Online gaming providers were able to capitalize on physical competitors’ absence, resulting in a market size of £40 billion by the end of 2019. In addition, an annual growth rate of 11.5% is expected to happen in the period from 2020 to 2027. A large portion of that growth comes from the online slot sector. Many different factors make online slots so successful and so widely popular. And with sports betting fans’ increased curiosity for free £5 no deposit mobile casinos in UK, many themed sports slots have become quite popular. A good example is a hockey-themed slot category.
As hockey-theme slots become more popular and common, could their physical counterparts become obsolete? Let’s discuss some additional driving factors behind it all.
The Industry Changes
Numerous factors have contributed to the rapid change in the online gaming industry in recent years, but the phenomenon appears to have accelerated over the past year and a half. And logically, conventional casinos have been experiencing difficulties for the past few years. But these difficulties started happening before the COVID-19 crisis. A further hit has been dealt with the industry as a result of 2020’s restrictions on movement and trade. This has also had a negative effect on the sports industry as well as the esport betting industry.
With the closing of land-based casinos around the world, online gambling providers experienced something of a boom. Legalizing online gaming and sportsbooks has been the global goal, which resulted in an economic boom for the industry. Since many sports like hockey were on hold, the eager sports fans switched to the only logical option – hockey-themed casino games.
Huge Selection of Hockey Slots Available Online
Players have a wide range of games to choose from when it comes to hockey-themed online slots over physical slots. When it comes to choosing what games to feature in a casino, operators must consider the amount of space available for machines. Add physical distancing the majority of land-based casinos have to adhere to – and you’ve got a very narrowed down selection of games. The cancellation of many hockey events in 2020 also left many hockey enthusiasts disappointed. They couldn’t watch or bet on their favourite teams and practically had zero options when it comes to hockey-related entertainment.
In contrast, online providers leverage huge brands and well-known themes to make their games more appealing. The variety of hockey-themed slots demonstrates the sheer amount of choice a provider can offer, and titles like Hockey Hero, Hockey League, and Ice Hockey slot machines are among the best. The diversity of games available online gives online providers a big advantage over their physical counterparts. And this is one of the biggest reasons behind the rise in popularity of sports-related slots and especially hockey slots.
Following Online Casino Trends
Changing machines inside a physical casino is not simple, even today’s digital slots sometimes require a lot of effort. A company that offers online slots can easily adapt to the latest trend and introduce a new slot, then remove it shortly thereafter. In terms of hockey slots, this allows the operator to incorporate trending mechanics, effects and most importantly graphics. This allows them to incorporate the newest hockey star players as background or even scatter symbols – which the hockey fans love. In addition to providing a relevant and modern gaming experience, they can easily be removed once the new ones emerge.
Moreover, adding different trending bonus rounds and jackpots to a hockey-themed slot is another big reason why these casino games became so popular. Online slots are extremely lucrative, as well as adaptable, thanks to their flexibility and low price funds.
They Are Accessible All the Time
Hockey fans enjoy the obvious advantages of accessibility over physical locations, just as with any other type of online entertainment. A sportsbook must be open for business and bettors must visit it during work hours. But what happens with bettors who have some free time late in the night they would like to spend on hockey? It’s a good idea to go with a sportsbook online for that, but they have schedules of matches, and it won’t be easy to locate a match every time. Even now when the world of sports is almost back to normal and sports betting events are available, they are still not available all the time. Hockey fans are thus limited to entertaining themselves only when some event is scheduled.
If you’re a hockey fan, does it make sense to enjoy a few hockey-themed slots from the comfort of your couch, while on your bus ride to work? Plus, with the advanced technology, these new slots will make anyone feel the chills as if they were at an actual hockey rink. The accessibility is one of the great factors that made games such as hockey slots popular recently. Using your phone to access an online gaming provider reaches a new demographic of casual online gamers as well as those already invested in the hobby.
Final Thoughts
Many slot players who enjoy sports can only dream of making a living playing one. Despite this, sports-themed slots are an excellent alternative for these players to enjoy their favourite sport and make some money as well. What could be better than having a relaxing evening playing hockey-themed slots at home? It is because of this convenience that playing at online casinos is so popular, and one of the reasons hockey-themed slots gained popularity.
