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Can any of the upcoming slots dethrone Starburst in 2021
Starburst is the video slot created by NetEnt back in 2012. Despite its age, it is still one of the most popular slots currently, and probably the most played video slot game of all time! What makes this classic 5×3 slot so special that is still played by millions today, and can anyone find the secret behind its success, and create the slot which can dethrone Starburst in 2021? We will analyze the facts of what makes Starburst that popular, and take a look at some of the upcoming slot releases from the first quarter of 2021 and try to give an answer to that question. Also, if some of you, by any chance, still haven’t tried this amazing slot, Starburst free play is available. Try it now and see why it is so popular.
The Building Blocks behind Starburst Popularity
At first glance, we can see that Starburst’s graphics and design are impeccable. It is still modern, although it is more than eight years old! Although this is just makeup, it is very important for slot longevity.
With the fast evolution of technology and the fact that graphics are becoming more sophisticated, even slots that are only two or three years old can look outdated. After that, their player counts go to the abyss. With Starburst this didn’t happen, and we even believe that it won’t, because graphics are that sophisticated, and yet so simple, that we won’t see a huge dip in their popularity anytime soon.
The second reason behind Starburst slot popularity is its simplicity. Some of the slot game providers experiment with a huge number of reels and rows, many different features, and various cosmetic additions to keep the players entertained and happy. Starburst makes all the things simple, with its classic 5×3 design. Some players argue that Starburst is boring, but it is not a coincidence that the 5×3 design is the most popular slot design ever. It is not too plain and boring, and not too complicated as well, because slot game players want to win some cash, and not feel overwhelmed by design and gameplay.
Starburst has a huge betting range, from €0.01 to €100. That allows both casual players and high-rollers to play this slot. Although high-rollers don’t like this slot very much, because it is not volatile, casuals adore it. There are many more casual players than high-rollers, so they again targeted a broad audience.
We mentioned that Starburst has low volatility and therefore is not that popular with the players who want to win big. However, casuals love to see many small wins, because they have a feeling that they are generally winning, although they actually don’t – the wins you will get will often be smaller than the bet you made, but some of the players somehow don’t notice it. The sessions are usually long if you play for the smallest amounts, so you can have fun, even if you lose money.
For all these reasons, Starburst retained its popularity over the last eight years. Although it is not the best slot in terms of the chances of winning big, all the reasons we mentioned make it appealing for most players, which happen to be casuals.
We will now take a look at some of the upcoming slot releases and try to guess whether or not they have a chance for dethroning Starburst.
The Most Anticipated Slot Releases 2021
January is not over yet, and we already got some exciting slots this year. For example, we got an exciting video slot from Gamomat, an independent slot game provider, called Crystal Strike. It is a highly volatile slot, beautifully designed, with classic features such as respins and wilds.
Nolimit City released San Quentin xWays. This slot is based on the infamous US jail, which is a theme that wasn’t widely used, so it can be hit or miss, but we expect to be popular, especially among the younger audience.
iSoftBet, another award-winning games supplier, released Mighty Stallion Hold & Win, the Wild West theme-based video slot. It is another slot that uses their Hold & Win mechanic, but the theme is not inventive, nor the slot itself is offering something new – it is basically the type of slot we get from them all the time, only with a slightly altered theme.
Play’n GO released Miner Donkey Trouble, while Pragmatic released Mysterious Egypt. These slots feel like they were already seen before, and there is no chance that slots that use the same, boring theme, such as the Ancient Egypt flourish and dethrone Starburst.
Pragmatic Gaming has a more interesting release scheduled for February – Dragon Kingdom: Eyes of Fire. This slot should be way better and way more popular than Mysterious Egypt because it has a flawless design and many features attached. Dragons are still a popular topic, and they aren’t overused in video slots such as Ancient Egypt, so we can see this release gaining popularity right off the bat.
