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We use the internet every day, and it is so useful for us and has such a massive impact on our lives. We even forget that we have to pay for it. The truth is, the internet is also a subscription, and it wasn’t always here to have our back, entertaining us and giving us free information. But the slots are way older than the internet.
And somehow, they managed to work together and find a common path. The internet got better and more permissive, while the slots became compatible with it. Switching from mechanical reels to digital screens, slots have impacted our culture more than we would like to admit.
Today, we will take a look at that and try to determine how these simple-looking games changed us and our culture in some ways.
We Are Getting Addicted Easier
Yes, the games are better, with way more immersive elements, better graphics, and excellent sound effects. But that’s not the main reason why more and more people get addicted to online slots.
It’s because you don’t have to drive two hours or plan an entire day to travel to the nearest casino. You now have thousands and thousands of slots at one click away. All of them are accessible from your phone, laptop, or any other device, and you don’t even have to leave your bed.
This ease of access, combined with a more rewarding game infrastructure, triggers our dopamine faster. As a result, we want to feel that thrill more and more, and it is so easy to open your phone and get a dose at any time of the day.
And because online casinos are basically available for everyone, gambling has become more and more normalized, now part of our daily lives. Sustained by online ads, TV commercials, and influencer marketing, gambling is now more dangerous than ever.
Statistics from QuitGamble say that 75% of problem gamblers are slot addicts, and more than 20 million Americans struggle with gambling addiction in 2024.
Online Casinos Are The New Thing
Gaming has a lot of forms, and online gambling is one of them. The biggest cultural change we observe nowadays is that casinos have completely shifted online, and it seems like we will witness the sudden death of physical casinos.
Year to year, more and more people adhere to online casinos, leaving physical gambling for the past. Based on a Statista report, starting from 2019, the number of online gamblers increased with 20% each year, reaching an astonishing number of approximately 210 million online casino users in 2024.
Considering that in 2019, the total number of online gamblers was 75 million, we will let you digest that and imagine the real cultural impact on a global level. The online casino industry tripled in only five years.
Now, considering that 75% of problem gamblers are slot addicts, can you say that online slots are responsible for 75% of this growth? This must be a profitable type of game for real.
Fictional Characters Are Now Your Slot Characters
So far, we know that online gambling is basically a trend in present times, but online gambling corporations are not stopping here. They want more and more, and the only way to increase their revenue is by attracting more players to register.
So, if 50% of the people across the globe know who Dracula is, why not use this fictional character to attract more players online? This actually happened, and NetEnt, a very well-known international casino software provider, launched the Dracula slot.
People who are curious about Dracula’s story but cannot afford to visit the Dracula’s Castle from Romania can now launch the Dracula slot on their phones. From a cultural point of view, casinos are exploiting the sympathy and mystery that revolve around Dracula, just to attract players to gamble more.
Celebrities Endorse Casino Services
The same principle is applied when celebrities, influencers, and important figures from the sports industry are being featured in casino campaigns. Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Drake, Conor McGregor, Neymar, Adin Ross, and many more endorsed online casinos throughout the time.
Can you guess what these players were promoting? In some way or another, some of them would invite you to claim a online casino no deposit bonus, and some slot benefits.
Game Aesthetics
This is a big one. The slot mechanic is so popular, that game development studios are using it in their triple A games, indie games, single player games, and so on. Everyone learned that if a game triggers dopamine, the chances of being successful increase greatly.
Developers will incorporate randomized rewards, progression systems, and all sorts of variable outcomes to effectively tap into the brain’s reward centers. The result? A game will keep you invested long-term.
This is a very good example of how slot mechanics evolved beyond traditional gambling games. Developers are prioritizing monetization and retention, which transforms the entire industry in a non-ethical environment, with a negative impact on players, especially the younger ones.
Last Words
There are plenty of studies showing that casino slot developers are doing their best to use as many sensorial triggering techniques as possible to make us fall in love with their games. Starting from graphic design, sound effects, influential characters, and gamified mechanics to rewarding systems based on financial outcomes.
It’s ok to make these games fun, but it’s immoral to take gambling and dress it as it is a safe entertainment form. If you combine cute animals, fictional characters like Dracula, or pay Messi millions for a campaign, the slots will remain slots.
Gamble responsible.