As the year 2019 comes to a close, we welcome another new year with much anticipation as new opportunities keep on emerging.

In the last couple of years, there has been massive growth and popularity in video slots, and this is a trend that is most likely going to continue in the years to come.

2019 has been a spectacular year in the world of gaming and the year has surprised us with some of the most unique and advanced slot designs.

Slot games have been the fuel that has kept many online casinos in business, and we know 2020 will be even better.

With many online casinos offering slots more than any other type of games, players in this niche get to enjoy more benefits like free spin offers, and other forms of bonuses.

For example, a famous casino like Justspin will offer excellent benefits, like their welcome package that consists of €500 Deposit Bonus and an additional 500 Free spins.

EnergyCasino is also in the good books, and with them, a new player will get a bonus offer of  200% Deposit Bonus up to €100. While exploring new slots on LVBET Casino, you can take advantage of their Bonus offer that has €5 No Deposit + €1000 Bonus Pack + 1000 Free Spins.

So, what trends can we expect in the gaming industry as we start a new year?

Here are some of the things you can expect:

Character-Driven Slots

Over the years, we have seen shifts in the way game developers are creating the latest slots.

For example, video slots are now more focused on creating a theme and characters in addition to entertainment.

This change in tact is making sense in a lot of ways as players are always thrilled with every new slot that hit the market, and you will always be excited to find out what’s in a new game.

If it was in the olden days, players would be well aware of what to expect even before they get to try out a game.

Additionally, it’s also a good way of staying in business for developers since it spruces up the classics to maintain a fresh look.

One of the most notable of such slots is Gonzo’s Quest slot game series that was developed by NetEnt.

Since hitting the market, this slot has become hugely popular to the point of making

Gonzo (the main character), an unofficial mascot to many online gamers.

In 2010, this trend is likely going to continue and even grow larger. If you are a fan of Gonzo, you can look out for Gonzo's Quest in 3D. This will give you one of the best experiences over the virtual reality.

Multiplayer Slots

In the recent past, a lot of traditional gaming has opted for the multiplayer, and surprisingly, online gaming has also joined the bandwagon.

Although this has been the norm on games like poker, it is a relatively new thing for slots.

With this trend, multiple players will be at a position to play together which can be quite tasking if it was in the traditional brick and mortar casinos.

The biggest advantage of these multiplayer games is the ability that they have whereby, players are able to push and encourage each other in spinning home big wins.

This feature is very straightforward and there is no fear that a player’s chances are ruined.

A good example of such a feature is what we see offered by the industry giants like Microgaming. This developer has an Avalon multiplayer slot which is a massive crowd favourite.  

Skill-Based Slots

Do you love challenges? Well, if you do, then you will love the new trend in the industry, where we are continuously seeing a lot of skill-based games.

As a general rule, skill-based slot games are more flexible and you can be able to modify your winnings by basing your changes on your own interactive reflexes as well as ability.

A good example in this arena is the Space Invaders skill-slot that as developed by Scientific Games.

The gameplay area works like any other typical game, however, the moment you win a bonus, it changes everything and you are taken to a whole new dimension.

At this point, you are now able to engage in the interactive game whereby, you are at a position to shoot which increases your multipliers and the winnings.

Crypto Set to Dominate the Gaming Industry

In 2019, we saw many online platforms embrace cryptocurrencies. In 2020, we expect to see a lot more online casinos come on board since crypto is now widely accepted as a mode of payment.

Players are finding making deposits and withdrawing their profits much more convenient if using the Bitcoin and other forms of digital currencies. They also come with stronger digital security, not to forget the anonymity that they have.

Given the sensitivity of the gambling industry, many gamers are not willing to come out openly and they would prefer to remain anonymous or completely untraceable while engaging in this activity.

Additionally, you do not have to worry about challenges like identity theft or online hacking which could be the reason for the high preference of crypto.

Not all countries allow physical casinos and in such a scenario, players from such a country can be able to play online with the privacy and protection accorded by cryptocurrency.

One good example is Taiwan; this country has some of the strictest regulations as far as gambling is concerned. However, with the use of crypto, there has been a rapid growth of online gaming sites in this country with most of them allowing payments through cryptocurrencies.

Online casinos will definitely tap into this market in 2020 as the growth and demand keep on improving.

Continued Change in Consumer Habits

Today, many more people are able to afford a smartphone and this device has entirely transformed the gaming world. 

The increase in the number of players using their mobile phones to play games online has also seen a rise in the number of F2P (free to play) type of games.

F2P types of games are not very profitable and they do not offer casinos a lot of direct income and profits. Actually, these games can best be described as entertainment games rather than games that can collect revenue.

However, F2P can still bring in some revenue and especially through charges that they make to players who wish to upgrade the game to more advanced features.

Additionally, most of these games come with different kinds of virtual offerings that require players to pay a minimum fee to access them.

In 2020, expect to see more of such games as developers battle it out with all possible features so as to woo more players to their games: which will in return boost their revenue

More Live Dealers

This is a trend that has been growing steadily and one that we expect to see a lot in 2020.

Studies done show that there is a prevalence of online casinos with a realistic real live dealer as compared to those without.

Players enjoy the “real, live” dealer, and this is one of the major reasons for the rise in popularity, as you can conveniently enjoy the game with no need to leave the house!

More and more casinos have adopted this feature so as to offer their players what they desire most.

