The past 10 years have seen online gambling transform significantly. From the integration of mobile apps, to the use of cryptocurrencies, a decade bursting with technological advancements has resulted in huge changes to the online gambling landscape we once knew.
But as blockchain technology and AI customer care bots continue to influence the gambling experience, there is another area evolving at a pace beyond what we could imagine – social media. It was therefore only a matter of time until the worlds of online gambling and social media fantastically collided and produced a phenomenon we now affectionately refer to as slot streaming.
The history of slots
In the 1990’s, the era of online gambling was born, and the popularity of slot machines in the global online sphere has remained firm ever since. This is demonstrated by the unwavering number of sites, such as onlinecasinodeutschland.io, offering reviews on various popular gambling topics, including online slot games.
However, enjoying a flutter on a slot machine can be traced much further back than the beginnings of the internet. Take a second to picture yourself in a land-based casino, away from the online world. Perhaps you are standing in front of a row of colourful machines. You pop a euro into the machine and press the big red button that says “spin”. Or, you might pull a lever depending on how far back your memory goes. And the pictures of cherries, horseshoes, and gold bars spin around until you match three. Jackpot! In fact, the invention of slot machines can be traced back to the United States of America in the 1800’s.
What is slot streaming?
Slot streaming sees skilled punters turned social media stars broadcasting their online slot gaming to hundreds, or potentially thousands, of viewers in real time. Usually, popular livestream platforms Twitch or YouTube are used by slot streamers to reach their audience. According to statistics published by uscreen, 30% of people report watching at least one live stream video per week on YouTube alone.
Taking up a niche gap in the market, slot streaming quickly acquired a small but mighty group of enthusiasts in this infancy, which continues to garner attention thanks to livestreaming’s successful psychology model of instant feedback, connection and gratification.
Who started slot streaming?
It’s not easy to identify who specifically started the slot streaming trend. However, there are a few individuals who have been credited with helping popularise slot streaming and taking it from an underground activity to an accepted and widespread form of entertainment. This includes Kim Hultman, who’s Twitch channel ‘LetsGiveItASpin’ has seen him livestream himself playing online slots since as early as 2014.
With viewer donations, affiliate marketing opportunities and sponsorships, slot streaming is no longer just a platform to share a hobby and has become a lucrative affair and career path for some of the biggest stars.
Looking forward
The progression of slot streaming is far from over. The limits of technology continue to expand, and as virtual reality and wearables become more mainstream, slot streaming is only set to become more engaging and interactive for the viewer.
