How Gamification is Transforming Online Slots

Thrill. Adventure. Competition. These are aspects shared among online gamblers. But what better way to spice things up than gamification? According to Nudge, the global gamification market was worth about $10.5 billion in 2019. However, this figure is expected to hit $123.87 billion by 2031, showing just how much players want something more than just spinning reels. 

Remember the one-armed bandits where a single pull of a lever saw reels spin with the hope of matching symbols for a win? Well, thanks to technology, gamification presents a more engaging and incentivized way of playing online slots. 

What is Gamification?

Simply put, this is the addition of game-like elements in non-game contexts to increase user engagement. Many industries, such as education and fitness, continue to adopt this strategy to make activities more enjoyable and motivating. 

However, in the online slot context, gamification is all about incorporating challenges, rewards, and even social elements to enhance the overall gaming experience. So, how does this all come together?

How Gamification is Applied to Online Slots

The use of gamification in online slots can be seen in several innovative features:

• Story-driven slots: Remember the earlier slot machines? Players only had to spin the reels and wait for the outcome. With gamification, there’s a storyline. There’s a plot and characters that make the game even more appealing. Take the example of an online slot where a player must collect codes to a safe after spinning a wheel. These codes then allow the player to unlock a safe for wins. 
• Competition and social interaction: Competing against other players and interacting with them at the same time is one of the pillars of gamification. Some online slots integrate leaderboards where players spin the reels even more to achieve better ranking. 
• Missions and challenges: A storyline and competitions can still get boring. But what about daily or weekly missions to keep the gameplay fresh? This is what many online slots offer players, so they compete for rewards. Here’s a perfect example showing challenges incorporated into gameplay.

Developed by Yggdrasil, Vikings Go Berzerk offers a rage metre for each Viking character. As players win, the rage metre fills up, and once full, it triggers a free spins round with enhanced features. The game also includes treasure chests that offer random rewards, adding an element of surprise and excitement. There are plenty more such games at Pokerstars for players interested in experiencing gamification.  

• Personalization and customization: Online slots today want to make gameplay more personal. That can be through customizable game themes, settings, characters, and even in-game content. As a result, this adds a personal connection to the game. 

How is Online Slots Gamification Revolutionising the Online Gambling Industry? 

It’s a complete revolution of how players engage with online slots. Gamification continues to attract more interest and all interested parties continue to reap the benefits. Take a look at how players, online casinos, and game providers are benefiting. 

• More player reach: Slots are popular. There’s no debate about that. However, adding gaming elements, such as storylines and competitive features to the gameplay continues to see more players from different demographics switch to slots. 
• Added player interaction: There’s no doubt the main reason for online slot gamification is to increase player engagement. So far, so good. In fact, more and more players are finding gamified slots more appealing and enjoyable. As a ripple effect, online casinos continue to report higher player retention rates and, consequently, higher revenues. 
• Competition among slot game providers: With slots becoming increasingly popular, slot game providers are in a race to compete for the market share. With such aggressive competition, providers are looking into creative and innovative ways to refine gamification for even better experiences. 
• Better player loyalty: A satisfied player will always come back for more. This is what gamification in online slots targets. When a player feels that sense of conquering after battling through challenges and unlocking new levels, they are bound to keep exploring. 

What Next for Online Slots Gamification?

Gamification is here to stay. In fact, more innovations are on the way to enhance player experience. For instance, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are already in the works to allow for more immersion to gamified slots. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also staking its claim in gamified slots to offer more personalized experiences by adapting to a player’s style and preferences. In whatever capacity, online slot gamification is reshaping the way players enjoy their favourite slots.