Jenny has 17+ of experience in the iGaming industry, having worked for some of the UK's leading brands. She is a recognised expert in bingo and slots.
OLBG’s Queen of Bingo Jenny Mason spoke to Lauren Bradley, Director of Accounts at Gaming Realms, for a general Questions and Answers interview regarding Slingo games.
Founded in 2013, Gaming Realms acquired the Slingo IP and launched several Slingo games including Slingo Riches and Slingo Extreme. Growing the Slingo games portfolio with releases such as Slingo Rainbow Riches, you’ll find Slingo games at all UK bingo sites (as well casino and slot sites).
Lauren Bradley has been with Gaming Realms since November 2024 and has extensive experience in the iGaming industry having previously worked at iSoftBet, Realistic Games and Blueprint Gaming.
OLBG’s Q&A with Gaming Realms focuses on everything Slingo include how the games work, what the most popular Slingo games are, how new games are created, new Ips, new mechanics and bonus features, mobile play and upcoming releases.
Q: For players that haven’t played Slingo games, can you explain the concept?
LB: “Slingo is a non-traditional slot game, that is a captivating fusion of slots and incorporates aspects of bingo, offering a unique gaming experience that blends familiar elements from each with innovative twists. Most Slingo games build upon a core concept whilst simultaneously introducing mechanics, modifiers, and features to keep engagement high.
At its heart, Slingo presents players with a 5x5 grid of randomly generated numbers and a row of spinning reels. As the reels spin, revealed numbers can be matched to those on the grid, marking the corresponding positions. Players can form Slingo lines by creating multiple marked spots and progressing up a prize board with escalating rewards. The ultimate goal is to achieve a full house, unlocking the title’s max win.
Wilds and Super Wilds add a strategic dimension to the game, empowering players to choose where to place the next marked position. This strategic choice can lead to instant line completions or set the stage for future line formations. Players often employ various strategies, such as focusing on the centre or corners of the grid or reels that have less marked positions. With so many ways to enjoy the game and numerous titles that innovate on this core concept, it's clear to see why Slingo has evolved to become a genre in its own right.”
Q: What are the most popular Slingo games? Are there any that stand out in the UK only?
LB: “With a diverse range of titles, our portfolio boasts a number of hits. Slingo Rainbow Riches, though one of our legacy titles, continues to captivate UK players. It has become an integral part of many slot enthusiasts, offering the unique blend of strategy and chance Slingo provides in a recognisable theme. Its enduring popularity is a testament to its timeless appeal.
More recently Slingo River Re3ls™ has gained a lot of traction, it saw the debut of our Re3ls™ mechanic which allows players to win instant cash prizes, multipliers and additional respins whilst creating lines of Slingo. The titles also built upon the popular fishing theme and quickly rose to prominence in the UK.
Many of our IP-inspired titles have also gained a loyal fan base in the UK, such as Slingo Deadliest Catch which reimagines the treacherous journeys of the Northwestern within the Slingo format and Slingo Da Vinci Diamonds which captures the magic of IGT’s classic slot and innovates upon some of its core concepts.”
Q: How are new Slingo games created? What’s the process?
LB: “Creating a new Slingo game is a meticulous process that involves a blend of creativity, strategy, and player understanding. Initially, we conceptualise and agree on a theme, identifying a unique angle and ways to differentiate the new game from existing titles.
This might involve introducing novel mechanics, tweaking the core gameplay, or exploring a fresh aesthetic. From here, we then begin to decide on core features and while the Slingo mechanic remains, designers explore ways to add layers of complexity and excitement. This might involve introducing new power-ups, bonus rounds, or more conventional free spins rounds that can be won throughout play.
We will then begin the art and sound design before going into the testing phase. This is an idealised model however we are incredibly malleable and chop and change this depending upon the release.”
Q: Do gaming providers approach Gaming Realms? Or does GMR identify IPs they would like?
LB: “It is a mix of the two, occasionally we see a strong IP that we know will resonate with our audience or has a particular aesthetic we are drawn to. Examples of this would be Slingo SPACE INVADERS and Sligo Tetris where we approached these huge multinational companies to take on the prestigious IPs and reinvent them into the iGaming medium.
Conversely having seen the success of our Slingo iterations of popular slot games such as Slingo Money Train and Slingo Hot Roll, other providers may contact us to create a Slingo version of one of their most popular hits. Reinvigorating the franchise and allowing fans of the series to experience their favourite game in a new way.”
Q: What new mechanics and bonus features have been added to newer Slingo games?
LB: “The previously discussed Re3ls™ mechanic is a popular option, and we also have a race feature showcased in Slingo Constitution Hill where jockeys race around the game board awarding jackpot prizes for finishing first.
Another new mechanic showcased in Slingo Day of the Dab enables players to match numbers and create a chain reaction of more ‘dabs’ to progress up the Slingo ladder quicker, and we have added variable reel sizes to titles like Slingo Wolf Snowstorm and look forward to adding more gamification features to our releases in 2025.”
Q: What % of players play on mobile vs desktop/tablet devices?
LB: “All of our games are built and optimised to work across mobile and desktop, and landscape and portrait. In the industry in general we’ve seen a move towards more mobile play with >90% players playing on mobile, but we pay a lot of attention to game UI to remain sure that it’s an engaging experience across all devices.”
Q: Can you tell us a little about your upcoming releases? Any more IP-inspired titles coming soon?
LB: “We have a fun Irish themed game launching prior to St Patrick’s Day, Slingo Lucky McGold, which features a new free spin mechanic as well as additional scatters and instant cash prizes.
We then have a blockbuster bonus game launching in Slingo Honey Crew, which incorporates eight variations of bonus rounds and escalating rewards. Players can work their way up the ladder to unlock the bonus rounds, or for the first time in Slingo players can break through bonuses to unlock the next bonus game.
Following Honey Crew we will have the release of Big Spin Booster, a wheel based bonus game in which the wheel is always visible to the player. There are three different wheels in the game with two different bonus rounds, a jackpot wheel and a booster mechanic.
As the year goes on you will see more original Slingo titles as well as several IP based Slingo games being released in the coming months.”
Q: Do you have a particular favourite Slingo game? If so, why?
LB: “Slingo Day Of The Dab is my current personal favourite due to the speed of play as well as how each matched number can award more matched numbers creating a snowball effect throughout play. We have variations of this mechanic launching this year with the introduction of jackpots as well as more instant pay wins with chain reactions, so I think my favourite games will continue to change as the year goes on, however the Gaming Realms portfolio has something for everybody to enjoy and with so much variety my game of choice always changes over time.”
