If you’re anything like me, then you’re probably pretty hyped about Marvel’s new movie “Doctor Strange” right about now. And why shouldn’t we be? It’s been getting overwhelmingly positive reviews, with many calling it the best standalone Marvel movie since the first “Iron Man”, and considering that that movie jump-started the behemoth that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which pretty much changed modern cinema as we know it, with everyone and their mother wanting their own interconnected universe, from DC to “Cloverfield”) and also resuscitated the career of Robert Downey Jr and turned him from a washed-up ex-con into the world’s highest paid actor, that’s no small feat. If you’re also an avid gambler (which, statistically speaking, if you’re living in the UK, you might very well be), you could also be wondering when we’re getting the obligatory “Doctor Strange” slot. I mean, it sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? That movie’s trippy, otherworldy visuals would be just perfect for a high-stakes slot machine! Unfortunately, the answer is “never”. Why? Because Disney really, really hates gambling. With a passion.
The signs had been obvious for a really long time. Despite the fact that Walt Disney himself believed that his company should cater equally to children as well as adults (he was even a proponent of alcohol being served in Disneyland, even if its presence was limited), which is not surprising considering that, as talented as he was, Walt was a man of many adult vices. Still, many years after his death, the executives running his company have done their absolute best to present themselves as child-friendly as possible. Nothing that is even remotely associated with the Disney name can be for adults, to the point where things like alcohol and gambling are severely restricted even on Disney-own resorts and cruises that are meant for adults in the first place! Their hatred for all things adult went to such an extent that when Disney purchased Marvel and Lucasfilm, all deals that those companies had to license their properties to slot developers were immediately canceled. You can still play “The Avengers” slot online, but you’re never going to see one based on its sequel, “Age of Ultron”. Disney has essentially stood in front of the entire world and said “We don’t care how much money we’re losing, we’re standing firmly in our beliefs and that’s that.”
So, what does that mean for the online gambling industry in general? I mean, Disney have proven first hand that you don’t need slot spinoffs in order to make money and be financially stable… But at the same time, prior to them pulling the Marvel license, they were a prime example of just how much money a strong brand could pull from the online gambling market. Are other major companies going to follow in Disney’s example and pull support from gambling developers? I don’t really think so. First of all, as I stated above, Disney prides itself on being child-friendly, which is a reputation that other big names in the business (like Warner Bros) simply don’t have. And second of all, while I don’t think any company that makes multimillion dollar movies for a living actually needs slot revenue to survive, it most certainly doesn’t hurt. But honestly, it could go either way. For the moment, we’ve observed one thing – now that Disney are no longer a player, the number of licensed slots has decreased dramatically. And that’s kind of alarming.