US online casino operators are increasingly looking for ways to make digital gambling feel less like a software product and more like a trip to a casino. BetMGM’s latest move takes that idea quite literally. Players in New Jersey can now remotely control physical slot machines through a live video stream.
The new offering from Awager, an Aristocrat company, is available through BetMGM and Borgata Online and gives players access to machines housed in regulated studio environments. The launch adds a novel format to the US online casino market, where operators are competing through larger game libraries, live dealer products and increasingly immersive digital experiences.
No, They Are Not Just Digital Replicas
The technology changes what happens behind the interface. Players watch a live 4K stream of an actual slot cabinet and remotely trigger each spin. The machine itself produces the game outcome, while the stream captures its graphics, sounds and physical responses.
Awager launched the service with 50 slot cabinets and more than 30 titles, including Aristocrat games such as Buffalo Ascension and Lightning Link. The company says its technology is designed specifically to bring land-based casino machines into regulated online environments.
That places live-streamed slots somewhere between conventional online slots and live casino. A standard online slot exists entirely within software, while a live dealer game connects players to a physical table. Awager instead puts a real slot machine at the center of the experience.
New Formats Take Centerstage
The launch also illustrates how online casino innovation is evolving beyond simply adding more games. New Jersey has already seen operators experiment with products that connect digital customers to physical casino experiences. BetMGM and Borgata previously introduced Dual Play Baccarat, allowing online customers to participate in the same live baccarat game taking place at a Borgata table.
Awager pushes that concept into slots, one of the biggest categories in online casino gaming. BetMGM and Borgata also have significant exposure to New Jersey’s market. June figures put their combined online casino revenue at more than $56 million, highlighting the scale of the platforms introducing the new technology.
The Next Step for Digital Casino Play
A bigger and perhaps more interesting question is where this technology goes next. Awager already operates in North America and Europe and says it works exclusively with regulated operators. Its existing US expansion includes partnerships with FanDuel, BetMGM and Caesars, giving the technology a foothold across several major online casino brands.
BetMGM has described the New Jersey launch as the beginning of its partnership with Awager, leaving the door open for additional games and opportunities.
That matters in a US market where legal online casino gaming remains concentrated in a relatively small number of states. Operators have strong incentives to make those markets more engaging while developing experiences that can eventually be adapted elsewhere. Live-streamed physical slots could become one of the more distinctive examples of that evolution.
