Heating up the live dealer game: Introducing Rainbow Riches LIVE

Gameshow formats allow audiences to feel like they’re really part of the entertainment that they see, and that’s why the format has gone far beyond just television shows. Now, we see this format on apps, on radio and on games consoles. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the gambling world soon followed suit. In 2017, online casino games started taking gameshow formats and putting them in front of players, something that proved hugely popular.

Popularity has continued to grow, resulting in a huge demand from both operators and players.

Although the majority of revenue is still generated by traditional live casino games, with H2 Gambling Capital (H2GC) recording a 32% CAGR from 2016-19, the percentage change year-on-year in the game show vertical in particular has shown the greatest jump.

Live casino supplier Authentic Gaming saw this emerging gap in the market for a live dealer game that could use the gameshow format, and that’s when Rainbow Riches was born.

Authentic Gaming and Light & Wonder

Creating an exciting new game is just one piece of the jigsaw, but making it successful brings all of the pieces together. Since its acquisition by Light & Wonder in 2021, Authentic Gaming has been able to build on its live casino audience by leveraging Light & Wonder’s IP.

With this, the game supplier now has the largest side-bet library of blackjack and baccarat in the live casino sector. This brought great success for Authentic Gaming in both Europe and across North America, and helped to build this latest innovative offering, Rainbow Riches LIVE. Poised to set 2023 alight, the live dealer game will attract both fans of the traditional game and new players wanting something ‘unique’ – every supplier’s ultimate goal.

Authentic Gaming puts a new spin on a classic 

Traditionally, live dealer games would target fans of casino – focusing predominantly on the format of blackjack, roulette, and baccarat. But with the introduction of new technologies, and the big transition towards online in the post-pandemic world, we’re seeing more and more innovation take hold in the live casino market.

“Game shows offer the thrill of big wins, something that was previously only possible in traditional live casino games with high initial bets. However, in game shows, even with small bets, you have the chance to win big, making them more appealing to a larger player base.”

“These game shows are known for their energetic and engaging nature, ensuring players are never bored.”

Rainbow Riches LIVE new gameshow format offers up to 3 ways to win in every 45-second game round.

Bator explains that Authentic Gaming needed to head caution, however, to make sure to learn from past mistakes other suppliers have made.

“We decided to leverage the popular slot brand, but we were cautious not to simply bring slots to live casino as it had been attempted in the past without successful results”, Bator explains.

“Instead, we recognised that players would resonate with the brand and slot symbols, but we aimed to provide a more traditional live casino format. The game’s appearance and feel are reminiscent of “Rainbow Riches” utilising the same main character (Leprechaun), logo, music, colours, and symbols, but with a betting system on numbers and symbols (side bets) more akin to a live casino game. ”

Tackling the criticism of live dealer games head on

As part of the ‘one-swipe generation’, modern-day players have become accustomed to having everything quick and at times, instant. It’s not surprising, therefore, that one of the biggest criticisms of live casinos is the average game round duration which typically lasts around 45-55 seconds.

Bator says that this was all taken into account when innovating this latest live dealer game to ensure it kept players engaged and entertained.

“Considering the current short attention span of the average player, we made sure to pack each game round with excitement. Hence, players can enjoy up to three payouts in a single game round: first right after “No more bets” when there are symbol winnings, second right after the winning number is revealed, and third if the bonus round appears. This means players have a chance to win every 15 seconds or so.”

So how does Rainbow Riches LIVE work?

Providing a multitude of ways to win, Rainbow Riches LIVE allows players to bet on both Rainbow Riches symbols and numbers. This game show is shaped by evolving player preferences and market trends. It is packed full of fast-paced action and excitement at every step, offering players a potential max payout of over 7,500x their initial bet on symbols or 2,500x their initial bet on numbers.

“Players of Rainbow Riches LIVE can bet on symbols and multiply their bets up to 1500x based on symbol frequency, according to the pay table.” says Bator.

“Players can also bet on numbers and multiply their bet by the symbol multiplier value, which can be up to 500x, when the ball lands on a lucky number. If the winning number matches the winning symbol, the player will triple their symbol winnings. The experience is further enhanced when the bonus rounds appear, multiplying all wins by up to 5x.”

How to create a top selling game like Rainbow Riches LIVE

Creating new games is where Authentic Gaming always excels, putting innovation at the forefront of everything it does. But all that creative effort is only one part of the process, Bator says that having and utilising “inspiration” is the key.

“Our goal is not to replicate slots in the live casino 1:1, but rather to take the best elements from slots and incorporate them into the live casino gameplay, providing a different experience from playing slots.”

The unique selling point for Authentic Gaming is its direct access to all popular Light & Wonder brands, being part of Light & Wonder group. “We have decided to focus on the UK market, where Rainbow Riches LIVE is one of the top-performing slots based on the available data. The UK release of Rainbow Riches LIVE was done in collaboration with Light & Wonder’s long-term partner, Entain, across their brands such as Coral or Landbrokes Casino. This partnership provided us with a wonderful launch opportunity and a strong entry into the market.”

The team at Authentic Gaming worked closely with Light & Wonder team to ensure that they maintained the brand’s identity while internally working on the mathematics, user interface, and studio design.

“Creating this game show took 6 months and involved more than 30 project team members, who utilised various tools and methodologies. We established an efficient branding system on Figma, making it easy for us to customise and brand any of our UI elements. We utilize a massive green screen with the latest video technologies and produce impressive visuals, including 3D animations featuring leprechauns, as well as content updated based on seasonal themes.”

“We place a strong emphasis on dealer training – each of our hosts undergoes training conducted by professional actors and individuals with experience in TV production. In our game shows, hosts are charismatic, engaging, energetic, and highly entertaining.”

By creating such a strong framework to produce more live casino games, the future is bright for Authentic Gaming’s ever-increasing global player base.

A new generation of live dealer games

Rainbow Riches LIVE is the second release of the Light & Wonder brand-based game, following the successful launch of 7’s on Fire in July. Bator says that the team is continually committed to introducing more game shows in all the markets that it operates in. 

“Currently, our focus is on Europe. However, in October, we entered the Michigan market with Rush Street, and just a month later with Golden Nugget and Draft Kings. Next year will be extremely interesting for live dealer scene, as our full attention will shift to creating bespoke environments and game shows leveraging the most popular brands from Light & Wonder.”

Not only this, but the operator has more releases set to launch later this year. Alongside 7’s on Fire LIVE and Rainbow Riches LIVE, Authentic Gaming’s next release, 88 Fortune, is scheduled for 2024. Bator is looking forward to bringing this to Authentic Gaming’s audience, “I’m absolutely in love with the studio design and game UI so far – the team has done an incredible job!