Are Skill-Based Slot Machines the Future of Online Gambling?

Late last week the Nevada State Legislature quietly made history when it legalized the use of skill-based slot machines in Silver State casinos.
Though the machines themselves are years away from their debut on casino gambling floors, their influence will likely be felt long before a customer ever sits down at one. That’s because the bill allows the Nevada Gaming Commission to establish regulations for the new machines, and that could take years.
At the same time, the advent of skill-based slot machines represents a potentially disruptive, and extremely lucrative, opportunity for both the online and land-based casino industries.
What are Skill-Based Slots?
Skill-based slot machines, which are already legal in North Carolina, are a sort of hybrid between traditional slots and video poker.
While they have spins and reels like slot machines have always had, they also allow players to control and wager on the outcome of the reels in an attempt to better their final outcome.
(For a complete rundown on the numbers behind these machines, check out this breakdown from the Wizard of Odds.)
The idea behind the machines is that by gamifying a casino standby whose demographic is a tad on the grey side, casinos can grab a younger player base. While that may be true, it’s also possible that skill-base slot machines could unleash a new wave of gambling addicts.
After all, any device that combines aspects of slots and video poker, is going to get the, “video crack,” label not matter what else happens.