The markets where the game will be available include Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ontario. Borgata Online, which operates in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, will also offer it.
A Resort Brand Turned Into Game Content
The slot was built around Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, with the resort itself being framed as a character. According to Play’n GO, it was inspired by a traditional slot game with elements of the resort, such as walking through the pool and beach area, through Shark Reef, and up to the top, where Skyfall Lounge is located.
Normally, branded slot games can be challenging to create, especially when they are centered around generic symbolism that can be difficult to interpret. In this case, it can be considered more of a walking tour, with specific locations, design, and an attempt to bring a real-world resort into an online slot format without altering the game format itself.
Why BetMGM Keeps Commissioning Exclusives
To regulated iGaming businesses, the concept of exclusivity is more about differentiation within a catalog that, more often than not, comes from the same pool of suppliers. BetMGM has been open about the idea of creating exclusive games to bring its online casino together with its land-based presence.
From the perspective of Play’n GO, the company’s leadership described the project as an opportunity to build on the familiar: place, ambience, and branding as opposed to slapping a logo on a template. The gaming leadership of BetMGM described the project as another step towards bringing the property brands of MGM Resorts to the online casino environment.
Summary
The Bay Riches release is a clear indication of the trajectory of branded iGaming content. It involves more jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction exclusives, more reliance on real-world IP with existing consumer recognition, and a greater emphasis on pushing suppliers to create games specifically for particular operators.
The definite plus side is a more distinct gaming product in each regulated jurisdiction. On the risk side, such a tendency may result in a more fractured gaming environment where the new releases are exclusive to certain operations or jurisdictions.