A good example can be seen in most Blackjack and Baccarat games. Since these are some of the most popular games in online casinos, these casinos incorporate very lively live dealers that engage players as they play.

The strange thing with it is that naturally, there seems to be a sort of glue’ that connects humans to others.

This is the tactic that these casinos use and surprisingly, it works like charm and many players find themselves hooked, where they play more when dealing with a live dealer as they would if they visited a brick and mortar casino.

VR Based Gaming on the Rise

Virtual Reality, popularly known as VR is another growing trend that is expected to continue in 2020.

With many companies coming on board with affordable and easily accessible VR accessories, there is a huge push for the creation of VR based casinos.

For example, Net Entertainment, who have stamped their authority in the gaming world have already shown an interest in this area, by launching a demo of their virtual reality version for the popular Jack and the Beanstalk slot game.

We expect to see more and more game developers embracing this feature as we cross over to 2020.

Continued Decline in Land-Based Casinos

Land-based casinos have not been performing to full expectations following the huge number of their online counterparts.

There has been a sharp decline in land-based casinos because, with the online casinos, there is no need to travel from one point to the other.

The other reason why most players stay away from the brick and mortar casinos is due to the fact that most of them are concentrated in a particular place, for example, Las Vegas. This is not only costly to travel there.

This has pushed gamers to the online casinos where they can use the money they would have spent travelling to a land-based casino to place wagers on their favourite online casinos.

Online casinos come with a bigger edge given the convenience and privacy that they accord their customers.

Additionally, these online casinos offer a variety of games that are more vibrant and entertaining to gamblers.

A majority of the games found on online casinos undergo routine upgrades to ensure maximum entertainment to gamblers. This may be quite challenging for traditional casinos.

As technology advances, online casinos will continue upping their game. Given the challenges that most land-based establishments contend with, their sustainability will not be an easy undertaking.

This will definitely lead to a lot of them getting pushed out of the market.

Introduction of Skill-based Slot Machines

A lot of casinos are trying all they can to attract the younger generation, and one such way is through offering slot machines that come fitted with a skill element.

Most of the younger generation is well versed with these ideas as they have already interacted with some of those features on the many children's video games and gaming consoles.

This proves that most gamers are looking for something more entertaining. Anything old fashion will make this generation of gamblers very bored: which will definitely make them abandon the games.

Since a casino investor would not want to hear such a scenario, a lot of improvements will need to be done before losing the disinterested group of gamblers.

2020 is a great year in this industry as we are more likely going to see a lot of upgrades in the slot machines.

This will bring a more refreshed look which will translate to continuous gaming.

Smartwatches in iGaming

Thanks to technology, you can now easily place a bet via the use of your smartwatch,

Previously, this was only possible to gamble through the use of cell phones, computers or tablets.

As we enter the year 2020, we are set to witness a lot of activity in this industry and advanced use of smartwatches is one of them.

Smartwatches are very convenient and can be accessed easily and these options will push many gamers to rely on them to place their bets.

Consumer watch projects the growth of the smartwatch industry to reach a staggering $33 billion as we enter 2020. Luckily, gambling is considered as one of the industries to reap big from this mega growth. 

Wearable technology is among the most popular, and this is something we will continue seeing in years to come.  

We will closely look at what game developers will craft in the coming years. However, we can expect to see more game developments that can be easily integrated into wearable technology.

Games to look out for in 2020

2020 looks already interesting as far as gaming is concerned. There are many prominent game developers who are creating slots with the aim of releasing them into the market come next year.

Below are some of the ones to look out for:

Serengeti Kings (NetEnt)

This slot game is set to be released on 23rd Jan 2020. It comes with a total of 26 pay lines and an RTP of 96.2-96.7%.

Min bets here start from ￡0.10 and the Max bet price is ￡100.

The highest payout that you can get with Serengeti Kings is  ￡130,000

The slot’s storyline touches on an adventure in the windy plains of the Serengeti plains.  The theme is that of 'The Lion King', and we have seen it in a number of older slots, so it’s not an entirely new thing.

NetEnt had used incredible graphics on this new slot and it’s projected to be a huge success.

Wild Blood 2 (Play n' Go)

Set to be released in Jan 2020, wild blood 2 will consist of 20 Paylines.  The minimum bet price that you can expect here is ￡0.20 while the highest is ￡0.100 per spin.

The slot will offer an RTP of 96.54% with Max payout capped at ￡500,000.

Wild Blood has a sequel that was first released in 2013.

The slot game comes with a vampire-themed storyline and features including respins and expanding wilds.

The slot variance is quite volatile but the rewards seem to outweigh the volatility.

Buffalo King (Pragmatic Play)

Pragmatic Play is one of the most prominent game developers and with that, you can only expect some of the highest quality games.

The developer is set to release a new slot game in 2010 titled Buffalo King and one that will come with 6 reels and a total of 4096 pay lines.

Buffalo King has features that touch on Animals and Prairie among other things.

The RTP is quite impressive at 96.06% while the maximum payout that you can expect with it is 93750 xs total bet. This will definitely give good returns.

Buffalo King will consist of several features like Wilds, Multiplier Wilds, Stacked Symbols, Free spins bonus among many others.

Conclusion

In addition to gaming being an avenue for relaxation, it should also bring some profits and a stress-free gaming environment.

This is by providing a high level of customer service, great rewards, and good incentives.

To get the best with gaming, look out for casinos that provide a mix of the top best features like interactive online gaming systems and the latest iGaming technologies.