Gaming machine and a method of gaming thereon

A method of playing a game on a gaming system, the gaming system comprising a game server and a display device configured to present a plurality of symbol positions comprising a plurality of active symbol positions within a game area and a plurality of non-active symbol positions outside of the game area, the method comprising:

• populating each symbol position of the plurality of symbol positions with a symbol selected from a plurality of symbols;
• determining, by the game server, whether the symbol provided in at least one non-active symbol position is adjacent to a same symbol provided in at least one active symbol position;
• expanding the game area to generate an expanded game area based on a determination that the symbol provided in the at least one non-active symbol position is adjacent to the same symbol provided in the at least one active symbol position, wherein the expanded game area is generated by changing, to active symbol positions, a row or a column of the non-active symbol positions occupied by the at least one non-active symbol position having the symbol adjacent to the same symbol provided in the at least one active symbol position;
• and
• determining, by the game server, a game outcome based at least in part on symbols displayed in the expanded game area.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section, the at least one code section being executable by at least one processor, the at least one code section when executed causing the at least one processor to:

• provide an arrangement of symbol positions arranged in rows and columns, wherein a subset of the symbol positions are designated as active symbol positions;
• populate the symbol positions, each with a randomly selected symbol;
• determine whether at least one of the randomly selected symbols in the active symbol positions matches an adjacent randomly selected symbol not in the active symbol positions;
• expand the subset of active symbol positions to include one or more additional symbol positions based on a determination that at least one of the randomly selected symbols in the active symbol positions matches an adjacent randomly selected symbol not in the active symbol positions;
• and
• determine a game outcome based at least in part on symbols displayed in the expanded active symbol positions.