What Are Branded Slots?

What’s a branded slot you ask? Learn what branded slots are and how they differ from typical online slots.

Branded slots are interactive games that are based off of popular movies, television shows, bands, sports, and other pop-culture icons. The idea is that players can find something familiar in these games instead of wading through the vast number of generic themed slots.

These branded machines got their start in land-based casinos, but they’ve grown even more in popularity as more and more slots are added to online casinos’ offerings. Developers are working diligently on partnering with major studios like Marvel, Warner Bros., and Universal to create new game concepts with beloved characters.

So how did they come about, and why have they become such a major part of the modern slots experience?

Wheel of Fortune Was the First Popular Themed Slot

Up through the 1980s, slots were pretty basic, with three reels, simple paylines, and no bonus games. Sure, there were themed slots like the early Zeus or Cleopatra titles, and there were slots that used playing card motifs.

But then in the mid-1990s, slot developer IGT released a Wheel of Fortune themed slot. It used the sound effects from the TV show and had a big spinning wheel above the reels. If the “Spin” symbol on the third reel landed on the payline, then the game would trigger that wheel of fortune to spin and land on a number that would be your payout (up to $2,000 on the dollar slot). Even before the wheel started spinning, the machine would play the iconic “Wheel…of…Fortune!” cheer.

It’s still wildly popular today, having spawned more than a dozen different incarnations of the Wheel of Fortune slot.

Tomb Raider Started the Branded Slots Revolution

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, themed games were becoming more prevalent (thanks to games like Wheel of Fortune), but they still felt like they were for older gamblers. Then in 2004, Microgaming changed the face of digital slots by releasing their Tomb Raider game. Now, old-school video game fans of adventurous archaeologist Lara Croft had a slot that they could connect with on an emotional level.

This slot also incorporated other standard digital slot features like wild symbols and free spins. But its bonus game also played with the Tomb Raider concept, where players had to select idols within a temple to get your multiplier bonus.

The game was a smash hit, and it opened the doors for more developers to try making their own branded slots. In fact, four years later Microgaming released a sequel game, where players were sent on an exhilarating slot adventure to locate the fragments of a legendary sword.

Branded Slots Attract More Casual Gamblers

Maybe you’re not much of a gambler yourself. But if you love a big story like The Lord of the Rings and see a game branded with the movie’s logo and art, you might feel enticed to play, if only to see what it’s like and how it incorporates your favorite tale.

This is what casinos hope for when they license branded slots. They want to hook players with instantly recognizable themes, from the hair-metal band Guns N’ Roses to the staid British drama Downton Abbey. They’re counting on players being intrigued enough to spend their money.

Also, casual gamblers might be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of slots out there (in 2019, three to four new slots were released every single day). Established brands stand out from the noise, and because of that brand loyalty, more players will stick around.

Their Licenses Do Not Come Cheap

These rights cost millions of dollars per property. Madonna made headlines when she agreed to a $10 million deal for a casino game inspired by her hit songs.

This is why you don’t see every slot being named after big movie properties. The slot developer would need to contract with the company that holds the rights to a particular movie or TV show  in order to create such a game.

In fact, licensing is a way that Hollywood continues to rake in money after a movie has left the theaters. Sure, they have tie-in toys, but why not also have tie-in games that literally run on fans’ money?

Good Branded Slots Incorporate the Original Story Creatively

Developers use innovative approaches to integrate the original story into their slots’ play dynamics. They’ll make use of high-quality animation, images from the source material, and even audio and video clips to create a more compelling experience.

The Jurassic Park slot from Microgaming uses an effect called parallax scrolling to make players feel more immersed in the game as they slowly move through the jungle. They also designed their bonuses around finding dinosaur eggs.

Microgaming also has a slot based on the blockbuster HBO series Game of Thrones. The reels feature character favorites, with winning combinations animating them in various popular moments. And if the Night King shows up, all of the reels change to icy icons in a bonus round that keeps players on the edge of their seats.

Then there’s the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation slot from Skywind Group, which in its bonus rounds has the player search for evidence to solve the crime. This all ensures that the gaming experience continues along the property’s original storyline or hook and remains on-brand.

Some Branded Slots Are Cross-Promotional

Some stars and troupes benefit from being linked to a branded slot when they have a presence in cities like Las Vegas. Celine Dion, Britney Spears, and Cirque du Soleil have all had residencies on the Vegas Strip as well as licensed slots. A slot like this isn’t just free advertising for a show — it’s advertising that players are paying for.

Looking to the Future

Licensed, branded slots are here to stay, that is certain. They help both physical and online casinos stand out in a saturated market, and they can be a powerful tool in attracting new players to a title and establishing a strong bond with them.

So it’s really up to the casinos’ own bankrolls on how many branded slots they can afford to maintain that type of advantage. Expect to see more licensed slot titles as the years go on.