Another highly anticipated release should be the Playtech Age of the Gods series’s next release – Book of Oracle. This slot should be the first to come from Playtech in 2021, and they decided to go big right away. Age of the Gods series gained a significant amount of players which is getting bigger with every new slot release. We expect that this slot will be masterfully done in terms of the graphics and interface (since we still didn’t have an opportunity to see it), and the features should be similar to the ones from the previous slots. This is a volatile, progressive jackpot slot, so it will draw attention from the high-rollers.
What Features Should a Slot Have to Beat Starburst
Since we know what is behind Starburst’s popularity, and we saw what the first slot releases are in January 2021, the question arises – does any slot from this list have the features and traits required to dethrone Starburst? We can never know for sure, but the answer is probably – no.
To be as popular as Starburst, the audience must be predominantly casual players. There are some amazing, volatile slots you can make a fortune on, but there are not enough people who would risk big money to try it out. Long, interesting sessions, with lots of small wins, which give you the false impression that you are an overall winner, are the key to the slot popularity.
After that, the slot must have an impeccable design that will age well, so it can stay relevant with time, and must have simple, but yet unique and interesting features. You should overcomplicate, but the slot can’t have a dull theme or average graphics.
Summary
We eagerly expect more great slot releases in 2021. In January and February, we should get several amazing slots from the biggest slot games providers, but in terms of popularity, we don’t think that any slot will be able to dethrone Starburst anytime soon.
However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try out new slot additions, especially if you are a high-roller. There is a trend of more progressive jackpots, mega ways, and other great features incorporated in new slot releases, and in general, it seems that the average volatility is getting higher, which is excellent news for the ones chasing big wins.
Resort fees are up 194% and Nevada’s live poker table count is down 38% since 2011, based on UNLV and Gaming Commission data cited in the report.
The cost of a one-night visit to the Las Vegas Strip has more than doubled since 2014, according to a new “Las Vegas Inflation Index” published by Ignition Casino. The report estimates a typical one-night “basket” of expenses at $667.85 in 2026 versus $319.09 in 2014, a 109.3% increase.
Ignition Casino’s basket includes the Strip average for a blackjack minimum bet, weekend one-night hotel stay, resort fee, domestic beer, bottle of water, dinner (entrée and drink), a show ticket and valet parking. In the company’s breakdown, resort fees show the steepest jump, rising from $19.43 to $48.49 (+194.5%). Other increases cited include blackjack minimum bets from $50.00 to $112.17 (+124.3%), show tickets from $82.86 to $175.91 (+112.3%), water from $3.00 to $7.00 (+133.3%), and valet parking moving from free to $40.
For poker, the report argues higher trip costs are landing alongside a smaller live product. Citing UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research and Nevada Gaming Commission Quarterly Reports, it says Nevada’s live poker table count fell from 957 in 2011 to 595 by end-2025, a 38% decline. On the Strip, the report puts active poker rooms at eight today—Aria, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Horseshoe, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, The Venetian and Wynn—down from approximately 17 in the late 2000s.
The company also points to higher rake caps compared with 2014. It states Aria’s rake is “10% of the pot up to a maximum cap of $7 per hand,” Bellagio’s cap is $6, and the remaining Strip rooms are at $5, versus a 2014 Strip average cap of $4. Using an assumed 30 raked hands per hour, the report estimates that a $2 higher cap at cap-reaching tables equates to “an extra $60 per hour” going to the house, or $300 over a five-hour session.
At blackjack, Ignition Casino ties higher table minimums to shorter expected playtime for fixed budgets. It estimates a $500 bankroll would last about 2 hours and 22 minutes at the 2014 average minimum bet, versus about 28 minutes at the 2026 average minimum, using an approach it attributes to “casino risk analysts and quantitative mathematicians” and assuming 70 hands per hour and a blackjack standard deviation of 1.15.
The post Ignition Casino: One-night Las Vegas Strip spend hits $668, up 109% since 2014 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Deal starts with the 2026 PMCO Western Europe Wildcard and adds a JanickaGaming ambassador program.
G2 and PUBG MOBILE Esports have announced a partnership aimed at growing the PUBG MOBILE esports ecosystem in Western Europe, the companies said on June 15, 2026 in Berlin.
