STEEP LEARNING CURVE
This has also been the trend in the US market , which has been dominated by major land-based casino brands since new igaming markets opened up in states like Pennsylvania five years ago .
According to Criado , what was missing early on were features boosting user engagement , such as tournaments , leaderboards , bonuses , free spins , progressive jackpots and other metagame mechanics . But these were all much more prevalent at this year ’ s G2E . “ I think the big players have received feedback that we need to provide not only the base game but also tools that allow operators to increase retention and increase engagement in their games beyond just the game itself ,” he says .
Criado believes the industry still has far to go in terms of innovation . For example , igaming operators haven ’ t worked out how to transfer the excitement and social atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar casino into an online setting , although MGM and Playtech have taken a big step towards this by streaming live games from MGM casino floors in Las Vegas .
“ I think whoever can figure that out and do it well is going to be a big winner in the next generation of operators and content providers ,” Criado says . Whether that involves VR headsets remains to be seen .
ATTRACTING A NEW GENERATION
For Criado , who started his career at Disney and Carnival Cruise Lines , maintaining an outsider ’ s perspective is key to driving genuine innovation in the industry . He suggests taking inspiration from games like Fortnite , Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto , “ who often do gambling mechanics better than gambling operators .”
Although this is much easier in a far less regulated industry , the product expert recommends looking at the experiential aspects of these games and where developers make money without changing the core gameplay , such as selling skins on games like Fortnite . Innovating in this way could well be key to the industry ’ s survival , particularly in attracting younger generations . “ Older millennials are starting to hit 40 and they ’ ve grown up with video games where they control the outcome . So are they going to be interested in a game where the primary gameplay is just pressing a button over and over again ? Probably not ,” he says .
Creating a sense of control in a game of chance comes with its own challenges , of course , but it is possible . During his time at Fanatics , Criado worked on a game called Field Goal Frenzy in which players aim to kick at the goal on a virtual American Football field . To make the experience more interactive , the player can choose how far away they want to stand from the goal , with higher distances equating to a lower likelihood of winning but a higher jackpot .
“ It ’ s not control over the mathematical outcome of the game , but it still feels like as a player I have more control over my overall experience , which is ultimately the key ,” Criado explains .
This type of playfulness could be the way for the industry to look forward , not just to new technologies , but also to new types of players and new generations .
While the audience may not be demanding this type of experience right this minute , it could be a crucial innovation when a new group of players starts exploring casino products in five or ten years ’ time . “ The thing that excites me the most right now is that the runway that ’ s in front of us for innovation is so great ,” says Criado . “ And we haven ’ t even started , to be honest .”
ICE 2025 • ISSUE 137 • 17