Latest News
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and the fact that graphics are becoming more sophisticated, even slots that are only two or three years old can look outdated.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.
EGT Digital
EGT Digital joins World Lottery Association as Associate Member
The supplier says the move supports its lottery market expansion and engagement with global operators.
EGT Digital has been accepted as an Associate Member of the World Lottery Association (WLA), the company said.
The company described the membership as a milestone in its lottery sector strategy, positioning it to engage with the WLA’s network of lottery organizations and other stakeholders.
Vladimir Dokov, CEO of EGT Digital, commented: “Becoming an Associate Member of the World Lottery Association is an important step in our long-term strategy for growth within the lottery sector. We are committed to providing reliable, secure, and innovative solutions that help lottery operators meet evolving player expectations while maintaining the highest standards of responsibility and integrity. We look forward to collaborating with fellow WLA members and contributing to the continued development of the industry.”
EGT Digital said it will use the membership to exchange expertise with other WLA participants and contribute to industry discussions, while continuing to invest in technologies and products for gaming and lottery operators across regulated markets.
The post EGT Digital joins World Lottery Association as Associate Member appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
iGaming
Infingame reveals the most effective engagement mechanics for sweepstakes platforms
Infingame, a leading aggregator in the iGaming industry, reveals operational insights into player engagement behavior across sweepstakes platforms, revealing which mechanics are currently generating the strongest retention, longest session duration, and highest repeat activity among modern sweepstakes audiences.
According to Infingame, operators entering the sweepstakes space are quickly discovering that traditional casino retention strategies do not automatically translate into successful sweepstakes ecosystems.
Instead, the most effective platforms are those built around progression-driven engagement, social-style competition, lightweight onboarding experiences, and highly dynamic promotional systems.
“Sweepstakes players behave very differently from traditional casino audiences,” said Jana Filagina, Head of Commercial at Infingame. “The expectation is much closer to entertainment platforms and gaming ecosystems than classic gambling products. Retention is driven by interaction quality, progression, and continuous engagement rather than purely transactional behavior.”
Based on aggregated observations across operator activity, Infingame identified tournament ecosystems as one of the strongest-performing engagement mechanics within sweepstakes environments.
According to the company, competitive formats consistently outperform static reward campaigns in repeat participation and session continuity because they introduce progression loops, achievement motivation, and social competition into the player experience.
Infingame reports that sweepstakes operators using segmented tournament mechanics recorded significantly higher repeat participation rates compared to operators relying primarily on traditional bonus-driven campaigns.
The company says mechanics such as multiplier races, win races, and progression-based leaderboard systems generate particularly strong engagement among mobile-first audiences due to their short-session structure and instant interaction cycle.
“Players want activity, not passive rewards,” Filagina explained. “The strongest-performing sweepstakes platforms are creating environments where players continuously interact with missions, rankings, tournaments, and achievement systems rather than simply claiming bonuses.”
Infingame also highlighted mission-based engagement systems as one of the fastest-growing retention mechanics across sweepstakes operations. According to the company, challenge-based gameplay environments encourage stronger exploration behavior, higher game discovery rates, and more consistent daily return activity compared to standard promotional structures.
The company observed that players participating in structured challenge systems frequently engage across a broader range of content categories, increasing overall ecosystem retention rather than concentrating activity around only a few top-performing titles. This trend is becoming increasingly important as sweepstakes operators expand content portfolios and compete for longer-term player attention. Unlike traditional casino platforms, where monetary conversion often dominates short-term KPIs, sweepstakes environments depend much more heavily on engagement depth, session frequency, and platform stickiness.
Infingame additionally highlights the growing operational importance of infrastructure scalability inside sweepstakes ecosystems.
Because sweepstakes audiences are heavily mobile-driven and interaction-focused, platform responsiveness and gameplay continuity now play a major role in engagement performance. This has pushed infrastructure optimization much higher on the priority list for sweepstakes operators scaling aggressively across North America.
To support this market evolution, Infingame has continued expanding its aggregation ecosystem specifically for sweepstakes operations.
The company also notes that social-style retention systems are becoming increasingly influential among younger player segments. Leaderboards, progression mechanics, achievement systems, limited-time events, and competitive participation loops are generating stronger engagement compared to purely transactional reward models. According to Infingame, this reflects a broader industry movement where sweepstakes platforms increasingly resemble entertainment ecosystems rather than conventional online casino structures.
The company says the strongest-performing sweepstakes platforms over the next several years will likely be those capable of combining responsive infrastructure, configurable gamification systems, localized content strategies, and analytics-driven engagement optimization into a single operational environment.
About Infingame
Infingame is a leading game aggregator built to help operators move faster and scale smarter. Through a single API integration, the platform gives access to a portfolio of over 16,000 games from more than 150 providers, allowing partners to launch quickly without dealing with multiple integrations.
