Tracing the history of slot machines

Did you know that slots machines date back to the 19th century? They have come a long way from offering cigarettes as prizes to the 3D graphics online slots use now. Get ready to explore the entire history right away!

The beginnings

Believe it or not, slot machines have been around for more than a century. Their roots can be traced back to the 1890s when coin-operated devices were introduced in bars. These were developed by Sittman and Pitt, a New York-based company that envisioned the first-ever gambling machine. Unlike the slots that we are used to, this device focused on a Poker-like game that displayed random cards across five drums. To activate the game, you would have to insert a coin and pull a lever.

Unfortunately, the device wasn’t advanced enough to give out monetary payouts. So, winnings were granted at the bar in the form of cigars or refreshments. These Poker machines were just the beginning of something that would turn into a worldwide phenomenon!

A few years later, the first slot machine with an automatic payout system was developed. Although the exact date of this occurrence remains unknown, it is believed that it happened towards the end of the 1890s. At that time, a San Francisco mechanic named Charles August Fey decided to replace the Poker drums with three reels containing five symbols. Because the symbol that gave out the highest payout was a bell, the gambling machine was named ‘Liberty Bell’.

Due to its rapidly growing popularity, many manufacturers started copying the design of the machine. But it wasn’t until 1907 that a replica of the original Liberty Bell entered mass production. It was Herbert Mills’ idea, a manufacturer of vending machines and jukeboxes who saw the opportunity of collaborating with Fey to create a revolutionary gambling device. He named it 'Operator Bell', and soon after, in 1908, most saloons, cigar stores and barbershops were equipped with such a machine.

Evolving technology

Some time after the Operator Bell was introduced to the public, the manufacturer added an innovative feature consisting of a gum-vending attachment. As the gum was fruit-flavoured, symbols like cherries, oranges and plums were added to the reels. This popular set of symbols started being used by many other manufacturing companies. And as we all know, it remained popular until today. Hence the nickname of fruit machine.

Following this adjustment, another series of improvements was right around the corner! The early 1930s brought much quieter slot machines. As the original models were quite noisy, Mills decided to put an end to that. Moreover, he gradually started introducing the ‘double jackpot’ feature and themed slots.

Somewhere around 1963, Bally revolutionised the industry by creating the first fully electromechanical slot machine, called ‘Money Honey’. Its reels were operated electronically, but the game was still activated by pulling a lever. Because of the technological progress that took place in those decades, the machine’s mechanism was able to pay out up to 500 coins. Its widely spread success is believed to have caused a significant increase in electronic games.

Slot machines as we know them

1976 was the year when the history of slots changed forever! Why? Because it witnessed the birth of a groundbreaking invention: the first-ever video slot machine! This was developed by Las Vegas-based company Fortune Coin. However, the production took place in Kearny Mesa, California.

The game used a 19-inch Sony Trinitron as a display, and its functions were operated by logic boards. Moreover, the traditional lever was replaced with a button. Once they were ready to be delivered, the first production units went on trial at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. As with any invention out there, the machines didn't function perfectly right from the start. So, they had to suffer some technical modifications. Soon after that, they were approved by the Nevada State Gaming Commission and were ready to go into mass production.

Fortune Coin’s video slots enjoyed massive popularity on the Las Vegas strip and in downtown casinos. After all, there’s a reason why Las Vegas is known as the gambling capital of the world! Due to its success, International Gaming Technology, known as IGT, purchased the company along with the rights to its video-slot machine technology in 1978. And as we all know, IGT is now one of the leading software providers in the iGaming industry.

Since the launch of video slots, several improvements have been added to the game. One of these is the RNG system, an advanced technology that allows the device to provide completely random outcomes. The system is embedded in the machine’s microprocessor and became a standard when it comes to legitimate slots. A rigged device usually lacks such a system.

The online revolution

As technology evolved, things started to move online. This is also the case of slots, which became widely spread in the digital environment. The idea of online slots came around in 1993. Yet, it wasn’t until 1996 that the first online slot was released. Although it isn’t clear what was the name of the first digital slot, it is believed to have been developed by Microgaming. 

Due to online casinos, playing a game from the comfort of your own home is easier than ever! Nowadays, there are hundreds of platforms to choose from, offering a wide range of games from multiple software providers. For example, there are slots with different themes, bonus features, RTPs, paylines and betting options. Because of that, casinos started giving out promotions and other incentives to attract customers. But choosing between so many options can be quite hard.

That’s why filtering platforms like kingcasinobonus were created! They aim to help punters pick the bonus and online casino that fits them the best. So, whenever you doubt joining a particular website or claiming a promotion, feel free to navigate such a platform. In this way, you will gather all the information that you need before starting your online gambling journey. For instance, some promotions are tailored to specific games. So, if you have a particular slot in mind and the offer doesn’t include that title, it might not be the right one for you. Keep this in mind when searching for casino bonuses!

What the future holds

We already witnessed several innovations in the gambling industry over the years. But what is the future of slots? You may think that there isn't much that can evolve in this department. However, technology never fails to surprise us! Who knows? … maybe we’ll be around to witness VR slots or even holograms. Whatever the case might be, this game will surely not drop in popularity any time soon.