Summary
<Rant Mode On> As innovation goes, I was disappointed not to see anything I would consider game or industry-changing.
I don’t know whether that’s because people have run out of ideas or the shift to using more or all RNG is a thing Players are crying out for, and that is where the investment is going. Player numbers in the lobbies tell their story, so perhaps I’m missing something! <Rant Mode Off>.
So RNG is in. And so is Marbles – both pre-recorded races and live. Take your pick. Select your colour – sorry, colour-blind people, you’ll have to play something else. Place your bet and hope your marble wins! They make a good spectacle, and the live version may prove popular, especially to Sports bettors, who the industry is trying their best to convert to Live Casino – Leave them alone. They like sports, not casino games!
More gameshows are coming, and yep, they follow the big wheel mechanic and have bonus rounds. I tried my best to persuade one supplier not to have so many bonus rounds, as I feel it devalues bonus rounds by having them so often. He understood, but was he brave enough to do something different? Only time will tell!
There seem to be more companies producing Live Games. I didn’t get around to all of them, but one had some interesting USPs that set it apart. Their challenge is to get noticed in a crowded field where the big three tend to dominate.
Chromakey is also making a comeback. It’s being used to provide flexibility and localized branding. I’ve always thought its use was clever, so I am delighted to see its resurgence.
Some suppliers, unfortunately, put too much faith in the venue’s Internet Connection and Wi-Fi, so I wasted a lot of time looking at page loadings and feeling the embarrassment and frustration of my hosts.
Your top tip is to ensure you have pre-recorded videos of the top features of each game so at least visitors can see them. We don’t need to play the game, a good look and an explanation is enough?
I experienced a great desire to push live dealer games forward and provide functionality players haven’t seen. Games presentation is getting better, but sometimes at the expense of the playing experience.
I judge a game by whether I would play it without placing a bet. That is, whether the game produces enough excitement to deliver a good experience without needing gambling to increase dopamine levels. Unfortunately, many newer games seem to fall into this latter category.
Now, let’s move on to what everyone plans for 2025. If you’re not listed, I’m sorry I didn’t get to you, or there was no one to talk to when I visited your stand, assuming you had one.