South African Electronic Terminals vs Slots

About South African Electronic Bingo Terminals

Electronic Bingo Terminals (EBT) are very similar to the traditional bingo game and follow the same rules. However, instead of using paper, this game uses the so-called electronic bingo terminals.

Another difference with the traditional bingo game is that the EBT allows the player to opt for the “self-dab” tracking feature.

This means that when the bingo numbers are called, the player is enabled to select the corresponding keys that can be found on the electronic bingo screen and thus the feature will automatically scan the player’s cards to see whether the player has the number or not. Let’s find out the facts of South Africa’s EBT vs Slots.

In South Africa, electronic bingo terminals were introduced in 2005. And this made a great difference for the game, which was not very popular and a real money maker in South Africa before this new device. However, after EBTs were introduced, bingo soon became one of the most popular games in South Africa.

About South African Slots

Electronic Terminals vs Slots
About South African Slots

While there are many different laws and legislation across South Africa, players can play slots in online casinos worldwide. Due to the changing laws in gambling, South African people started playing slots in regulated online casinos.

Even though online gambling is now legal in South Africa, players often encounter problems when playing in online casinos.

Electronic Terminals vs Slots

Comparison between the two Games
Comparison between the two Games

According to a study conducted on the two different games in South Africa, many people think electronic bingo terminals allow them to control the game. As they need to choose the cards and numbers, while in the slot games, they only deposit money, but don’t have any control over the gameplay.

However, even though electronic bingo terminals might offer players a feeling of control, they can’t control the overcome of numbers. This means that the chances of winning are also a matter of chance and luck, exactly as in slot games.

As regards money, many of the people questioned about the two different games considered that people deposit more money in slot games than they do in electronic bingo terminals, but the winnings are also bigger in slots compared to EBT.

Difference between EBT and Slots

Difference between EBT and Slots
Difference between EBT and Slots

Most of the electronic bingo terminals look and sound like slot machines (Clearly, 2006). They have flashing colourful lights, changing images, and displaying cherries, diamonds, and other icons familiar to slot players and blinking buttons.

Unlike a slot machine, the bingo devices also have a bingo component.

Bingo machines are an improvised version of slot machines. Some countries legally prohibit slot machines but allow people to play bingo games. Hence to give a feeling of slot machines the casino operators in those countries have introduced Bingo machines, which look like slot machines but function like bingo machines.

Although electronic bingo machines are similar to slot machines, there are fundamental differences between the two machines.

  1. With electronic bingo terminals, players play against each other connected with a linked network; whereas with slot machines the players play against the machine.
  2. Electronic bingo terminals are there to create a network whilst slot machines are entirely standalone machines.
  3. The RNG in the electronic bingo terminal is based on a server and does not form part of the machine. It serves several EBT and supplies every terminal with an identical, randomly selected sequence of numbers. In slot machines, the RNG determines the outcome of the game. It is located within the machine itself and determines its outcomes independently of any other slot machine.
  4. In the case of a slot machine, several combinations of symbols attract many predefined winning amounts. These are there in a pay-table whilst in electronic bingo terminals. The player wins only one interim prize which is the highest-ranked interim combination.
  5. The lower segment of the electronic bingo terminal has nothing to do with the result of the game. It is there only for entertainment.
  6. Electronic bingo terminals always have a progressive jackpot while a slot machine may or may not feature a progressive jackpot.
  7. Electronic bingo terminals ensure that at least one player will win by on completing the game-winning combination. Whereas slot machines do not guarantee any wins.

Although there are fundamental differences between EBT and slot machines, the aim of the game is pure entertainment and fun.

Synopsis

Electronic Bingo Terminals and Slots are both popular games in South Africa, and many people are playing both these games. These are the facts about South Africa EBT vs Slots.

About the author

Rebecca Brown