The Evolution of Slots: From Mechanical Wonders to Online Phenomena

Enjoying the spoils of the 21st century allows us to have immense amounts of fun and live a carefree life in certain aspects. Rarely do we stop and think about where the things we use came from, who made them, and how they were different some years ago. Those who do wonder about it are often surprised at how people used to do things that we take for granted and how difficult it really was to have fun and experience entertainment a few hundred years ago. With gambling, many games are quite similar to what we have today. Card games like poker and blackjack are almost identical, save for the online varieties, and the same goes for roulette. 

But what about the most played, most common, and most popular gambling game right now, the online slot? The earliest version of this ultra-popular gambling game had some similarities with what we have today, but it was also very different due to the limited technology of the time. If you are a fan of online slots or gambling in general and enjoy playing a variety of games on platforms like Sportsbet.io, this article is for you. Read on to learn about the evolution of slot machines, from their time as mechanical contraptions to the behemoth of the lucrative industry they are today.

Earliest Beginnings and Origin

The first true slot machine, or what we could regard as one in retrospect, was created in 1981. Charles Fey made it, a San Francisco mechanic, and called it the “Liberty Bell”. The machine had three spinning reels with different symbols on it which included horseshoes, diamonds, spades, and of course, the Liberty Bell itself. From the earliest days, the idea behind the game was simple. All the players had to do was pull the lever and the reels would start spinning, eventually stopping at random positions. The winning combination was three Liberty Bells and the only one that awarded a prize. 

This first machine used mechanical components only, mainly gears and springs. They allowed it to function without any electricity, similar to how handwatches work. The prototype by Fey is now regarded as the first slot machine and it was later used as a reference for new slots. But as you can see, not much has changed from this first game in the late 19th century. Chance was always a factor, spinning reels with special symbols awarded the prize, and the gameplay was simply pulling the lever. 

The Fruit Machine Craze

In the decade or so, new takes on Fey’s mechanical wonder appeared around the USA. However, when gambling regulations started to take place, many slots scrapped the old symbols in favor of fruit symbols. More importantly, they navigated the new gambling rules and no longer awarded money. Instead, the players who won received chewing gum, candy, and other smaller prizes. Gum and candy were fruit flavored, so the new wave of slots were called fruit machines. 

During the first part of the 20th century, slot machines were becoming more widespread due to their adoption in bars, restaurants, and amusement centers. They became very popular in places where gambling was regulated or prohibited because they were not entirely considered as gambling games. As the regulations changed, so did their adoption and soon they would become the staples of the new casino business.

The “Operator Bell”

During the 1930s, the “Operator Bell” slot machine appeared a more advanced version that had a coin mechanism that accepted multiple denominations. This made if more accessible and it was an instant hit. Further spreading all over, the next major step in the evolution came in the coming decades when electromechanical machines appeared. This was in the late 1950s and during the 1960s. 

While still having physical reels, these new machines had electronic components like lights, sounds, and payout mechanisms that made them very appealing, none more than the Money Honey that first appeared in 1964 and was made by Bally. Its large jackpot that paid out automatically and new features like automatic coin dispensing were revolutionary. 

Video Slots and Digital Transformation

During the 1970s and 1980s, a new revolution started when experiments with video slot machines took place. They no longer had physical reels but computer-generated imagery (CGI) on screens. The first wave of these fully operational video slots came in 1976 and was made by Fortune Coin in Las Vegas. They brought more complex games, multiple pay lines, bonus rounds, and themed content. 

The 1990s saw slots becoming a true staple in all casinos with hundreds of them present in every establishment. Software developers the likes of IGT started making machines with advanced games, systems, and features like linking machines across casinos to form progressive jackpots. Video poker machines also came that combined slots and poker, immediately garnering millions of fans. 

Online Slots and Mobile Devices

Finally, what we today consider the gambling industry with some of the most popular games like Fortune Tiger slot only came when tech advanced far enough. The widespread of the internet, smart technologies, and the use of mobile devices spread the popularity of slots to the digital world. From the 2000s when the internet entered people’s homes and brought gambling from home to the 2010s and 2020s when almost all gambling is done on the web, things changed considerably. 

Games are now more optimized for all devices, they utilize advanced innovations, breathtaking graphics, and a plethora of modern features like bonuses, special rounds, cryptocurrency integration, and more. VR and AR slots exist and blockchain gambling is slowly taking off. It is very immersive, interactive, and the most entertaining it has ever been. Who knows what the next decade will have in store for slots?