Years in the making, the Dutch Remote Gambling Act came into effect in March 2021, and it was a much-awaited item of legislation that finally allowed local players to enjoy their games in a legal framework. Although the Dutch casino and lottery landscape has existed since 1964, and the market had reached €591.7 in 2018, thanks to the Dutch Remote Gambling Act, now it will reach new heights because online casino operators are allowed to obtain a license.

Online casinos have evolved a lot in recent years, and one of the biggest improvements that players can enjoy is the quality and diversity, and graphics. Ever since the first land-based casinos were opened in the Netherlands, graphics were one of the elements that drew people in: from the timelessness of poker tables to the quirky design of slots, there’s something about the way that casino games are designed that attracts you. Now, the same visual appeal can be found in online casinos, and, thanks to technology, the graphics can go over further.

Online casinos were some of the first to embrace digital transformation, and, apart from improvements in security, user experience, and payment options, operators have also invested a lot in visual elements. Players who discover the best Dutch casinos in the market are surprised to find out that the visuals are just as charming on a screen as they are in real life, and that, in many ways, they can be better. This evolution is due to two key features:

● Technology has come a long way, and developers are now able to create high-quality, realistic graphics that look amazing and work smoothly on screens of all sizes. Developers use 3D animation to render realistic effects and create immersive experiences that can match and even exceed brick-and-mortar casinos. Even on mobile, the graphics are just as great. When the first online casinos came out in the 90s, they didn’t have too many fans because the images looked pixelated and, oftentimes, you couldn’t even make out what was happening on the screen. But, as screens got bigger and technology got better, developers could finally create casino graphics that made playing on the go worth it.

● Visuals are more diverse than they were a few years ago. If games like poker and blackjack used to have classic themes, and slot games had the same basic theme as in brick-and-mortar casinos, now there’s a lot more variety. Especially if you play slot games, you’ve probably noticed that they come in all possible variations and that graphics alone are a good incentive to keep playing them. For example, you have slots with movie, sports and other pop-culture themes, which attract millions of players every year. Or you have slots with graphics inspired by nature, technology, history, holiday, and more. No matter what you love, you’ll find dozens of options for each theme, so it’s no wonder that players are looking for online free spins for casino games to make the most out of their experience.

The most popular artistic choices in online casino games

If we look at the art behind online casino games, we’ll notice that it falls under three general categories, as far as the design mood and style go.

The first, and perhaps most common one, is the cartoonish style. This style is more common in slot games, as well as other fun, lighthearted games. Although games with cartoon-inspired graphics aren’t necessarily easy (especially in the case of multiple line slots), they are more approachable, and they appeal to beginner players. Some of the most iconic cartoon elements in slot games include stylized letters, treasure symbols, popular characters such as mummies, heroes, animals, suns, and footballs. It’s also common for developers to create special slot themes around popular holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Halloween, Easter, Thanksgiving, and St. Patrick’s Day.

Next up, we have the sleek, minimal style. Less common in slot games, this style of design is usually chosen for games such as poker, roulette, and blackjack. Inspired by the classic design of these games, this style offers a more modern approach and even takes inspiration from web design trends. The result is sleek and sophisticated, and players get the feeling that they’re sitting at a VIP table. In addition to classic colors such as red, black, green, and silver, game designers also use textures and animation effects to recreate fabrics found in land-based casinos, such as velvet and glitter. This makes the experience even more immersive and creates the impression of an exclusive, luxurious lounge.

Last but not least, we have the vintage style. This art style takes inspiration from old-timey casinos and slot games and features elements such as marquee letters, intricate numbers (the lucky number 7, for instance), crowns, coins, stars, cherries, bananas, and four-leaf clovers. The idea behind this style is to replicate the look of old slot machines, most of which aren’t around today. Although it might not look particularly impressive, at least not compared to the newer themes in modern online casinos, the vintage style is quite effective marketing-wise, and you can’t go wrong with it. For more experienced players, who got to play casino games in the 70s and 80s, they’re a pleasant nostalgia trip. For younger players, who never got a chance to experience the unique atmosphere in those casinos, they’re a way to feed their curiosity and see at least part of the casino history. Either way, vintage-graphics casino games will not go away anytime soon.

Graphics make a sizable contribution to the appeal of online casino games, and they’re the first element that draws people in. Combined with the music and sound effects, they create an engaging experience that’s just as exciting as the real thing and can convince even the die-hard fans of physical casinos that online casinos aren’t just a fad. However, credit should also be given to casino operators because they’ve also invested in security improvements and launched online resources to address important matters like problem gambling. All these advancements combined have turned the online casino market into the giant it is today.