Slot machine makers try to design next-generation devices to attract younger players

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – With the gambling industry anxious to attract younger players, some slot machine makers are looking to challenge the generation raised on video games.

Players in the United Kingdom will soon get a chance to make real wagers after sinking a battleship, knocking a character off a perch, or playing a word worth a triple-word score.

It’s all part of a push to offer more skill-based, social games to attract younger players while retaining more traditional games for women in their 50s and 60sthe most lucrative players.

For them, the allure of slot machines has been simple. Pull the handle or press a button, hear lots of noise and watch excitedly as the reels come to a stop.

That’s not enough for a younger generation that grew up on fast-paced video games.