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Slot Dominance: Online Casino Games Snapshot 2024

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Examining the 2023 online casino landscape and early 2024 trends reveals that slots still hold over 80% market dominance. However, there are notable shifts in the popularity of specific games. Leveraging data from its Game Aggregator, a leading hub for iGaming projects, SOFTSWISS shares insights gathered by analysing more than 300 clients and 16,500 games.

 

Slot Games

In 2023, slots consistently ranked as the most popular game category, both in terms of Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) and Total Bet Count, capturing 85.56% of the market. Although there was a slight dip to 83% at the beginning of 2024, the expectations are that slots’ popularity will stay above 80%.

Throughout 2023, Pragmatic Play’s Gates of Olympus and Sweet Bonanza asserted their dominance, consistently holding top positions in the top 10 games. However, the landscape shifted in early 2024 when Push Gaming’s Retro Tapes ascended to the pinnacle, relegating the previous leaders to the second and third places.

 

Live Dealer Games

While slots dominate, the leaderboard also features other game types, reflecting diverse player preferences. Beyond individual titles, live dealer games emerge as a highly popular category following slots.

Distinguishing itself from slots, the live dealer game category attracts a different target audience. Players in this segment seek the atmosphere of a live casino and tend to place higher bets. For instance, the average Bet Sum in card games in 2023 was 49.95 euro, whereas in slots, it was only 0.75 euro.

Within this category, roulette and card games capture the spotlight, reflecting the enduring appeal and widespread popularity of classic casino offerings among players.

 

In Q1 2023, the live casino game Crazy Time held the third spot, slipping to the fourth by year-end. Yet, at the start of 2024, Prive Lounge Blackjack 5 outperformed it, securing a higher rank.

Playtech’s live roulette game, Roleta Brasileira, stood out in 2023, ranking high at the beginning and end of the year. Although its global position might change in early 2024, the game remains a top choice for players in Latin America, highlighting its ongoing popularity in that specific market.

 

Crash Games

The crash game category, emerging as the next most popular genre after live casino games in terms of GGR, showcases its appeal, with Aviator by Spribe leading the charge. This game notably ascended into the top three rankings in the last quarter of 2023 despite starting the year from the sixth place. However, by early 2024, Aviator saw a slight decline in popularity, returning to the sixth position, illustrating the dynamic nature of player preferences within the crash game category.

Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, comments: “Analysing just the first month of the year doesn’t provide the full picture, yet we do this to predict emerging trends. While slots continue to reign supreme in the gaming world, the diversity we see among the top-ranked games highlights the varied interests of our players. It emphasises the critical need to maintain a diverse portfolio that meets different layer preferences, ensuring a rich gaming experience. Adopting this strategy helps attract a wider audience and retain players by offering them various options, reducing the likelihood of them seeking alternatives.”

 

About SOFTSWISS

SOFTSWISS is an international iGaming company supplying certified software solutions for managing gambling operations. The expert team, which counts over 2000 employees, is based in Malta, Poland, and Georgia.  SOFTSWISS holds a number of gaming licences and provides one-stop-shop iGaming software solutions. The company has a vast product portfolio, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator with thousands of casino games, the Affilka affiliate platform, the Sportsbook software and the Jackpot Aggregator. In 2013, SOFTSWISS was the first in the world to introduce a Bitcoin-optimised online casino solution.

 

 

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RLCS Boston Major Becomes Most Watched Event in Rocket League History

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The Rocket League Championship Series (RLCS) Boston Major 2026 has officially become the most-watched event in Rocket League esports history, setting a new benchmark for global engagement and competitive excellence.

Held at Agganis Arena in Boston, the Major concluded with a thrilling all-French Grand Final, where Gentlemates defeated tournament favourites Team Vitality 4:2 to claim the first Major title of the 2026 season.


Record-Breaking Viewership Milestone

The RLCS Boston Major 2026 delivered unprecedented audience numbers:

  • Peak Viewers: 624,316 concurrent viewers
  • Average Viewership: Over 270,000 viewers
  • First RLCS event ever to surpass 600,000 concurrent viewers

This milestone represents a 33.3% increase over the previous all-time peak recorded at the 2022–23 RLCS World Championship, highlighting sustained year-over-year growth and expanding global interest in Rocket League esports.

