Slot machines have an exciting and interesting history that dates back more than 100 years.
Since their creation, slots have gone on to become one of the world’s all-time favorite entertaining games. Whether you go to Las Vegas or London to do some gambling, you’re going to find plenty of slot machines along the way. Plus, millions of people are now playing slot machines on their smartphones, too – but that’ll get discussed in more detail later.
The Slot Machine is Created (1894)
Let’s rewind the clock to around 127 years ago.
It’s 1894 and there’s none of the modern technology that you see today. Instead, people were reliant on reading, card games, and board games to keep them occupied. Not to mention, friends and work colleagues would also gather at their local bars and pubs at the end of a typical day and during the weekends.
During 1894, the first slot machine (in the modern sense of the word) was created by Charles August Fey, an American inventor living in San Francisco. He built the coin-operated machine as a fun tool for gambling that people could play in casinos and bars.
Of course, this coin-operated slot machine was incredibly limited with what it could do. Essentially, it was a bit like the first computer; clunky but still capable of doing the job. It’s a far cry from the jackpot slots people can play today easily on www.cafecasino.lv/casino/slots-games.
The Card Bell (1898)
4 years later, Fey advanced on his first creation by building the Card Bell, which was the first ever 3-reel slot machine that came with automatic cash pay-outs.
The Card Bell was a small black and gold colored machine that came with a small handle for spinning the reels. When people pulled the handle, they would need to form poker hands across the reels in order to win (which is completely different to the symbol-based slots of today).
Interestingly, the Card Bell was the start of what would eventually become the more modern slot machine.
The Liberty Bell (1899)
1899 saw the release of Fey’s third slot machine: Liberty Bell.
This machine used the horseshoe and bell symbols that have become iconic in the gambling scene. Even if you’ve never gambled before, you’ll be familiar with these flashing symbols that you see in slot machines all around the world – even to the present day.
In the Liberty Bell, three bells equaled the top payout. Notably, this machine was most popular in San Francisco.
The Rise of Slot Machines (1900-1940)
Over the next 40 years, slot machines became increasingly popular – particularly in America. The slot machines gained a lot of attention in resort areas with tourists, as they proved to be an excellent source of entertainment for those looking to have fun on their holidays.
However, during the 1930s, there were several legal problems surrounding slot machines and their distribution, as many of them were being distributed by alleged crime groups. This led to a brief downturn in popularity which would soon pick back up.
Slot Machines Take Over the World (1940-1980)
World War II came to an in 1945, which signaled the start of a new era for the human race.
During this time, slot machines started to take over the world and popular culture. This was all thanks to different governments around the world – from Asia to Europe – who saw slot machines as an excellent source for tax revenue. With this in-mind, it essentially became a free-for-all regarding slot machines – providing they were operated by a legal provider, they were allowed pretty much anywhere (excluding a few countries like France, who would end their slot machine ban in 1988).
During the 1950s, 3-reel and 5-reel slot machines became the norm. This gave players a greater range of machines to choose from, with 5-reel machines typically offering greater payouts.
In 1975, the first video slot machines hit the market in Las Vegas. Today, video slot machines are what you see in most Las Vegas casinos like vegas7games due to their extreme popularity. That’s right: almost 50 years later, video slot machines are still as popular as ever!
The Internet and Online Slot Machines (1990-2022)
Heading into the 1990s, worldwide technology was starting to get better.
In 1993, the internet was made publicly available for the first time, which would then lead to huge computer sales throughout the rest of the 1990s.
Due to the arrival of the internet, there was a huge desire for ‘something new’ regarding slots. Naturally, this led to the creation of online slot machines which are now played by millions of people every day!
The first slot machine game on the internet was created back in 1996. Since then, online slots have developed in terms of both gameplay, user interaction, and graphics. It’s been incredible to witness, and it’s all thanks to Charles Fey’s invention over 100 years ago.