Slot machines play more like video games

Ask Bill Wadleigh about serendipity in the slot business, and he’ll say it’s sometimes as simple as spinning the wheel of a toy car.

That’s how the game designer came up with a spinning bonus graphic for his forthcoming NASCAR game.“We’ll just make a tire a wheel," Wadleigh recalled thinking. "Wheels are very attune to gambling.”

But he’ll also tell you his NASCAR game is much more than just wheels and reels.“It is a video game,” Wadleigh said.

Wadleigh, a transplant from the video game industry and head of development at Bally Technologies, has found himself moving closer and closer to his roots these days. Bally and many other slot machine makers are beginning to bridge the gap between traditional spin slots and immersive video games.

“From a technological standpoint, on a slot machine, it’s pretty insane,” Wadleigh said. “Insane in a good way.”

The most immersive slot machines, such as NASCAR, have gone beyond simple player-character interaction. Equipped with complex math, high-quality video cards and 3D engines, the machines put gamblers in scenarios they can control, much like the video games made popular by Sony’s Playstation and Microsoft’s Xbox.

Tap the spin button on NASCAR and strike the “U-Race” bonus, and suddenly you’re transported to the first lap of a three-lap race at Daytona. The character you chose at the beginning of the game — either Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick — sits in the driver’s seat, but you’re in control.

A cluster of arrows pops up on the screen: left, right or straight ahead. Your choice dictates the driver’s decision.

Tap the right arrow, and the voice of your driver responds: “I can pass on the high side!” And that’s what he does.

Tap the forward arrow, and the driver confidently pipes up, “I’m going for the lead!” The car pulls ahead, taking the lead. When your car crosses the finish line, the driver thanks you. “Couldn’t have done it without you!” he says.

It’s not always that easy, of course. You don’t win every race. But with every choice, there’s money to be made. That’s the beauty of a bonus.

Wadleigh says the possibility of landing in a race or other high-quality bonus scenario keeps players interested and coming back for more — a slot machine's ultimate goal and measure of success.

“We’re out to find something that’s compelling to a player,” Wadleigh said. “And not just compelling once, but a repeatable event that has a lot of different variety in it.”

There are more than 853,000 electronic gaming machines in the United States, according to the American Gaming Association. Nevada has the most, more than 178,000. Nationally, the casino industry makes 62 percent of its revenue from slot machines.

Slot makers spend a lot of money — sometimes millions — paying for licensing fees and developing character-driven games based on pop stars, movies and television shows.

After two years of development with a team of 15 people, including engineers, 3D artists and mathematicians, the CSI slot machine moved to the casino floor. It’s now one of the most successful slots in the company's repertoire.