The event’s performance reinforces RLCS as one of the fastest-growing competitive circuits in modern esports.


A Grand Final Worthy of the Record

The Boston Major culminated in a high-stakes French showdown between Gentlemates and Team Vitality. The 4:2 victory secured Gentlemates’ first Major trophy of the season and signaled a shift in competitive power dynamics heading deeper into 2026.

The all-French final further amplified international audience engagement, particularly across European broadcast markets, contributing significantly to the event’s record-breaking concurrent viewership.


Global Broadcast Reach and Multi-Language Coverage

Beyond peak numbers, the Boston Major showcased:

  • Multi-language broadcast streams
  • Cross-platform digital distribution
  • Strong in-arena attendance
  • Expanded regional fan engagement

Hosted in front of thousands of live fans at Agganis Arena, the event combined traditional arena esports spectacle with robust online streaming performance — a formula that continues to fuel RLCS’s accelerating global momentum.


What This Means for Rocket League Esports

The 2026 Boston Major marks a defining moment for the RLCS ecosystem:

  1. Sustained Global Growth – The consistent upward trend in viewership confirms Rocket League’s staying power within the esports landscape.
  2. Mainstream Momentum – Breaking the 600K peak threshold positions RLCS among elite-tier esports events globally.
  3. Competitive Depth – The diversity and intensity of international competition continue to elevate the broadcast product.
  4. Commercial Validation – Record audience metrics strengthen sponsorship, media rights, and long-term circuit investment potential.

As the 2026 season progresses, the Boston Major sets a new performance benchmark that future Majors and the World Championship will aim to surpass.

The post RLCS Boston Major Becomes Most Watched Event in Rocket League History appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Competitive Poker

David Lappin Named PokerStars Ambassador

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PokerStars has officially named Irish poker professional David Lappin as the winner of its inaugural Live League ambassadorship, marking a major milestone for both the seasoned pro and the global poker brand. The announcement follows the conclusion of the 2025 PokerStars Live League season, where players competed across European events for leaderboard supremacy and a coveted ambassador position.

Lappin, widely respected as a poker player, writer, commentator, and industry voice, now joins the prestigious PokerStars ambassador roster after emerging as the standout candidate among top leaderboard performers.


A Season-Long Path to Representation

The 2025 PokerStars Live League introduced a structured, merit-based pathway for players to earn ambassador status. Competitors accumulated points across three buy-in-based leaderboard tiers — High, Medium, and Low — throughout major European live events.

Qualifying tournaments included stops on the renowned European Poker Tour (EPT), regional PokerStars Open events, and even the iconic Irish Poker Open, a long-standing highlight of the European poker calendar.

At the end of the season:

  • Top 30 players (Top 10 per tier) earned the right to audition.
  • A PokerStars judging panel selected the ultimate ambassador.
  • Lappin was chosen for his consistency, credibility, and player-first approach.

This structure reflects PokerStars’ growing emphasis on meritocracy and community representation rather than purely promotional appointments.


Player-Led Representation at the Core

As a PokerStars Ambassador, Lappin’s role extends beyond brand visibility. His focus will center on:

  • Competing in flagship EPT Main Events
  • Participating in PokerStars Open stops
  • Promoting online-to-live qualification routes
  • Engaging directly with the player community

PokerStars has made clear that this ambassadorship is rooted in authentic player representation. Lappin has long advocated that ambassadors should serve as bridges between operators and players — not simply brand spokespeople.

His reputation as a thoughtful commentator and outspoken industry analyst positions him as a natural intermediary between grassroots competitors and event organizers.

Cédric Billot, Associate Director of Live Events Operations at PokerStars, emphasized Lappin’s longstanding presence on the circuit and deep understanding of the live ecosystem. According to Billot, Lappin’s authenticity and alignment with PokerStars values made him a “natural fit” for the role.


Strengthening the Online-to-Live Pathway

A key component of Lappin’s ambassadorship will be highlighting PokerStars’ satellite ecosystem — a system allowing online players to qualify for major live tournaments at a fraction of the standard buy-in.

