Aristocrat Interactive has taken Lightning Link online across regulated iGaming markets in the U.S. and Canada, marking the slot franchise’s first digital rollout in those jurisdictions.
In a release issued Thursday, the company said the network launch would put Lightning Link High Stakes on major online casino sites and mobile casino apps across all regulated U.S. states and Canadian provinces. More Lightning Link titles are slated to go live in the coming months.
Aristocrat Interactive chief executive Dylan Slaney said the launch brought one of the most successful land-based slot game families in history to online players across North America. He described it as a full-scale network rollout supported by major operators and said translating the game for real-money online play gave it proven performance data.
Hard Rock Bet said Aristocrat launched Lightning Link in 2015, and that High Stakes was one of the four original themes. The online version keeps the Hold & Spin mechanic, which the company calls the heart of the game, along with intuitive play, multi-denomination betting, Cash-on-Reels and a Free Games mode built around the Big Reel. It also includes shared progressive jackpots, among them a Grand Jackpot.
Hard Rock Bet said Lightning Link High Stakes is live in New Jersey and Michigan, with bets starting at $0.50 on its app. The operator said the game runs on five reels and up to 50 paylines, and that six or more chip symbols trigger Hold & Spin, which gives three respins and resets with each new chip.
Hard Rock Bet said 3, 4 or 5 scatter symbols trigger Free Games, where the three center reels merge into one oversized BIG reel stacked with large symbols. It also said Cash-on-Reels lets cash values land directly on the reels as credit prizes, and that filling the screen during Hold & Spin awards the Grand Jackpot.
In a separate July 13 announcement, Aristocrat Interactive said Lightning Link was scheduled to go live in Alberta on July 23 as the province moved to a regulated, multi-operator model. The company said it had deployed nearly 40 games in Alberta and already operated in British Columbia, Atlantic Canada, Ontario and Québec. More Lightning Link titles are slated to go live in the coming months.
