History of Online Slots: Milestones That Affected The Industry

History of Online Slots: Milestones That Affected The Industry

The world of online slots did not just appear fully formed on day one. it has gotten to where it is today to a constant evolution. However, in that constant evolution there have been certain key moments that mark a momentous event.

Today we take a closer look at some of the significant moments in the history of online slots – click to view slot games.

The One-Armed Bandit Appears

Perhaps the most significant moment in the timeline of the slot machine is its first – its creation. The slot machine was first invented in 1891 by the team of Pitt and Sittman. Four years later Charles Fey, a car mechanic by trade, created Liberty Bell. Liberty Bell was the first ever mechanical slot and consisted of 3 reels that spun. The symbols used in the game were based on the well-known suites used in playing cards – diamonds, spades, hearts with clubs replaced with the image of the cracked Liberty Bell. Players won if they got one suite across all three reels, with the biggest payout being scored if the player managed to get three Liberty Bells. The three bells would net the lucky player a grand prize of 10 nickels or 50 cents.

The Era Of The Fruit Machine

By 1902 slot machines were declared illegal, despite the Liberty Bell slot still being manufactured. Wily slot owners came up with ways to circumvent the ban. One such way was to replace thecard suites with fruit. If you won, rather than cash prizes, you would win chewing gum or candy with the flavour depending on the symbols that came up on the reels. By the end of the decade, a slot machine called the Operator Bell could be found in just about every tobacco shop, bowling alley, salon and saloon. These slots, manufactured by Herbert Mills, are now famous for having introduced the BAR symbol we still use today.

Slots Get Electric

The next major moment in the world of slots only took place in 1964 when the first electro-mechanical slots were introduced. Developers now sought to improve the games that had already been created. One of the ways they sought to improve slots was to make them fairer and create slots that could not be cheated by the player. Developers also aimed to make their games more exciting by including extra rounds for players during the game.

Slots Go Digital

When the internet arrived., it changed our lives in countless ways. One of the biggest impacts it had was on the gaming world. Suddenly players could play the slots from the comfort of their own home, resulting in them spending far more time playing online slots than would spend playing slots at a physical casino. Soon online casinos were making bigger profits than traditional brick and mortar casinos.

A Casino In Every Pocket

The advent of faster internet speeds and the proliferation of smartphones essentially means that we are all walking around with several casinos in our pocket. We can now not only play slots whenever we want, but we can play them wherever we want.

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