
Bally’s has extended its content partnership with Slingo developer Gaming Realms to include its new Pennsylvania online casino.
Bally Casino launched in Pennsylvania in June, the first online casino to do so using the state’s qualified gaming certificate system, allowing it to operate without a land-based partner. It went live with a decent selection of slots, but Gaming Realms’ unique Slingo products were notably absent until now.
Slingo was invented in New Jersey by Sal Falciglia but became popularized overseas due to the earlier adoption of legal online casinos in Europe. Gaming Realms is headquartered in London, but Slingo’s now enjoying a surge in popularity stateside as iGaming expands here.
As the name suggests, it’s kind of a cross between slots and bingo, although players might notice some similarities to keno as well. Spinning slot reels produce numbers that check off boxes if they match the player’s grid. Completing enough bingo-style lines before running out of spins earns a prize or perhaps access to a bonus game.
The main appeal of Slingo compared to regular slots is the added entertainment value of watching a single bet play out over several spins. It feels like the free spins bonus round that’s become a staple of modern video slots. There’s even a hint of strategy when it comes to choosing where to place wilds.
The company’s North American Director of Business Development is Craig Falciglia, Sal’s grandson. He said in a press release:
Our high-quality portfolio contains several titles that benefit from utilizing recognisable brands and IPs and these will deliver familiar experiences to players and in turn, boost the acquisition and retention rates for Bally’s in Pennsylvania.
Bringing our Slingo games to Bally’s is a great accomplishment and will allow more US players than ever before to engage with our fan favorite games.
The Ever-Expanding Slingo Catalog
As Falciglia says, one aspect of Slingo’s appeal is the use of other companies’ brands and IP. Other slots developers sign deals with Gaming Realms to allow it to produce Slingo versions of their most popular slots, like IGT’s Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania or NetEnt’s Starburst. It also has similar deals in place with a few non-gambling brands like Discovery’s Shark Week.
Lobstermania is one of three Slingo titles available at Bally Casino PA as of this writing:
- Slingo Lucky Larry’s Lobstermania
- Slingo Deal or No Deal
- Slingo XXXTreme
Each game puts its own little twist on the game while keeping the central concept the same. There are now over 50 variations on Slingo, most of which are available in the US. The most recent US release is Slingo Piggy Bank. However, an even newer game, Slingo Cosmic Clusters, became available for international players on Aug. 23 and should be coming to the US soon.
Slingo Piggy Bank is a relatively conventional Slingo game with a pick-a-prize bonus round. Players can win extra spins or direct access to the bonus round via special symbols on the reels.
By contrast, Cosmic Clusters is a substantial departure from the usual Slingo format. It actually plays more like a cluster-pay slots title. However, a Slingo board above the main grid serves as a true persistence feature.
Landing numbers during regular spins fills the Slingo grid, eventually triggering a Cosmic Spins bonus round in which the two boards combine. The biggest difference from conventional Slingo is that the user pays for their spins one at a time, and the Slingo board never resets until the bonus round is triggered.
Slingo is a Must-Include for US Online Casinos
Many popular slot suppliers, like IGT and Everi, have content deals with almost every online casino. However, Gaming Realms might be the closest thing there is to a mandatory partnership in the industry.
Its games might not be the top performers at most online casinos, but there’s nothing else quite like them. A slots player who can’t find their favorite Egyptian-themed slot might be just as happy with a similar title by another developer. But if a Slingo player can’t find Gaming Realms titles at their chosen online casino, they’ll have no choice but to sign up elsewhere.
So, announcements like Bally’s in Pennsylvania may not be surprising, but they’re increasingly rare. That’s because virtually every online casino company already offers Slingo wherever it can. The last deal announcement came in March when Gaming Realms signed up with SI Casino, the latest entry to the Michigan market.