This online-to-live funnel remains central to PokerStars’ brand identity. By promoting satellite qualifiers and digital routes into live events, Lappin reinforces PokerStars’ commitment to accessibility and upward mobility within competitive poker.

For aspiring players, this messaging underscores an important truth: online grinders can convert modest investments into major live opportunities.


The 2026 PokerStars Live League Expansion

The announcement coincides with the launch of the 2026 PokerStars Live League season, which began at PokerStars Open Campione.

Key highlights of the 2026 league include:

  • €157,500 in PokerStars LIVE credits awarded
  • Prizes distributed across High, Medium, and Low tiers
  • A new €100,000 live freeroll at the first EPT stop of 2027
  • Expanded rewards structure benefiting top 30 finishers in each tier

The second stop of the 2026 season is currently underway at EPT Paris, offering players additional opportunities to earn leaderboard points.

League standings and live updates are available through the PokerStars Live app, further integrating digital tracking with live competition.


Strategic Implications for PokerStars

Lappin’s appointment reflects broader strategic shifts in the live poker landscape:

  1. Community Credibility Over Celebrity Marketing
    PokerStars continues prioritizing ambassadors with deep player roots rather than purely mainstream appeal.
  2. Reinforcing European Live Dominance
    By strengthening the Live League and EPT ecosystem, PokerStars consolidates its hold on Europe’s premier live poker circuits.
  3. Retention Through Gamification
    The leaderboard structure encourages year-long engagement, incentivizing consistent participation rather than one-off tournament attendance.
  4. Expanding Reward Distribution
    The 2026 freeroll addition broadens prize accessibility, rewarding loyalty across all buy-in levels.

Why This Matters for the Poker Industry

The poker industry has increasingly leaned into hybrid engagement models — combining online platforms, live tours, community ambassadors, and digital content ecosystems.

Lappin’s appointment symbolizes this evolution. As a hybrid figure — competitor, analyst, content creator — he embodies the modern poker ambassador archetype: credible, vocal, accessible, and community-oriented.

The Live League format itself may also influence competitor operators to rethink how ambassador programs are structured, shifting toward performance-based selection models.

The post David Lappin Named PokerStars Ambassador appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Plaza Hotel & Casino debuts the only live streaming service in Las Vegas to broadcast the excitement of its smoke free gaming area

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Three table games also added to the first and only smoke free gaming space in downtown Las Vegas

To highlight the excitement of its smoke free gaming area, the first and only one in downtown Las Vegas, the Plaza Hotel & Casino has partnered with Vegas Live Casino Network to launch the only live streaming channel dedicated to broadcasting casino play in Las Vegas, seven days a week.

The Plaza has long promoted social media posting by guests and created the smoke free gaming area as a social media friendly space with vibrant backdrops and copyright free music. Now, the Plaza is partnering with Vegas Live Casino Network to be the first Las Vegas property with its own dedicated YouTube channel to broadcast the excitement players are having in its smoke free gaming space at https://www.youtube.com/@VegasLiveCasinoNetwork.

Thanks to the new broadcast stream from Vegas Live Casino Network, guests will be able to subscribe and share the video stream of themselves playing the slots machines or the new table games with friends and family to show the fun they are having at the Plaza.

The broadcast will stream live Sunday through Thursday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight. To learn more about the live streaming service, watch the launch video for the Vegas Live Casino Network at the Plaza at: youtube.com/watch?v=PfboeigVH_c.

The smoke free gaming space is home to dozens of the industry’s most popular slot machines, and now, the Plaza also added three table games, including blackjack, baccarat, and European roulette. Blackjack will offer bets starting at $25 to $2,000; baccarat will start bets at $25 up to $3,000; and European roulette will be a $200 progressive table. Outside bets: even money is $3,000 maximum and 2-1 is $1,500 maximum bet. The table games will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight daily.

To learn more about the new offerings in the Plaza’s smoke free gaming area visit: plazahotelcasino.com/casino/smoke-free-slots/.

 

The post Plaza Hotel & Casino debuts the only live streaming service in Las Vegas to broadcast the excitement of its smoke free gaming area appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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