exciting to play. Some people that play slots in casinos do so because they want to kill time and they find them less boring than other casino games.
Slots are Popular Across the World
It is not just in North America and Western Europe where slots dominate. Japan has their own version of slot machines that they call pachinko. Japanese gamblers really like pachinko and it accounts for around 60% of the total gambling market in the country. Some 7% of the Japanese population play pachinko on a regular basis.
In Australia and New Zealand slots are really big. Slots are by far the most popular way to gamble in New Zealand. They are popular in Australia too. Locally slot machines are known as “pokies”.
Online Casinos and Mobile Casinos
These days you will find free slots online as well as those that you can use to gamble for real money. You can find a wide selection of themed slots online because the software companies that create the games know just how popular slot machines are.
Playing at an online casino is a lot more convenient that visiting a land-based casino. If you like to play slots then you can usually find hundreds of different slot games available in online casinos. These days, a lot of players use their mobile devices to play slot machines online. There are apps available for mobile casinos and most slot games are optimized for mobile play.
Since online casinos and mobile casinos were introduced, they have gained in popularity each year. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a surge in the number of players that went online to play slots and their other favorite casino games. The pandemic had a devastating impact on land-based casinos that had to close during periods of quarantine.
Related: How To Choose Casino Bonuses As A Sports Bettor
Slots are just more Engaging
A few years ago, conventional slot machines only had one payline which was usually in the center of three reels. They used similar symbols on the reels such as bars, cherries, grapes, watermelons and bells.
These days, you will find slots that have multiple paylines, 5 reels or more and a variety of different symbols. There are so many themed slots online, and the symbols used can vary from super heroes to dragons, to animals to fruits and more.
The creators of the software for these slots use high resolution graphics and add high-quality sound effects and background music. This makes the slot games a lot more engaging to play than casino table games for example.
A lot of modern slot games have great animations in them. They also tend to have a lot of different features. Players will eagerly seek out slots that have a number of bonus features because these are exciting to play and provide the chance for large wins.
Slots are Addictive
Modern slot games are designed to be addictive for players. Quite a lot of them will provide frequent, small wins, and these keep the players coming back for more. It is easy to spend a lot longer playing a slot game than you may have planned to do.
The major software companies apply psychological factors when they are creating new slot games. They want to condition the players of their slots to keep going for as long as possible. Bonus features and jackpots play a big part in this as do frequent small wins. No other casino games can compete with slots for excitement and entertainment.
