The US iGaming market is moving away from its early reliance on simple, “Vegas-style” slot content, as player behaviour increasingly aligns with established European trends.

Data from regulated states now shows growing engagement with high-volatility video slots that feature complex bonus structures, persistent progression mechanics and stronger gamification elements.

In the early stages of market regulation, suppliers prioritised straightforward three-reel games with transparent mathematics. These titles were designed to meet perceived US player preferences for simplicity and familiarity.

However, as markets such as New Jersey have matured, those assumptions are proving outdated. Players are demonstrating greater appetite for volatility, longer play cycles and feature-driven gameplay that rewards sustained engagement.

This shift was examined in a recent video interview titled How SlotMatrix Produces ‘Vegas Classics and High Volatility Hits’ To Drive Growth In US iGaming where Steven Orchard, Head of Commercial Operations at SlotMatrix, outlined how supplier strategies have evolved since the company entered the US market in 2023.

According to Orchard, early supplier thinking underestimated how quickly US players would progress. While initial content strategies favoured low-risk, low-complexity titles, aggregation data across live states, including New Jersey, Michigan, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, now indicates stronger performance from high-volatility games with varied bonus mechanics.

Orchard also stressed that there is “no single US market.” Instead, operators and suppliers must navigate a fragmented, state-by-state regulatory environment. With no federal gambling regulator, rules and interpretations can shift quickly, making flexibility in both compliance and content deployment essential.

Orchard also addressed one of the key barriers to further state-level expansion: concerns from land-based casino stakeholders that iGaming will cannibalise retail revenue.

He argued that suppliers and operators must adopt a unified position when engaging lawmakers, emphasising that regulated online gaming supports consumer protection, provides stable tax revenue and complements existing casino ecosystems rather than undermining them.

Looking ahead, SlotMatrix is focused on scaling its US footprint through both organic growth and portfolio expansion. A central pillar of this strategy is the integration of Fantasma Games, which is scheduled to launch in the US in Q1 2026.

Across its in-house and partner studios, SlotMatrix plans to release approximately 50 games in 2025, reinforcing a clear strategic pivot toward higher-volatility content as the US iGaming market continues to mature.