What will players want from online games next? There is no single answer. Players have different habits, preferences and expectations, and those expectations can look different depending on where you sit in the industry.
An aggregator sees how a broad portfolio serves different audiences and how players discover new games. A studio focuses on the experience within each title: its mechanics, pace, theme and performance. Plati+ and DELULU Gaming bring these perspectives together to explore how the industry can respond to players’ changing expectations.
The market figures show why the conversation matters. In 2024, the gambling market across the EU-27 and the UK generated an estimated €123.4 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR), with online gambling accounting for €47.9 billion, or 39% of the total. The online share is forecast to reach 45% by 2029, with online revenue projected to grow to €66.8 billion. These figures include several gambling products, but casino games already represent the largest part of Europe’s online market.
A growing online market raises the bar
Growth brings opportunity, but it also gives players more choice. As operators add games and suppliers compete for attention, a large portfolio on its own is not enough. Players need to be able to find titles that match their interests, understand how they work and enjoy them across the devices they use.
Mobile is central to that experience. In 2024, mobile devices generated 58% of Europe’s online gambling revenue. The share is projected to reach 67% by 2029. For studios, this makes performance and usability essential parts of game design. For aggregators, it reinforces the value of offering titles that work smoothly across different devices and player settings.
These figures describe market activity, rather than directly measuring what individual players want. Still, they point to practical questions for both sides of the industry: how can games feel intuitive on a smaller screen? How can players discover something new without losing the convenience of familiar formats? And how can operators build a varied portfolio that remains easy to navigate?
The aggregator’s perspective: help players find their fit
From an aggregator’s perspective, variety matters because no single game or mechanic suits everyone. Some players are drawn to classic formats and straightforward gameplay. Others look for a distinctive theme, a different pace or a new feature.
The challenge is to make this range of choice useful. A portfolio should offer breadth, but players also need a clear path through it. Discovery can help connect them with games they might not have found otherwise, while giving operators the flexibility to serve different markets and audiences.
This becomes more important as online casino grows. Casino games generated €21.5 billion in Europe in 2024, making up 45% of online gambling revenue. The market report forecasts online casino revenue to reach €30.8 billion by 2029, equivalent to an average annual growth rate of 7.5% between 2024 and 2029.
For aggregators, this growth creates a wider opportunity to bring together games with different styles and levels of familiarity. The value lies not only in how many titles are available, but in how well the portfolio helps operators meet the needs of their players.
The studio’s perspective: make innovation easy to enjoy
For a studio, the player experience begins with the game itself. A title needs a clear identity, but it also needs to communicate its core idea quickly. Players should be able to understand what is happening and what makes the game different without a long learning curve.
That balance matters when introducing new mechanics. Innovation can make a familiar format feel fresh, but complexity does not automatically create a better experience. A new feature is most effective when it adds interest while keeping the gameplay intuitive.
Mobile usage adds another consideration. Games need to feel responsive and readable on smaller screens, with performance that supports a smooth experience. These are practical design decisions, but they also shape whether a player finds a game comfortable to return to.
Where the two perspectives meet
The aggregator and studio approach the player journey from different points, but their priorities connect. A studio creates a game with a distinct and accessible experience. An aggregator helps make that game part of a broader portfolio where players can discover it.
Together, these perspectives highlight several expectations that are likely to remain important:
- A clear start. Players should be able to understand the game quickly.
- A distinct experience. A strong theme, mechanic or pace can help a title stand out.
- Reliable performance. Games need to work smoothly across devices and connection conditions.
- Choice with direction. A broad selection is more useful when players can navigate it easily.
- Fresh ideas that remain familiar enough to enjoy. New features should add interest without making the experience difficult to follow.
These are not isolated features. The value comes from how they work together. A distinctive title can attract attention; intuitive design can make it more accessible; and thoughtful discovery can help it reach the right audience.
What players may want next
The European market is continuing to move online, while mobile already accounts for the majority of online gambling revenue. At the same time, online casino is the largest product category in the market and is forecast to keep growing. The figures do not prescribe a single winning formula, but they make one thing clear: the overall experience matters at every stage, from discovery to gameplay.
For DELULU Gaming, that means creating games that feel original while remaining intuitive and comfortable to play. For Plati+, it means helping operators bring together a range of titles that players can explore and that serve different audiences.
The next step for the industry may not be one breakthrough mechanic or one new format. It may come from making every part of the journey work better together: giving players meaningful choice, helping them find games that suit them and creating experiences they want to return to.
That is where the perspectives of Plati+ and DELULU Gaming meet: in the shared goal of understanding what players value and making those experiences easier to discover and enjoy.