Systems and methods provide subsurface scattering on graphical images displayed for wagering games. In one example, a technique to approximate subsurface scattering includes the use of bounding geometry to gauge a distance of a ray to the edge of the object. An implementation of this technique in a wagering game may include: receiving a graphical object; receiving a position of a light source; receiving a position of a bounding geometry; for each pixel in a set of pixels in the graphical object, performing the actions of: computing a distance from the pixel to an edge of the bounding geometry along a vector including the pixel and the ii source and determining a display property of the pixel in accordance with the distance; and displaying the set of pixels in accordance with the display property each pixel in the set of pixels.