The gambling industry has been transformed in recent years, with technology the key driver behind a radical change in how the sector operates.

It does not seem too long ago that people were forced to visit land-based venues if they wanted to play casino games, but that is no longer the case.

The internet is now awash with online casinos, each of which allow players to play the best slots games on a 24/7/365 basis.

Slots are undoubtedly one of the most important categories at an online casino, with the revenues they generate keeping iGaming operators in clover.

However, slots are not just a one-way street, with the games offering players the opportunity to win big if they hit the right combinations.

Given their importance to casinos, we take a closer look at why it is imperative to play on a site that offers a vasty array of online slots.

Introducing slots games

Before we delve deeper into the crucial nature of slots games in the modern era, it is essential to look at how the technology has progressed.

The Liberty Bell was the first slot machine to be created in the 1890s, laying down a template for the games that manufacturers followed for the next few decades.

It is fair to say that it was a simplistic affair, with the game featuring just three reels, a handful of symbols and a 50 cents jackpot.

The creation of video slots in the mid-1970s proved to be a landmark moment for slots, allowing developers to become far more creative with the gameplay elements.

Things moved on again when the internet arrived on the scene, opening up a wealth of possibilities that still have not been fully explored.

Modern slots are now hugely immersive, with bonus levels, mini-games and other gameplay features keeping players engaged for hours at a time.

How modern slots are made

The Liberty Bell was purely mechanical when it was launched, with the manufacturing and sales process handled by one man – Charles Fey.

Modern slots game development is far more labour-intensive, with skilled teams of at least a dozen people needed to create a single game.

This includes game designers, graphic designers, animators, game testers and other disciplines, each of which combine to make hugely expansive slots.

At the heart of each slot is the game theme, which controls every aspect of how the game is played, how it looks and how it sounds.

Many of the most successful slots themes are used repeatedly, as they have been proven to be popular with players across the world.

The most successful slots themes can generate millions of dollars for iGaming operators, highlighting why they are such an integral part of the way games are designed.

Why slots are so popular

One of the biggest selling points of online slots is the sheer number of games available when compared to other popular casino games.

While games such as roulette and blackjack are great fun, the way they are played is pretty much set in stone. In simple terms, variety is not the name of the game where they are concerned.

The same cannot be said with slots, with the industry currently boasting around 15,000 different titles you can play on online.

With new slots released on a weekly basis, that figure has been widely forecast to smash through the 20,000 barrier in the next few years.

That level of choice coupled with the differing gameplay experience offered by each slot goes a long way to explaining why they are so popular.

For many players, slots games are now as much about those immersive mini-games and bonus features as winning the jackpot.

Which slots are most popular?

The phrase ‘variety is the spice of life’ can unquestionably be applied to slots games. The choice of game themes is truly staggering.

Television programmes, movies and music stars are amongst the popular entertainment genres that have successfully been turned into slots.

Game shows such as Deal or No Deal and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? have proved to be particularly popular, with the games expertly mimicking their TV counterparts.

Ancient Egypt, Viking mythology, horror and Oriental are other slots themes that have been a big hit with players in recent years.

Arguably the most popular theme has been superheroes and comic book characters, with Superman and Batman amongst the characters immortalised in slots games.

As we mentioned earlier, many of these themes are used time after time as developers add more features to games that were a hit first time around.

Why you should join a casino with loads of slots

We have looked at the background to slot machines and how modern games are made. Now it is time to assess why choosing a casino with loads of slots is important.

Choice is undoubtedly one of the key factors – why would you spend real money on a casino site that does not offer much in the way of different games?

Any online casino worth its salt should have loads of games to chose from across all the popular game themes we have highlighted. visit here

A casino that has invested resources into adding hundreds of slots games to their site clearly wants their players to have a good time.

They will have worked hard to forge relationships with the top developers, so you can rest assured that their service levels will be high.

If you see loads of games from developers such as Microgaming, Playtech and Evolution Gaming, it is generally an indicator that the casino is worth joining.