Here's a cool twist on iGaming: Hard Rock Atlantic City's “Live Slots." This bank of physical slot machines—located at the actual AC casino—can be controlled and played remotely on HardRockCasino.com.

Until recently, online casinos left some players feeling unfulfilled, because there was no way to truly duplicate popular slots online.

Take mechanical reel-spinners. The familiar reels can be played in video on a smartphone or tablet, but for diehard purists, that authentic, physical reel-spinning vibe is missing.

Even in the case of video slots, the fact that major manufacturers—notably Aristocrat—have not yet successfully moved their games online has kept may fans of their games away from internet casinos.

Hard Rock Atlantic City recently injected some innovation into the iGaming genre, which, aside from streaming live table games, has seen few technological breakthroughs since it launched in New Jersey in 2018.

At Hard Rock in February, the curtain rose on “Live Slots,” a bank of 12 physical slot machines, with a rig of cameras and microphones in front to record every play.

Partnering with software firm Softweave Ltd., Hard Rock set up those physical slots to be operated remotely on your smartphone, tablet or PC. From your couch or armchair, you can touch a spin button on your mobile device to operate real, live slot machines. You can buy credits, spin reels and cash out as if you were in an actual casino—except the winnings go into your online account.

The specific games include mechanical reel-spinners from IGT like Triple Red Hot 7s, Hotter Than Blazes and 3X4X5X Double Times Pay. Video slots include Aristocrat’s mega-hits Buffalo, Wild Lepre’coins and Bonanza Megaways. More games and more variety will be added in the coming months.

Live Slots give you “an entirely new way to play floor favorites without being there,” says Kresimir Spajic, senior vice president of online gaming and sports betting for Hard Rock International. “With Live Slots, you can control real, physical slot machines located at Hard Rock Atlantic City from anywhere in New Jersey. It’s a first-of-its-kind experience unavailable anywhere else on the planet.”

Are you ready to rock? Sign up to play at HardRockCasino.com, and you’ll be eligible for up to $1,000 extra in your account to help you get seriously loud at the slots and tables.

“Our vision is to become the world’s leading picks-and-clicks gaming company,” Spajic adds. “We want to create a unified experience for our customers, brick-and-mortar and online. Our mission is to provide world-class entertainment, authentic experiences and trusted service for all. As we see more demand, we’ll add more supply as well.”

Roy Greenbaum, co-founder and CEO of Softweave, Ltd., says, “Our cutting-edge technology will enable HardRockCasino.com to extend the real gaming experience from the casino floor directly to the players’ fingertips.”

Softweave and Hard Rock are working to bring new features to the Live Slots setup, to go with an expected progression of new games.

“We’re talking about bringing the interaction of the player to the next level, recreating a full and seamless experience, with elements the new machines are bringing: wider screens, touch screens and more gamification elements. There are many, many more things to come, all accessible to the player through his mobile, tablet or computer.”

You’ll get 50 Free Spins just by registering at HardRockCasino.com. Sign up, go to your Rewards tab and claim now.

When Spajic first heard Greenbaum’s Live Slots idea, he thought the software developer was “not completely normal.” He soon changed his tune.

“We embraced this as a groundbreaking innovation,” he says. “We really feel this is the next big thing after live dealers.”