Where Can Representations of Heavy Metal in Casinos Go Next?

Motorhead’s Lemmy loved to gamble

If you break down gambling and heavy metal to the pure emotions that people feel when they are enjoying them, there isn’t much difference between the two. Both are high-octane pursuits which get the adrenaline pumping and provide unparalleled thrills. That’s why this particular genre of music and casinos have always gone hand in hand. Heavy metal musicians have been known to have an affinity to gambling as well, with Motorhead famously singing about the “Ace of Spades.” This has led developers to celebrate this link by creating games which represent heavy metal in the online casino industry. It has mainly been seen in slot games so far, but there is potential for heavy metal representations in casino to spread further.

Why is There a Strong Case for Links Between Heavy Metal and Gambling Products?

Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister may have famously sung that the only card he needed was the Ace of Spades but, according to numerous sources, the legendary Motorhead frontman’s favorite games were slot machines. The iconic gambling song was an obvious reference to blackjack, in which the ace of spades used to be the most valuable card. But the late singer and bassist was best known for playing one-armed bandits in London clubs.

Motorhead performing Ace of Spades.

Lemmy is no doubt the most famous heavy metal gambler, but there are a number of other well-known heavy metal band members who have been known to have a flutter on games of chance. Scott Ian from Anthrax, for instance, is a massive poker fan. The American musician said that the rise of internet poker sites enabled him to balance his love for the card game with his commitment to music. Sully Erna from Godsmack is also known for his love of poker, despite being subject to a horrifically bad beat in the past. The heavy metal singer has a tattoo on his back detailing how his quad aces lost to an opponent’s royal flush.

Perhaps the main reason why heavy metal and gambling have always shared a strong link is because both things have a focus on risk-taking and thrill-seeking. When the reels on a slot game spin, the player has no control over whether they will reveal a win. This is a real rush, and when accompanied by a frenzied guitar riff it can be a highly pleasurable experience.

What Are the Existing Metal Themes in Casino Games?

The strong connection between heavy metal and gambling was clearly what inspired NetEnt to make its NetEnt Rocks series. One of the standout games in this range was the Motorhead slot which immortalized the band. This is because the band had become so synonymous with gambling thanks to the success of Ace of Spades.

The Motorhead slot was accompanied by two other games – Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix. All of these offerings are available to play at Wink Slots, where they are among the most popular games. Hendrix and GNR were not famous for enjoying gambling in the same way Motorhead were, but their iconic songs make for a great accompaniment to the spinning of the reels.

It seems reasonable to believe that NetEnt will look to continue this slot series using other popular metal acts. One band that could be used by the Swedish developer for another game in its series is AC/DC. The Jack, which was one of the tracks on the Australian band’s 1975 album T.N.T, was clearly about poker. Nearly every line of the song is a reference to the much-loved card game, and it would be even more appropriate if re-released today to the poker-mad world of 2020.

How Could Metal Be Incorporated into Other Gambling Products?

The involvement of metal in the gambling industry doesn’t have to stop at slots by any means. There are other gambling games rising in popularity that could easily benefit from themes of well-known rock acts. The online bingo sector, in particular, is one that stands out as a place for developers to target.

Since bingo moved to an online setting, it has become so much more than a simple ball drawing game. The concept of crossing off numbers on a card remains the same, but now there are different ways of playing and places to play which are designed to attract a certain type of clientele. This has come in the form of themed bingo rooms, with options based on films like Grease. These games can instantly draw players in who enjoyed the film. Some sites have themed games which are based on a time period in music as well, with the 1990s being a common choice because bingo halls were thriving at this time.

One of the main aims of online bingo has been to expand the playing demographics and attract a wider range of players to the games. Indeed, the game which was once predominantly played by women now attracts a greater number of men – around 35 percent of players are male in 2020. This can be taken one step further, with themes being used as a way to tempt fans of niche genres to the games. For this reason, a heavy metal-themed bingo room would not look out of place at a bingo site, and would give lovers of the music a reason to play bingo.

Bingo also prides itself on being a social game,, visit umbingo if you wanna know why. If the themed bingo room was able to foster a community spirit in which players could perhaps choose their own songs, it would be a concept that metal fans could get on board with. Maybe the main draw would be to join the bingo room to share music, with bingo games being an exciting side offering to keep people entertained in another way. Heavy metal and gambling have always gone hand in hand, and now could be the time that the music genre’s influence takes a greater hold on the industry. It seems likely that there could be heavy metal-themed bingo games, and there may also be rocking roulette offerings in the future.