A Chronology of Slot Machines: From the Original Fruit Machines to the Digital Age
Since the Liberty Bell only uses three reels that spin instead of five drums, its mechanism is less complex than that of Sittman and Pitt’s machine. In the five reels of the slot machine, you will find symbols such as spades, cups, diamonds, a horseshoe, and the American Liberty Bell.
Shortly after its launch, the Liberty Bell turned into one of the United States’ most recognized old slot machines. Despite California’s final prohibition, the machine continued to see strong demand in other jurisdictions. As modern gamblers take pleasure in no-download or signup slot games, these vintage machines laid the groundwork for the most iconic slot machine moments in gaming history.
Themes for the earliest slot machines
Although modern players refer to the first slot machine themes as “classic themes,” these designs weren’t really used when the machines were originally introduced. Typical icons seen on reels of modern classic slot machines include
- spades;
- hearts;
- horseshoes;
- yellow bells;
- fruit symbols such as cherries, oranges, plums, and lemons.
Were the earlier slot machines fair?
In comparison to modern online slot games that use digital or electrical components, many seasoned gamers would attest that the older mechanical slots are far fairer when it comes to awarding winnings. Modern slot games are more difficult to win at than older ones because casinos can control more variables that affect the chances.
Free slot machines, which are abundant on social casino sites that provide free spins and free spin bonuses, still continue to attract many gamers despite the lower chances of winning. Bonus rounds in free slots provide players more opportunities to play without actual financial risk, and these games are often utilized to gain virtual prizes without paying money.
Additional Slot Machines from That Era
A coin-operated machine maker called the Mills Novelty Company made a Liberty Bell slot machine that was visually identical to Charles Fey’s original. Mills later designed the Operator’s Bell, an adaptation of the Liberty Bell with a gum-vending attachment. Players would need to line up different fruit symbols on the reels to win a piece of gum from the machine. Plums, cherries, lemons, and oranges are some fruits represented by these symbols. As time went on, these symbols would also make an appearance in other classic slot machines.
Bally, a famous company that makes pinball machines and old-style slot machines, made the first slot machine that was a fully electromechanical slot machine in 1963. Coined “Money Honey”, this slot machine’s electromechanical components are much more long-lasting and need less maintenance than its predecessors.
Money Honey also included an automated payment system that lets you obtain cash without contacting an attendant, as well as an endless hopper. A watershed point in slot machine history occurred with this invention. These days, gamers can find newer versions, like free slots with no signup.
The Age of Digital Slots
Digital slots, including video displays and other electronic components, were first developed in the 1970s. In 1976, the Fortune Coin Co. The first video slot game was made in Kearny Mesa, California. The video slot machine differs from the conventional kind by using a monitor, in this case a Sony Trinitron color receiver, to display the game’s digital reels and other elements.
The first batch of these video slot machines went through its testing run at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas. Fortune Coin Co. made video slot machines safer and cheat-resistant during testing. After the Nevada State Gaming Commission authorized the video slot machine, Las Vegas Strip casinos soon adopted it.
WMS Industries’ 1996 Reel ‘Em In was the first American video slot with a second bonus screen. Reel ‘Em In launched in 1996 in the US.
Free slots and social casino games are available. In addition to the traditional slot machines, you can now find free slots that don’t require registration, as well as unique slot machines that add a modern spin to the game.
Online Slot Machines
We need to go over the history of online gambling if we want to know where online slots came from. The first site to offer gaming online was the Liechtenstein International Lottery. It opened in October 1994. After that period, internet gambling expanded significantly. In 1996, there were only fifteen online game rooms. However, in the following year, the number of online gaming sites had increased to 200.
In the 1990s, Microgaming made the first online gambling site. Their first online slot game, “Cash Splash”, was also made by Microgaming.
After “Cash Splash” became famous, there would be a lot more online slot games, and soon they would be available on phones that run iOS and Android. Classic slots and more contemporary free casino slots have both been widely accessible to gamers online recently.
How will slot machines evolve?
In the years or decades to come, slot machines will most certainly have additional functions. Some of the most cutting-edge technologies that are making their way into online slot machines are virtual reality (VR) and digital currencies.
- Blockchain and cryptocurrency are being used more and more by online casinos to make deals faster and cheaper.
- Crypto games and blockchain casinos are becoming more and more famous all over the world.
- AI helps figure out what games are best for players by analyzing how they play.
- AI is used to make specific suggestions and marketing plans that work.
- VR slots are more fun because they have 3D pictures and motion control.
- VR slots give players a fully realistic experience and let them interact with parts of the game.
The future of playing slots online is bright thanks to these digital developments.
