Chavdar Vasilev is a journalist covering the casino and sports betting market sectors for CasinoBeats. He joined CasinoBeats in May 2025 and reports on industry-shaping stories across the US and beyond, including legislative debates, market...
Read Full BioIGT has launched a new game in its long-running Wheel of Fortune franchise with the global debut of Wheel of Fortune Big Money Spin, an electronic table game (ETG) that went live this week at Downtown Grand Casino in Las Vegas.
The game combines Wheel of Fortune branding with ETG mechanics. It features a 9-foot-tall mechanical wheel as part of the bonus experience.
Players wager by selecting a color-coded amount corresponding to wedges on a digital wheel. They win if their wager matches the digital spin outcome, filling in letters in the game’s puzzle board. Meanwhile, bonus rounds trigger spins on the large wheel.
Nick Khin, IGT’s COO of Gaming, said in the press release:
“The successful launch of Wheel of Fortune Big Money Spin at Downtown Grand Casino speaks to the excitement that we can bring to a gaming floor, the universal appeal of the Wheel of Fortune brand, and IGT’s commitment to delivering game-changing innovation.”
Downtown Grand’s VP of Casino Operations, Paul Phillips, added: “Our guests instantly connected with the Wheel of Fortune brand and are eager to try their favorite slots brand in a new format.”
Wheel of Fortune’s Legacy in Gambling
Wheel of Fortune slots are among the most iconic games across casino floors and the most successful product lines for IGT. According to the company, it has transformed the gaming industry.
IGT says that since its launch in 1996, the brand has generated nearly $3.6 billion in jackpots. It has produced over 1,200 millionaires worldwide. Variants of the game now include dozens of slots and poker. In 2023, IGT and Sony Pictures Television renewed the content supplier’s exclusivity contract until 2033.
The Wheel of Fortune’s popularity also expands beyond the casino floor. Online casinos across the US and globally have also adopted digital versions of popular slots. BetMGM even launched a branded Wheel of Fortune Online Casino in 2023.
The same year, Arcade cabinet manufacturer Arcade1Up introduced the Wheel of Fortune Casinocade Deluxe, a play-at-home arcade resembling a casino slot. The arcade machine does not offer real money gambling. Still, it allows users to connect to WiFi and participate in leaderboards.
The Role of ETGs in Casino Floors
Electronic table games have gained significant traction in recent years, particularly among casinos seeking to attract younger players. Unlike traditional table games, ETGs enable players to enjoy games such as roulette, craps, or blackjack in a wholly digital or hybrid format, often with lower betting minimums and faster speeds.
Some casinos in Las Vegas, which is experiencing a tourism slump, are adjusting their strategies to remove traditional live dealer table games with ETGs.
One such property is Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, the oldest operating casino in downtown Las Vegas. Its owner, Derek Stevens, announced last month that the casino will remove all live-dealer table games in favor of ETGs.
That marked the second casino owned by Stevens to implement the strategy. He claims that since Circa Resort & Casino did that last year, the property has “exploded in popularity.” Stevens says more young customers prefer ETGs.
In addition to appealing more to younger players, electronic games occupy less space. That allows casinos to either place more of them or increase the number of slot machines they offer.
Industry observers view the integration of branded content, such as Wheel of Fortune, as a means to broaden ETG’s appeal and diversify casino floors.
Image credit: Jesse James via Wikimedia Commons (license)
