Yep. I said it. Implementing skill-based slots is, without a shadow of a doubt, the single best thing that could possibly happen to online casinos at this point in time, and, if done correctly, will result in the biggest surge of new players we’ve seen since live casinos were introduced. As people who have been fighting for diversity of online casino experiences for literally years, we at ADADA couldn’t possibly support this notion more. At this point, you either agree or are wondering exactly what I’m talking about, so in any case, let me start at the beginning. Skill-based slots are pretty much exactly what they sound like, slots which feature heavy elements which rely on skill rather than pure luck. In a typical slot bonus game, your choices would have very little impact on whether you win or you lose. You’d have games where all you need to do is select one of several “cups” and see what reward lies underneath, or sometimes there is no interactivity at all. In skill-based slots, how much you win in the bonus round depends entirely on your skills. Imagine playing a game of “Galaga” and getting money for each alien you shoot down, with the idea being to shoot them all and get the maximum winnings possible before you die and end the bonus.

Several US states recently legalized skill-based slots for their casinos, with the very first of their kind being installed in numerous physical locations across the country. If you’re curious about that, I would advise you to read this fascinating Gamasutra article which talks at length about the process. In the UK, on the other hand, we seem to be stuck in a bit of a rut due to highly outdated gambling regulations which state that any wins made in online casinos must be made 100% due to luck and not skill. Of course, it’s an absurd rule considering the fact that many casino games, like blackjack and video poker, already rely on skill at least in part (almost no amount of luck will save you if you decide to hit on a 17), so why do they get a pass from the regulation, yet slots don’t? It’s a mess of a law that makes very little amount of sense, and yet changing it has been a nightmare. Casino laws in general (especially those related to online casinos) have been a complicated web of bureaucracy that has proven, time and time again, to be nearly impenetrable.

So, why are skill-based slots so important, anyway? It sounds like a neat gimmick, but in the first paragraph I said they’re the most important thing that can happen right now, even placing them ahead of technological advancements like VR? Well, first of all, unlike what Microgaming is trying to tell you, VR is actually a pretty terrible idea for online casino. Second, skill-based slots are going to solve a huge, gaping issue that has been plaguing the industry in the last few days – the fact that too many players leave, and not enough come back. Old players go because they grow bored, and new potential players don’t find anything interesting. The newest generation of gamblers has grown up on videogames, so it’s only natural that, on a subconscious level, they believe that skill is important to win. That’s why skill-based games like poker have been knocking online casinos out of the park, to the point where they’re given their own category. Introducing skill-based slots in online casinos will finally provide new gamblers with an opportunity to play casino games that speak their language, and even if most of them just deposit once or twice and then never come back again, that’s still a huge win for the industry! The moment skill-based slots happen, and are implemented correctly, I assure you that the profits will start falling. The question is whether the current government (which seems very hostile towards online casinos, considering their recent behaviour) will be merciful enough to allow them.