The Rise of the Slot Machines
Concealed in allure, the slot machine in Las Vegas casinos is what often comes to mind when people think of the gambling industry. Today, slot machine games are readily available on the internet and are easy to access by players all over the world. India too has a massive following when it comes to slot machines. The rise of online betting sites in Indian rupees created a massive fan following with slot machines becoming especially popular..
Coming from humble beginnings, the history of slot machines can be traced back to the 19th century. The early gambling machines were found in bars as entertainment for their patrons. Consisting of bulky designs and basic mechanisms, early slot machines required the player to first insert a nickel followed by pulling on a lever to play.
At the outset, the slot machine had only a limited role in the gambling industry however as the years passed so did its popularity. The visual aesthetics and appeal of monetary profits attracted people and played a significant role in its success.
Flashback to the Past
- One-Armed Bandit
The origins of the modern-day slot machine can be traced back to the 19th century when New York-based company Sittman and Pitt created the original lever machine. Players inserted a nickel and pushed the lever upon which five drums with playing cards would then spin. Winning hands meant that players could claim free drinks from the establishment.
- The Liberty Bell
Then came Charles Fey. A San Francisco mechanic, Fey is often considered the Father of the slot machine. He improved upon the Sittman and Pitt machine, removing the drums with the playing cards and replacing them with three reels and five symbols. His machine was known as the Liberty Bell.
The Liberty Bell was considered to be the earliest example of what would become the modern-day slot machine. He simplified the complex nature of the Sittman and Pitt machines and improved on various features throughout the years. It was revolutionary due to the automatic payout feature, this time instead of free beers it was money, thus making it the first mechanical slot machine.
- The Fruit Machine
Following the Liberty Bell was the Fruit Machine. Rather than a monetary payout the Fruit Machine dispensed chewing gum. By replacing the winnings with chewing gum the slot machine was able to escape the anti-gambling ban. This brought back the gambling sector albeit as a much more child-friendly form of entertainment.
- Money Honey
The latter half of the ’90s saw the rise of electromechanical slot machines. These machines made use of a combination of the original mechanical and much newer electrical components. The first electromechanical slot machine was devised by Bally Technologies and was named Money Honey. Cash rewards also made a reappearance. However, the levers used in the original slot machines remained the same despite the many changes brought on by the electric era.
The Digital Age of Slot Machines
The advent of the digital age revolutionized the gambling landscape to further heights. The 21st century was the turning point for the slot machine.
- Geographical Wins
The birth of the Internet meant brick and mortar stores housing slot machines were no longer needed. Players could access slot machines with just a mobile device and wi-fi connection. The ease of access made the online version of the slot machines highly successful.
Users no longer had to travel to find a slot machine to indulge in the occasional gambling. This also meant no more waiting in queues for hours on end to get to a slot machine. What resulted ultimately was an extremely profitable industry that brought in money by the tons.
- Laws? What Laws?
After the first mechanical slot machine entered the market, it also came with a number of restrictions. It was closely followed by anti-gambling legislation which saw the ban of the beloved slot machine. However, as the popularity of the slot machine increased, the monetary benefits gave much weight in driving the decision to ease restrictions. This led to more and more online gambling games entering the market.
- Low Risk, Big Wins
Online slot machines also packed high rewards making them even more enticing for users. Online casinos became prevalent, this enabled a multitude of gambling games to be available to the public at the click of a button. The experience provided by online casinos flourished as new benefits like bonus rounds, and unlimited spins became commonplace.
- New Looks, New Games, New Everything
The digital transformation of the slot machine provided users with new opportunities and experiences. It provided new features which were not available in the traditional slot machines. Over the years many online slot machines have become increasingly unconventional from the themes to the layout. Users now have the option to choose between multiple different interfaces, designs, and experiences which were previously not available.
The digital age brought with it unprecedented growth in the gambling market. It removed a lot of restrictions that limited the players geographically and economically making online gambling one of the biggest money-making enterprises in the market.
What’s in Store For the Future?
The highly lucrative nature of the market dictates almost constant improvements across both the traditional also known as the land-based slot machines and also across digital slot machines. As the digital landscape continues to improve more and more players make use of mobile gambling. Online casinos as a result have worked on improving everything from the visuals and graphics to making it as user-friendly as possible.
Along with this one of the most prominent changes comes in the Virtual Reality (VR) vertical as online casinos work on providing the most immersive and dynamic experience for all its players. VR capitalizes on the escapist nature of real-world casinos to bring the most realistic experience possible for its users.
As society transitioned into the digital era so did the slot machines. Aided by the technological boom the gambling device underwent many changes throughout the years both in its visual elements and in the medium of play. What first began as lever machines in bars adapted through the years, before ultimately transitioning into the world of online gambling real money which we know presently. Read on to peek into how the OG gambling machine adapted and thrived over the decades.
The future of slot machines continues to project significant growth as new technologies bring in accelerating advancements to a constantly expanding market. The combined strength of the traditional slot machines along with the digital slot machines has created a multi-billion dollar industry that spans the length and breadth of the world. As the digital landscape continues to expand there’s no telling the heights to which the gambling empire could reach as the industry moves from success to success.