When you think of casino games, you likely imagine the spinning reels of a slot machine or a dealer throwing cards across a blackjack table.
The United States is the home of all things gaming and casino. As Britannica explains, it was in San Francisco that the first slot machine was created by a man called Charles August Fey. In the Wild West, poker rose to prominence, and it was on the street of Las Vegas that casino tourism truly took off.
Our love of gaming has extended to online casinos, which have thrived in recent years under trying conditions. In 2021, commercial gaming revenue surpassed $53 billion, with $3.71 billion of that coming from the iGaming sector. To put that into perspective, only a handful of states allow online casino games, and yet revenue was up more than 150%.
The agile industry achieves this growth in many ways, one of which is its innovative games. If you were to walk into a casino, you’d know what to expect, roulette tables, slot machines and poker rooms. What you wouldn’t expect would be games based on the likes of “Wheel of Fortune,” branded “America’s Game” by Inside Magic. You can find them on most online casino sites now, featuring game shows hosted by live hosts, and they’re just the start of the innovation. There is everything from branded slots featuring your favorite bands and themes to games such as Slingo.
Slingo is an online casino staple that won’t be familiar to casino-goers of the last century and may only be something those attending casinos post-2000 have experienced. However, if you’re an online gamer, you might have seen Slingo even if you have not played it.
What Is Slingo?
Slingo is an amalgamation of two different games you will be familiar with: bingo and slot machines. Upon starting a game, customers are provided with a five-by-five square filled with numbers, like a bingo card. There is a slot machine at the bottom of their screen, usually featuring five reels. Each spin reveals five numbers, and if they’re on your card, they’re removed. There are numerous ways to win, depending on the style of game you’re playing.
How Do Online Providers Deliver Slingo?
Slingo is a great concept in its bare state, but online providers add the glitz that digital games allow for. Slingo games are often themed, sometimes taking on popular branding and using imagery from that brand. One example is the game show “Deal or No Deal,” which was on television across the country until 2018. You can find the show’s branding in a Gala Bingo Slingo title, Deal or No Deal Slingo. The gameplay uses the show’s format, with boxes on the gamecard and even a call from the dealer when you win a prize. Essentially, they take the show’s concept and the branding and twist it into a slightly different experience.
Not all games are the same; some are themed around places such as Egypt and use icons such as pyramids and the pharaohs to attract players. The intention is to feature a wide variety of themes and styles around the Slingo concept to reach a broad spectrum of gamers.
What Is Its History?
As with slot machines, Slingo is an American invention. Sal Falciglia Sr developed the game in 1994 before later bringing it under his company Slingo Inc. In 2013, he sold the concept for $15.6 million before it was sold to a British company that has driven its success further. Originally, a multiplayer version of Slingo was only available through AOL, but it has since become widespread.
Conclusion
Slingo might have had humble New Jersey beginnings, but it has turned into a profitable element of online casinos. As they continue the thrive in 2022, more players are likely to find themselves presented with an opportunity to play and hopefully, this article has made doing so a whole lot easier with its explanation.