The partnership begins with the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Club Open (PMCO) Western Europe Wildcard, with registration open now. G2’s in-house media and production unit, 62, will support tournament operations and community activations, spanning creator campaigns, media buying, and event management.
The first major activation under the agreement will be the 2026 PUBG MOBILE Global Open (PMGO) Western Europe Finals, scheduled for 11–13 September, with registration opening today, according to the announcement.
The companies are also launching an ambassador program for the region, naming German PUBG MOBILE content creator JanickaGaming as the Western Europe ambassador. PUBG MOBILE said she will stream PUBG MOBILE weekly and cover esports topics and tournaments alongside her existing social content.
“PUBG MOBILE has built something really special over the years. It’s one of the biggest games in the world and one of the most impressive esports ecosystems,” said Alban Dechelotte, CEO of G2.
Shaowei Chen, Head of Western Europe Publishing at PUBG MOBILE, added: “Western Europe represents one of the most promising growth frontiers for PUBG MOBILE esports, and G2 stands as a great strategic partner to drive this expansion.”
The post G2 partners with PUBG MOBILE Esports to scale Western Europe competition appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Gambling in the USA
Las Vegas Inflation Index: Cost of visiting Sin City for one night has more than doubled in the last 12 years
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- An average spend for one night on the Las Vegas Strip now reaches nearly $670, compared to $319 in 2014.
- Resort fees have seen a 194% rise in that period – the steepest increase of all.
- Nevada’s live poker table count has fallen by 38% since 2011 – from 957 tables to 595 – while the number of active Strip poker rooms has halved.
- Strip poker rooms are taking an average of $300 more per five-hour session compared to 2014.
- With a $500 blackjack budget, you will bust nearly two hours quicker on average in 2026 compared to 2014.
The average cost for a one-night stay in Las Vegas has risen by almost 109% in the last 12 years, as revealed by research from Ignition Casino.
Based on the average cost of a basket of a typical visitor’s stay – hotel, food, drinks, entertainment and parking – guests are spending nearly $350 more per night in 2026 than they were in 2014.
That basket includes the average minimum blackjack bet, a one-night hotel stay, resort fee, a domestic beer, bottle of water, dinner (entrée and drink), a show ticket and valet parking. All recorded prices are Strip averages in 2014 and 2026.
The steepest single increase is resort fees: the add-ons charged on top of base room rates averaged $19.43 on the Strip in 2014 and have risen to $48.49 today – a 194.5% jump. Almost every other line item has at least doubled, with blackjack minimum bets up 124%, water up 133%, show tickets up 112% and valet parking going from free to $40.
Feature (On Strip)
2014
2026
% Increase
Blackjack minimum bet $50.00
$112.17
+124.3%
Average resort fee/night $19.43
$48.49
+194.5%
Weekend one-night hotel stay $125.80
$207.28
+64.8%
Domestic beer $6.00
$10.00
+66.7%
Bottle of water $3.00
$7.00
+133.3%
Dinner (entrée + drink) $32.00
$67.00
+109.4%
Show ticket $82.86
$175.91
+112.3%
Valet parking $0.00
$40.00
N/A
TOTAL $319.09
$667.85
+109.3%
But rising prices are only half the story. For poker players specifically, the cost of a Las Vegas trip has increased at the same time as the product itself has quietly contracted – fewer rooms, fewer tables, and higher costs per hand once you sit down.
Fewer tables, higher rake: Las Vegas poker’s shrinkflation squeeze
Las Vegas remains the live poker capital of the world – but the infrastructure supporting that reputation has been quietly hollowed out, and the players who remain are paying significantly more for a shrinking product.
According to data compiled by UNLV’s Center for Gaming Research from Nevada Gaming Commission Quarterly Reports, the state’s live poker table count stood at 957 tables in 2011. By end-2025, that figure had fallen to 595 – a reduction of 38% over 14 years, with no return to pre-2016 levels in sight.
The decline is structural and predates COVID. From 957 tables in 2011, Nevada’s count fell steadily to 587 by 2018 as casinos converted poker floor space to higher-margin baccarat. The pandemic accelerated the attrition – tables collapsed to just 413 in 2020 – and the recovery has been incomplete. Today’s total of 595 remains roughly 38% below its 2011 level.
