A Brief History of Slot Machines

 A Brief History of Slot Machines

The most played casino game, slots machines, account for about 70% of average casinos' income in the USA. There are so many different types of slots today, it's easy to write an entire book (e.g. "Slot Machines : A Pictorial Story of the First 100 Year of the Most Popular Coin-operated Gaming Device in the World" by Marshall Fey.

Slot machines are everywhere today. How did this fascination develop? Let's look into the brief history of slots machines.

Early ideas and Liberty Bell

A new type was invented in 1891 to play gambling machines. This machine would be the predecessor of the modern slot machine. This machine was based upon poker and had five reels. You would pull the lever to set the drums in motion and the machine would display a random hand of poker. You could win a prize depending upon the hand's rank.

It could not automatically detect the winnings because the machine was mechanical and not up to date with technology. These machines were placed in bars. The payouts were not in coins or tickets but would be in the form of a complimentary drink or cigar.

The original idea was used to create a new machine in 1895. Instead of five reels with poker hands, the machine would use three reels with five symbols and pay out based on how many symbols are connected to the reels. The Liberty Bell was one of those symbols that would give the machine its nickname.

Because the winning combinations were very simple, the machine could automatically identify winners and pay out accordingly. This removed the responsibility from the establishment that installed the machine.

Electronic Age with Money Honey

Money Honey, a 1963 Bally release, was the first "electromechanical” slots machine. It would end all limitations of mechanical slots and bring about an era electronic slot game that takes advantage of the best technology.

In 1976, all slot machines were digital. These machines are called "video slot machines", as they don't use any mechanical mechanism but instead rely on digital logic boards. The video slots segment would be further pushed by games like "Reel ‘Em In", which featured features such as a second-screen bonus round and a third-screen feature in 1996.

International appeal and online casinos

The internet boom was the catalyst for the online casino industry. It has grown at an incredible pace. International casinos are expanding in emerging markets like Brazil and India as the world becomes more connected. Many online casinos offer free spins on slots to new players as part their welcome bonus.

Modern video slots don't look like the Liberty Bell. MicroGaming has been releasing new features every year, while NetEnt releases more amazing online slots. These studios publish many branded slot titles, thanks to their partnership with major brands. This increases the appeal of the genre for new players.

Slots have been an integral part of popular culture for over 100 years. As the demand for online casinos increases, it seems that they will be here to stay. slot machines history