Slot machine games are now akin to casual mobile puzzlers. Yet many elements from their early mechanical days remain.
Modern slot players will know just how complex games can be. Contrast a Megaways title, with symbols adjusting on reels in real time, with the clanking cogs and cylinders of a 19th-century Liberty Bell machine. In little more than a century, the slot went from a cast-iron box you cranked by hand to software running a random number generator. The history of slots is one of innovation against a backdrop of changing times. It involves a shift from mechanical eras to algorithmic outcomes, all in the name of entertainment.
The humble slot machine has become a global phenomenon. In the United Kingdom, they’re known as fruit machines, while in Australia they go by pokies. That range is easy to spot online. A casino like Smokos Aussie Casino stocks everything from traditional fruit-style reels to modern releases from studios such as Hacksaw Gaming and Playtech, where inventive mechanics and bold themes take centre stage.
Precursors to these concepts can be found in the poker machines of the 1890s. These were mechanical drum machines, which displayed a selection of 50 cards on five rotating cylinders. Sittman and Pitt were one of the main manufacturers, and they designed their games so that anyone who managed to land a poker hand could win a prize. Yet these devices couldn’t really pay out, so they would end up getting free prizes from the bar, like cigars or drinks.
These machines had many of the hallmarks that would be adopted by slots, such as payment requisition and a lever to set the reels spinning. It would be Charles Fey who really took this one step further, with his Liberty Bell machine. This reduced the reels to three, and lowered the symbols to horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts, and the Liberty Bell itself. When symbols aligned, a small bell would ring, and the magic really happened: cash would be paid out from the machines.
This changed when gambling laws across the United States came down heavily on slot machines. No longer being allowed to dispense cash, they were forced to change. Luckily, they gave us some of the genre’s most recognisable symbols.
The Chicago-based Mills Novelty Company was one of the first to adapt, loading them with candy and gum where cash had once been. By changing the symbols to fruit, they could pay out using the corresponding flavour candy. Thus, plums, cherries, watermelons and lemons became the new slot symbols.
The Bell-Fruit Gum Company even decided to add its logo to its reels. The BAR sign paid out sweets and confectionery. It was so popular that even other companies began to adopt it, and it is still used today, often in its original form of red writing on a black background.
Bally Manufacturing Co. had long been known as a manufacturer of pinball machines and arcade entertainment cabinets. In 1964, it released the first electromechanical slot, in the form of Money Honey. Out went the springs and levers, and in came electric motors. With electricity involved, flashing lights and sounds were now possible. Even bottomless coin hoppers were available, providing the ability to play rapidly and at scale.
Oddly, production was extremely slow in the first few years. Many casino owners in Nevada were reluctant to replace their whole stock of machines, so most sales went overseas. In 1967, a Bally Distributing Company was built in Reno. The centre offered free machines, with offers to put any old machines back in if operators were not happy. When most of them saw an increase in profits of around 400%, the electromechanical slot truly arrived.
During the late seventies, arcades began to fill with video games: bright, electronic forms of entertainment played out on CRT televisions in large cabinets. The technology used in them allowed slot manufacturers much more scope, allowing detailed graphics, extra reels, and bonus features. Essentially, this meant developers could now:
In 1984, a patent was submitted for a virtual reel mapping system. In the past, you had a set number of reels, each of which had given spaces, being either blank or a paying symbol. This system provided a virtual duplication of where the reels would stop. Each stop was assigned a number in the program. Stops representing higher-paying symbols got the lowest amount in the system, while lower-paying symbols got the most. By using this, developers could adjust probability to determine the overall payback percentage.
Slot games were now well on their way to becoming the massive success they are today. The table below uses data provided by Market.US. This shows the predicted market size in USD billions, and includes figures for all slot machine types from physical single coin to video and touch screen slots.
YearMarket Size in USD Billions202716.4202818.4202920.5203022.9203125.6203228.6203331.9
Browsing a modern online lobby shows how much of this history survives. At Smokos Aussie Casino, players can move from classic three-reel fruit titles, which echo the Mills Novelty era, to feature-packed video slots built around bonus rounds, animated reels and cinematic soundtracks.
Each of those additions can be traced back to the video-era breakthroughs of the late seventies and eighties. It is a handy snapshot of 130 years of design in one place. This mix of old and new makes it easy to see how slots have evolved, while still keeping the simple thrill of watching the reels spin at the heart of every session.
While the online sphere is now the primary vehicle for development, it does work the other way. Many digital games are now created and adapted for use in land-based casinos. Veteran developer Evolution recently signed an agreement with Gaming Arts LLC to bring some of the games under its NetEnt brand to physical casinos.
Todd Haushalter, the Chief Product Officer at Evolution, noted that “Since the beginning of online gaming, content has traditionally flowed in one direction, from land-based casinos to online. That approach made sense, as it brought proven experiences to digital audiences. What excites us now is reversing that trend by taking some of the most successful games in the history of online gaming and bringing them to land-based casinos. Evolution is thrilled to be at the forefront of this shift.”
Slots have gone from cast iron and springs to microchips to the cloud, and now some of the biggest online hits are heading back onto casino floors. The technology underneath is unrecognisable, but the appeal hasn’t changed much: you watch the reels and wait to see where they land.
Responsible Gambling – Gambling should only ever be done by those who are 18+. This is a way to stay entertained, and gambling should never be viewed as a way to make money. If you believe it is becoming an issue, then get assistance. This may take the form of self-exclusion tools, setting deposit limits, or seeking third-party assistance.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
