Poker machines are games of luck that offer players the chance to win large sums of money for spinning reels. While many pokie bonus games are designed to seem as though they have a skill-based element, a new law will allow electronic gaming machines to actually feature skill games.

This week, Senate Bill 9 was approved by Nevada legislators. The bill was proposed by poker machine manufacturers in the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers, and will allow slots games to feature skill-based, arcade-style bonuses. On April 14, it passed a 20-0 vote – and the bill was official passed last week by the Assembly on a 41-0 vote.

Including skill-based features in poker machines will change the electronic gaming market. It will attract a newer generation of younger casino goers, who are more interested in the gaming experience as opposed to seeking out big wins.

Additionally, these skill games can also boost winning potential. For example, a poker machine with an 88% payout percentage could see this statistic boosted during the skill-based bonus. A player who successfully completes the bonus game using impressive skill could potentially boost the payout percentage of 98% for their particular session.

“I believe we will look back on the passage of SB9 as a monumental moment for the gaming industry and its overall evolution,” says Marcus Prater, Executive Director of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers. “The slot floor will not transform overnight, but this will allow our industry to capitalize on radical new gaming concepts and technologies and give AGEM members the ability to unleash a new level of creativity for their casino customers.”

This is quite a novel development in the world of poker machine manufacturing and development. While this bill has only been passed in Nevada, we hope to see a similar law in Australia sometime soon.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.