YouTube personality Brian Christopher has launched his slot machine, Pop’N Pays More, at the Plaza in Las Vegas. The first play was livestreamed for thousands of viewers via a cellphone.
Pop’N Pays More was created by Gaming Arts, a Las Vegas-based manufacturer and features Christopher’s likeness. Three new slot machines were installed in Christopher’s section of the casino. Christopher has partnered with Plaza on other casino projects for years.
Licensing deals with celebrities are not a new concept. Artists like Madonna and pop culture icons like Homer Simpson have been a part of slot machine licensing agreements for many years. However, a deal with an internet celebrity and social media personality is a relatively new concept.
This deal is also unique because of Christopher’s familiarity with slot machines and gaming.
Gaming Arts CEO Mike Dreitzer commented: “As a slot manufacturer, we keep our ear to the ground and see what’s going on out there. We were very impressed by the remarkable popularity of Brian and his legion of fans, and he’s a triumph.”
The Plaza is currently renovating to become a “social media friendly” space later in the year. The area will be smoke free as well and will provide an interactive space for guests and players who want to take photos by allowing them to bring cameras inside.
Plaza CEO Jonathan Jossel said: “I think it’s important to adapt with the time and social media, YouTubers are very important features in today’s society.
“Nobody isn’t taking pictures of everything that they see, so why deny that? Obviously, you have to follow game protection, you have to respect people’s privacy. But as long as you’re doing it within your own space, we want to encourage it and embrace it. That’s what we do.”
Dreitzer went on to comment about market trends and the influence social media has had in product development.
He concluded by saying: “This market is very competitive. We’re obviously looking for ways to bring interesting value to buyers. They want good content and it’s always getting better and better. We thought that this was a great way, given where social media is.”
Pop’N Pays More will be featured in several more casinos around the country, including M Resort and Palms locally and tribal casinos in Arizona, Oklahoma and Minnesota.
Christopher has an internet following of more than one million fans that span across several social media platforms.