On the Strip specifically, the picture is even starker. From approximately 17 active poker rooms in the late 2000s, just eight remain today: Aria, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Horseshoe, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, The Venetian and Wynn. For Texas Hold’em and Omaha players, this consolidation means less table availability and less competition between rooms – and with fewer operators competing for players, there has been little pressure to keep rake in check.
Metric
2011
2025/26
Change
Nevada poker tables (statewide) 957
595
–38%
Active Strip poker rooms ~17
8
–53%
Average rake cap per hand $4
$5–$7
↑ significantly
Are Las Vegas poker rooms still good value amid rising costs?
The rake compounds the shrinkflation picture. Of the eight active Strip rooms, Aria charges a rake of 10% of the pot up to a maximum cap of $7 per hand, Bellagio’s cap is $6, and the remaining rooms sit at $5. In 2014, the Strip average was 10% up to a $4 cap.
Considering a fast dealer pushes out 30 raked hands per hour, an extra $2 in rake per hand – at rooms where the cap is reached – means an extra $60 per hour going to the house. Over a five-hour session, that is $300 less in players’ stacks compared to 2014.
Factor in the broader 109.3% price hike across the average Las Vegas stay and there is a serious debate to be had over value for money. Players are paying more to stay, more to eat, more to park – and then paying more rake across fewer available tables once they sit down.
The same squeeze is visible at the blackjack tables, where minimum bet increases have made a given budget go significantly less far than it did 12 years ago – offering a precise illustration of what the broader cost increases mean in practice.
You will bust two hours earlier in Las Vegas today compared to 2014 with a $500 blackjack budget
The blackjack minimum bet increase tells a sharp story about what rising costs mean in practice. Based on the average Strip minimum in 2014, a $500 budget would last approximately two hours and 22 minutes before a player would be expected to bust against the house. Taking into account the 124% increase in average minimum bet since then, that same $500 would now be expected to last just 28 minutes.
This is calculated using a methodology applied by casino risk analysts and quantitative mathematicians, factoring in betting units, the standard deviation of blackjack (1.15, accounting for doubling down, splitting and natural blackjack payouts), and an average table speed of 70 hands per hour. Full methodology is set out in the appendix below.
Las Vegas blackjack average time to bust (hr:min)
Budget
2014 (hr:min)
2026 (hr:min)
$100
0:06
N/A
$200
0:23
0:04
$300
0:51
0:10
$500
2:22
0:28
$1,000
9:29
1:53
Shrinkflation is usually associated with a chocolate bar that got smaller without the price changing. In Las Vegas, the same principle has played out across an entire recreational economy — only here, the price went up too. Fewer poker rooms, higher rake, steeper minimum bets and a resort bill that has more than doubled: the product has contracted while the cost of accessing it has soared.
Appendix: Blackjack time-to-bust methodology
The following explains how estimated survival times for a given blackjack budget are calculated, using the $500 at a $50 table example (median survival: 2 hours 22 minutes in 2014).
Step 1: Normalisation. Currency is standardised into Betting Units. $500 / $50 minimum bet = 10 units.
Step 2: Volatility Index. Standard deviation is defined. A simple coin-flip game has a standard deviation of 1.0; blackjack, with doubling down, splitting and 3:2 naturals, carries an accepted standard deviation of 1.15.
Step 3: Absorbing Barrier Formula. Median hands to bust is calculated as: n ≈ 1.66 × (betting units)².
Step 4: Executing the calculation. For 10 units: 10² = 100 × 1.66 = 166 hands to bust.
Step 5: Translating to casino time. 166 hands / 70 hands per hour = 2.37 hours = 2 hours and 22 minutes. The same formula applied to a $112.17 minimum bet ($500 / $112.17 = ~4.46 units; 4.46² × 1.66 = ~33 hands; 33 / 70 = 0.47 hours = approximately 28 minutes.
The post Las Vegas Inflation Index: Cost of visiting Sin City for one night has more than doubled in the last 12 years appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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