In 2004, Microgaming provider under the management of Roger Raatgever released Tomb Raider. This is the first branded slot. The main character in a familiar look attracted a new audience to bet. The new trend was supported by other major providers. In 2021, there are more than 440 branded slot machines. Heroes of Marvel and DC comics, popular TV series and movies have migrated to the gambling industry.
- What are branded slots
- The market in figures
- Why use branded content
- Searching for a brand
- A spoonful of tar
What are branded slots
When developing a game, the provider faces an important question – to create new IP (Intellectual Property) or to use ready-made content. In the first case, the company has to invent characters, history and other nuances. In the second case, the company has to buy the rights to use the intellectual property.
To branded slots include all games in which there are famous characters, images or celebrities. A striking example is the machineGame of Thrones – it was released by Microgaming in 2015. This approach not only partly facilitates the development, but also allows you to attract the attention of fans of the series.
A similar technique is used in other areas. In movies, it is easier to promote familiar images. People go to Batman and Spider-Man movies because they know what they will get in return. For this reason, audiences get a prohibitive number of remakes.
The market in numbers
Plautech released the most branded slots. It is followed by Blueprint Gaming and IGT.
However, the number does not reflect the state of affairs. If we take into account the prevalence of slots, the first place will be NetEnt.
| Game | Provider | Number of casino sites | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guns N’Roses | NetEnt | 159 | Music |
| Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen | NetEnt | 149 | TV |
| Monopoly Live | Evolution Gaming | 117 | Board Game |
| Narcos | NetEnt | 112 | TV |
| Danger High Voltage | Big Time Gaming | 109 | Music |
| Ozzy Osbourne | NetEnt | 109 | Music |
| Lara Croft Temples and Tombs | Triple Edge Gaming | 107 | Movie |
| King Kong Cash | Blueprint Gaming | 105 | Movie |
| Jimi Hendrix | NetEnt | 105 | Music |
| Monopoly Megaways | SG Digital | 103 | Board game |
In 2011 came Frankenstein, the first licensed slot from NetEnt.
Why use branded content
Famous images and characters do not guarantee the success of the product. Quite a few companies have tried to introduce ready-made content, but their attempts failed. On top of that, the provider has to give up a part of the profits – royalties amount to 3-15% of the revenue.
Branded content is most often used for several reasons:
- Increased recognition.Every month about 450 slots appear on the market. Gaming operators are not ready to add all new products to the site – a familiar brand will increase the chances. In addition, such slots are usually longer in the top.
- Building a reputation.The trust of the audience to a young company will increase if it cooperates with a well-known brand at the level of Disney. Such partnerships have a greater impact on players than regulatory approval.
For smaller studios, licensed content is one of the few opportunities to break into the big leagues. However, they are not always able to secure brand endorsements. For example, Gordon Ramsay is unlikely to want to work with an indie studio and would prefer a major provider with an impressive portfolio of successful slots.
Brand Search
Partners are found at exhibitions, for example, Brand Licensing Europe. Some brands are represented on specialized sites – LicenseGlobal. In some cases, developers contact company representatives by e-mail or directly.
There are enough well-known companies from different fields of activity on the market. In November 2021, the most slots of the following genres:
- Movies – 170.
- TV – 121.
- Board games – 48.
- Music – 31.
- Sports – 27.
- Celebrities – 21.
- Computer games – 8.
- Other – 20.
A spoonful of tar
Favorite music, attractive protagonist and recognizable animations encourage you to spin the reel. Players get a chance to touch a familiar story and get nostalgic. However, most do not realize that there is a high price to pay.
Big brands require about 15% of revenue. In order for a branded slot to pay off, you have to reduce the RTP. In other words, branded games offer users a smaller reward.
A license does not guarantee success. The once popular Lord of the Rings game by Microgaming is no longer available in legal casinos. Developers had to pay too high commissions to the IP owner.
“It’s important to remember that a brand doesn’t necessarily deliver high performance. In fact, it can do the exact opposite if it itself doesn’t resonate with the audience. Or when the mechanics of the game are less exciting to somehow please the brand. This is further exacerbated if fans feel it could have been done better. Combining fantastic mechanics with a popular brand is a recipe for success, but it’s a challenge,” Simon Hammon, CPO, Relax Gaming
“It’s important to remember that a brand doesn’t necessarily deliver high performance. In fact, it can do the complete opposite if it itself doesn’t resonate with audiences. Or when the mechanics of the game are less exciting to somehow please the brand. This is further exacerbated if fans feel it could have been done better. Combining fantastic mechanics with a popular brand is a recipe for success, but it’s a challenge,” – Simon Hammon, CPO, Relax Gaming.
There are other restrictions as well. The license agreement defines the list of countries in which the slot machine will be available. Because of this, a certain region will not be able to enjoy the sensational slot.
