They’re an ever-present feature in both land-based and online casinos and one of the driving forces behind the enormous expansion of iGaming from a web curiosity to a global, multi-billion dollar industry. Yes, the humble slot machine has gone on a remarkable journey from a turn of the 20th Century nuts ‘n bolts mechanical device to a cutting-edge, multi-faceted video game genre, and its appeal has endured for more than 120 years. If you go to any UK casino comparison site, be it SlotGods, Fruity Slots or Bojoko, you will quickly find an incredible number of slot sites to choose from. Bojoko, for instance, lists hundreds, all licensed by the UKGC. That’s mindnumbing numbers! So, what are the reasons behind the popularity of spinning reels and symbols? Well, the potential for financial reward may be one thing. Still, the simplicity and moreish-ness of the gameplay means no rules to learn and immediate gratification and excitement, win or lose. Let’s have a quick look at the history and popularity of slots.
The Liberty Bell
Modern slots are so sophisticated, and those who have never delved into the history behind them might be surprised to learn that their history stretches back to the end of the 19th century, when Charles Fey patented the Liberty Bell. This mechanical device became a popular fixture in the saloons, diners and drugstores in San Francisco where it was first made, and would proceed to make its way across the country. The machine had three wheels which featured hearts, spades and diamonds, and of course, bells. Gambling laws varied across the US at this time, and sometimes the machines, and others developed in the same mould, would have to distribute fruit candies instead of hard currency — this gave rise to the now iconic fruit symbols still featured on many modern slot machines.
Further developments in the 20th Century
Now, any glance at an online casino will show you just how many options there are for slot fans — so many that players often look to find the best online slots reviews to help them make informed choices. But, back in the 1960s, new technology was becoming available and the trusty old mechanical slot machine was given a drastic overhaul. During that decade the first electromechanical slot machines were developed, the most famous being the Money Honey. This machine still featured the lever (the ‘arm’ of the one-armed bandit) but all the components were moved electronically within the device. In 1976, the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas introduced a fully electric slot machine, quickly adopted in all the hotels and casinos on the strip. These machines were reminiscent of casino slots today, in that they offered more features and choices for players to make. Many of these machines made use of TV screens to enhance the slot machine experience for gamblers. They dominated the scene for the next two decades.
Early Online Casinos
Online casinos have been around since the early 1990s. While blackjack and poker became the favoured games to begin with, simple slots began to appear, and these also became popular. However, at this point, online casinos were more of a curiosity than anything else, and perhaps some distrust of entering financial and other sensitive data online was off-putting to some punters until the appearance of PayPal and other services. Nonetheless, the humble slot had found its way online, and maintained the simplicity and ease that has always been its trademark. But developers saw the potential in this simplicity and began to add themes and graphics to the slot games available online. It’s been a trend in online casino gaming that the capabilities of hardware technology and game development have an almost symbiotic relationship, and this began to develop. But much more was to come.
The Online Casino Explosion
With the advent of mobile gaming in the mid-late 00s, online casinos suddenly boomed into a huge global business, with touchscreen mobile devices allowing for enhanced gameplay and ever more impressive graphics. Slots were some of the first to benefit, and have continued to do so as developers make use of ever more powerful smartphones and tablets, and software platforms can support cutting-edge graphics, gameplay, levels, sound design, and other factors we usually associate with traditional video gaming. Slots are now among the most popular games in online casinos, and the sophisticated elements many employ, using game mechanics such as Megaways to create a dynamic and exciting gaming experience belie the simplicity of the premise behind it. Slots are helping to draw in whole new demographics of players who may never have set foot in a real casino before.
The Future
With so much competition in the marketplace, operators are continuously looking to improve their user experience, and this means adopting new technology as it develops. We’re seeing improvements in VR (virtual reality) casinos, for full immersion, as well as the adoption of AR (augmented reality) which adds a level of interactivity previously unthinkable. However, these technologies face some challenges being integrated into online casinos, namely the cost of app development and the need for extra hardware. But expect to see more and more sophisticated slots on the horizon. The history of slot machines is interesting, and their popularity is unwavering. Simplicity is at the root of their timeless appeal, but with new technology propelling them, the future is promising.
