The Biggest Advances to Online Casino Games of the 2020s So Far

As the online casino market continues its rapid expansion across the globe, software developers have shown no signs of slowing down on the innovation front. The 2020s have already seen a range of new technologies hit the mainstream, whether it’s reimagined classics or entirely new features. We’ve looked at the most exciting recent developments in this guide.

Slingo’s Rapid Expansion

Despite being invented as a land-based game in the mid-90s, Slingo wasn’t released as an online gambling game until 2015. For the first five years, the slot-bingo hybrid games had simple themes and payout mechanisms and weren’t always common in online casino catalogs. This has changed in the past five years.

Due to strategic partnerships with major software developers, Slingo can be found at most major online casinos. There are over 100 variants of Slingo alongside new themes in bingo games, with some being redesigned versions of popular slot titles and others offering new special features. Its many themes have helped the game to be embraced by both slots and bingo fans.

Live Dealer Game Shows

In 2017, Evolution Gaming released its first real-dealer gameshow, Dream Catcher. This simple spin-the-wheel game marked a large departure from traditional online gambling games in that it put players in the seat of TV game show contestants. By 2020, the developer had released a live variant of the hit TV game show Deal or No Deal, and since then, the options haven’t stopped flowing.

The approach was followed by other major developers, resulting in rapid expansion of the sector. Now, common live game show types include lottery-style games, treasure-finders such as Gonzo’s Treasure Map, event-style betting in Football Studio, and even slot-game show hybrids. 

First-Person Table Games

Off the back of the popularity of live dealer table games, developers realized that there were still players who preferred the slower pace of virtual table games. However, understanding that the cinematic and life-like production of live blackjack and roulette offered something different, they began to develop virtual RNG variants of the live games.

First-person table games include recorded videos of croupiers hosting games, dealing cards, and spinning wheels. Recent years have also seen first-person game shows become standard, offering players a chance to try live dealer suites while taking the time to consider their betting strategy.

Bet Behind Blackjack

Bet behind has been a common feature on live casino games for some time. The feature allows spectators of real-life players to bet on the outcome of their hands. The benefit is that players don’t have to wait for a seat to open up, and can view the statistics of their gameplay to gauge their playing style.

This year has seen Game Supplier of the Year Pragmatic Play launch virtual Bet Behind games, which allows players to back the hands of bots. This offers faster gameplay as bots make instant decisions. There is also the option to wager on all bots at once and consider advanced statistics.

As the mid-point of the 2020s approaches, we’ve already seen a range of exciting products redefine the online casino gaming landscape. We expect the next five to be even more exciting, as technological advancements look set to push the possibilities to the limits.