Slot machines without reels. Funny sports videos. TV-style game shows.

All are examples of how online casinos are offering new experiences that emphasize the entertainment possibilities of gambling, beyond just laying down a bet, panelists at an AGS GameON discussion said.

“You get a lot more innovation with the online side,” said Rick Eckert, managing director of Eilers & Krejcik Gaming. “There’s an opportunity not only to generate GGR, but also (discover) different ways you can engage with customers than you can on the land-based side.”

Eckert spoke June 5 during a segment titled “Evolution of Online Casino Content: From Day 1 to Beyond” at the invitation-only conference sponsored by game provider AGS. Edo Haitin, CEO of Playtech Live, and Joey Levy, founder and CEO of Betr, were also on the panel; Zoe Ebling, vice president of interactive at AGS, moderated.

Ebling said some online games have the same back end as a typical slot machine, but the action a player sees is different and faster than a reel spin. A light beam might zap an object or a box might open to reveal whether a prize is inside.

In February, Playtech Live announced that three live-dealer games based on “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” will be available in North American markets. The panel discussion ended with audience members using their phones to play a three-question trivia game about the GameON conference. Gambling games based on TV game shows have already proven popular in European online casinos, Eckert said, noting that the European market is far more mature than the one in this country.

“We want (customers) to keep on watching and playing,” Haitin said, so Playtech games include a “watering-hole” component that allows players to be part of a bonus round with a small bet for a proportional payout or no bet at all simply to see how it turns out. “We design some sort of interaction that doesn’t force them to bet. There’s a connection to the product that’s not forcing you to gamble. It’s not scaring you away.”

Levy, whose company produces funny sports-themed videos to draw attention, said online gambling brings operators the opportunity to graduate from a “transactional mindset” of simply collecting or paying off bets and move to an entertainment mindset.

“Ultimately, we win on product,” he said, but bettors must have faith in a site’s fairness. Betr voluntarily bans credit cards as a deposit method, sets a minimum age of 21 for fantasy sports betting, and limits deposits for players 21 to 25 years old.

Levy said recent incidents in which professional athletes bet on their sports highlight a problem with sports gambling and underscores the importance of a regulated marketplace.

Eckert cited a trend toward online games being produced by studios owned or run by gaming operators. Most successes have come by increasing competition in table games, offering new video poker options, and developing instant-win games. “There is definitely an opportunity for growth and that’s what can really separate you from another operator. These are your games, unique to your site.”

Levy predicted that even with the success of online sports betting, fantasy sports will become bigger than expected. “There’s a tremendous opportunity to innovate.”

Haiti called sports betting the current “main event” for online gambling in the United States, adding that operators can find ways to expand on that. “The online community probably is much bigger than the one coming to the casino. A lot of advantages you have in your casino can be replicated online.”

He urged a broad look at what online gambling can offer. “Let your imagination work,” he said, “and don’t limit yourself only to supplying betting opportunities.”

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