When we talk about the ability of the online casino space to innovate and rise to the forefront of online gaming, ‘online casino’ is often shorthand for ‘online slots’.

While we should not downplay the fantastic and creative work carried out across the industry to produce slot games the likes of which some might have never thought possible, that should not be the be all and end all for a casino keen to remain at the leading edge when it comes to both online and mobile gaming.

Online casinos are missing a huge opportunity if they treat table games as the poor cousin to the more popular slots, or as a carve-off whose potential for innovation only exists within a live dealer framework.

It can be tempting to decide the success of slots means there is no need to give table games the same attention, and in some cases budgetary restraints make this almost understandable, but all this should do is put the onus on those behind table games to pick up the baton of innovation.

There is no denying that slots have some opportunities which their table games counterparts lack, with features such as film and movie tie-ins producing graphics seen as the norm within the slots world but potentially forced within games such as baccarat, roulette or blackjack. However, rather than considering this an obstacle, we should regard it as a challenge.

Table games can modernise without over-reliance on the same factors used by slots, and this involves understanding both what made the games popular initially, and what factors could be introduced to win them new audiences.

One way we have achieved this at OneTouch.io is through the ‘squeeze’ feature on our baccarat game, giving players an active role in proceedings. For too long, a combination of enforced passivity melded with a lack of features unique to the online world have stopped table games in their tracks, and this is something we look to combat across our baccarat, blackjack and roulette portfolio.

A more inclusive and immersive experience is the first step, and should be the platform from which table games propel themselves into the modern age.