The Slot Gaming Trends in Uganda
Online casinos have made it so much easier and more convenient for Ugandans to play their favourite slot games without leaving their homes – and the astronomic penetration of smartphones and the proliferation of mobile apps have made it even better.
Today, you can use your mobile phone to sign up to your favourite online casino after downloading an app, and you can play blackjack, poker, roulette, and one of hundreds of different slot games, as well as Slingo bingo. You can play while waiting for an appointment, or when you are just trying to waste some time, and you can win real money too.
Online casinos are rife in Uganda, and there are more than 600 registered casino businesses there – which makes somewhere around $10 million a year through taxation for the government. The regulations in Uganda are somewhat looser than they are in other South African countries, which means that everyday people can get online and get playing – and they have much more choice than elsewhere, too.
But what does slot gaming look like in Uganda? And where did it start?
Early Slots – One-Armed Bandits and Fruit Machines
The first slot machine that we might recognise were based on the creation of Charles Fey, a mechanic from San Francisco in 1894.
Through development, he made an automatic cash payout machine that used cards instead of symbols, and then brought out the Liberty Bell – based on symbols including hearts, clubs, spades, and diamonds as well as the jackpot bell symbol.
This was quickly copied by other game building companies, and despite the morality concerns of the clergy they remained popular throughout the early 20th century.
Electromechanical Slots
Advances in technology always make games better, and the addition of an electro mechanical aspect to slot machines made them have better payout options, allowing multipliers for bigger jackpots.
Video Slots
Las Vegas featured the first video slots, where the reel movement was simulated on-screen – but these weren’t the huge hit that it was thought – instead, players want to hear the sounds of the reels and have the physical sensation of pulling the handle.
Online Slots
From 1996, the internet started to filter into everyday homes around the world, and Microgaming took this trend and created the first online casino – which has grown, developed, and expanded to become the fun and exciting games that we play today – using up-to-date graphics, innovative machine learning and AI, and fun themes that make them exciting and great to play.
Slots in Uganda
Hot Spin
The Hot Spin slot game is based on the old-fashioned fruit machine idea – but that doesn’t mean it is stuffy and boring. The symbols are fruits and they are shiny, glossy, and look delicious – but it is the jackpots and the sheer number of paylines that make this a tasty game to play.
There are five reels on this game, with 20 paylines – and a Hot Wheel bonus feature. You can win up to 500 times your stake, with a 96% RTP rate.
Pandora’s Legacy Supreme Reels
With an Ancient Rome theme, this slot game has five reels and 25 paylines and an above average RTP rate, which makes it great fun to play and exhilarating when you win.
While there isn’t a bonus round in this game, there are multipliers, wilds, and special symbols, which makes it great fun, and you can earn free spins by matching the right symbols in the right place. Simple and easy to play, it’s no wonder this is a trending slot in Uganda.
Soccer Star
This game has 243 paylines with 5 reels, and a jackpot amount of up to 250 times your initial stake. The best thing about this game for a lot of people is the football theme – a big love for Ugandans.
Although there is no bonus game available, the sheer number of paylines, wilds, and scatter symbols make winning available in many different combinations.
Gold Volcano
Surprisingly enough, this slot is based on a volcano – and it is fiery and exciting when you play. This highly volatile slot game can end up winning you 10,000 times your stake.
This game doesn’t feature falling reels – instead the symbols rise with the magma to reveal your combinations, and there are so many features and combinations you’ll keep coming back for more.
Wolf Gold
A Native American theme styles this simple slot game, but the 5 reel/25 payline game is fun and easy to get to grips with. With a mid-range volatility and a 96% RTP rate, it’s the slot of choice for those who want to play balanced between winning and jackpot.
You can win endless free spins, and thanks to the multipliers, can make up to 1000 x your stake if you hit the right symbol combination.