Delivered via a single API, Infingame offers unparalleled technical excellence, the industry’s fastest spin times, exclusive tournaments and strategic partnerships with top-tier operators in North America, LatAm and beyond. Spanning a portfolio of slots, crash games, sweepstakes and live casino, book a demo via the LinkedIn page, website or at [email protected].
The post Infingame reveals the most effective engagement mechanics for sweepstakes platforms appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Altenar
Logrand partners with Altenar to launch enhanced omni-channel sportsbook experience
Altenar, a leading sportsbook provider, has partnered with Logrand Entertainment Group, one of Mexico’s most established and respected casino operators, to deliver its complete sportsbook solution across the operator’s online and retail channels.
Through the agreement, Altenar will deliver a fully-integrated sportsbook experience designed specifically for omni-channel operations. The solution will be deployed across Logrand’s digital brands, jubilee.mx and vivento.mx, while also being integrated directly into the retail environments of its casino venues in cooperation with Calimaco’s platform.
The partnership will enable Logrand to offer a seamless and consistent betting experience wherever players choose to engage.
Recognised for delivering premium entertainment experiences across both land-based and digital channels, Logrand continues to strengthen its position in Mexico’s competitive gaming landscape through strategic technology partnerships and a customer-first approach.
Altenar’s flexible and scalable sportsbook technology will support Logrand’s ambitions with advanced trading capabilities, localisation features, and a platform built to meet the evolving expectations of sports bettors in the Mexican market.
Diego Salas, Sales Director at Altenar, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Logrand. This agreement reflects Altenar’s commitment to delivering market-leading sportsbook technology tailored to local player expectations and operational requirements.
“By bringing our complete omni-channel sportsbook solution to both online and retail environments, we look forward to helping Logrand create an engaging sports betting experience and supporting its continued growth in Mexico.”
Eduardo Peláez, Online Operations Director at Logrand Entertainment Group, added:
“Our players don’t separate ‘retail’ from ‘digital’ the way the industry does — they expect their casino and their sportsbook to recognise them, follow them, and behave the same way regardless of where they are sitting. This partnership with Altenar is how we deliver on that expectation. One sportsbook, one player view, one product running across jubilee.mx, vivento.mx, and our retail venues through Calimaco’s integration.
Choosing Altenar was a long-term decision. We needed a partner with the localisation depth and the technical reach to support Logrand at the scale we are planning for the next phase of growth in Mexico.”
Gerardo González, Sportsbook Manager at Logrand Entertainment Group, added:
“We chose Altenar because we know the local market and we know what our players need. We weren’t just looking for another supplier – we were looking for the right one. With jubilee.mx and vivento.mx, Logrand is stepping up to compete head-on in the Mexican sports betting market, and we are doing it with the right platform to win.”
The partnership further reinforces Altenar’s growing footprint across Latin America and highlights the provider’s ability to deliver adaptable, high-performance sportsbook solutions that help operators expand across both digital and retail channels.
About Altenar
Founded in 2011, Altenar is a leading turnkey sportsbook provider committed to meeting the unique needs of its clients. Renowned for its flexibility and customer-centric approach, Altenar specialises in customising solutions to new markets, audiences, and requirements. With a focus on building enduring partnerships, Altenar aims to be the most partner-oriented iGaming software provider in the industry.
About Logrand Entertainment Group
Logrand is one of Mexico’s most established and respected casino operators, recognised for delivering premium entertainment experiences across both land-based venues and digital platforms. Through continued investment in innovation and customer experience, the company continues to expand its presence in Mexico’s gaming and sports betting market.
The post Logrand partners with Altenar to launch enhanced omni-channel sportsbook experience appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
América Latina7 days agoLas diferencias locales de Argentina representan tanto un desafío como una oportunidad para el sector del iGaming
-
Gmonitor.ai7 days agoGmonitor llega a Latinoamérica: la plataforma de inteligencia de mercado para operadores debuta en seis mercados regulados
-
Latest News7 days agoSportradar Report | World Cup 2026: Opportunities for the Latin American Sports Betting Market
-
Baltics6 days agoDigitain Named Best Sportsbook Provider at HIPTHER Baltic & Nordics Gaming Awards 2026
-
DBET6 days agoHockeyAllsvenskan names DBET main partner in three-year deal from 2026/27
-
Blazing Flower6 days agoCT Interactive Strengthens its Presence in Romania with Newly Certified Games
-
Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel7 days agoInspired rolls out Bigger Piggy Bank Super Wheel and Cops ‘n’ Robbers Smash ‘N’ Grab
-
Asia6 days agoS8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026



