Did you know the story behind the creation of Slots?

Slot machines been around for over a century now, having evolved from simple mechanical devices to digital and online versions.

But how did we get from those early slot machine designs to modern games like Gold Cash Free Spins? Read on as we walk through the journey that Slots have taken to become one of the most popular casino games out there.

The birth of the slot machine

While there were earlier designs that helped to inspire it, the first true slot machine was created by Charles Fey. In 1895, Fey developed the Liberty Bell, a design featuring three spinning reels and five different symbols – hearts, diamonds, spades, horseshoes, and the titular bell.

Fey's design was particularly notable for introducing automatic payouts, which earlier mechanical games had failed to include. This made the Liberty Bell simpler to operate, with players able to receive an instant payout for landing matching combinations.

The Liberty Bell marked the real birth of the slot machine and the start of its rise to popularity, with many other manufacturers quickly creating their own versions based on Fey's design.

The rise of mechanical slot machines

By the early 20th century, slot machines had become a staple of many venues. The 1930s also saw the introduction of fruit symbols to the reels, which would go on to earn the games the nickname of fruit machines.

Switching from other symbols to fruits was a way to distance slot machines from the use of playing card symbols and their association with games like Poker. But that was only the start of decades of evolution for Slots.

The electronic revolution of Slots

The 1960s and 1970s saw an even more major shift in slot machine technology with the introduction of electromechanical systems. Bally Technologies was the first to introduce a fully electromechanical slot game – known as Money Honey – which replaced mechanical parts with electronics.

These new designs offered several benefits over their older counterparts, including:

• Larger payouts, as the removal of mechanical limitations allowed for larger coin hoppers and higher potential jackpots.
• New gameplay mechanics, such as multiple paylines.
• Improved security, as the electromechanical components made it more difficult for outside factors to influence the outcome of a spin.

The digital age and online Slots

Electromechanical Slots didn’t get as long in the spotlight, as video Slots soon started to take off in the 1970s and 1980s. Replacing physical reels with a television screen, these games removed further physical limitations and allowed for an even greater variety in mechanics and designs.

The shift to video Slots also paved the way for the rise of online play around the turn of the millennium. As slot games were already almost entirely digital, this made it simpler to port them over to the new online casino platforms.

Early online Slots were naturally lacking in their graphics and details, but it didn’t take long for the medium to evolve and the modern slot games of today to emerge.

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The story behind the creation of Slots is one of continuous evolution, from the mechanical Liberty Bell to the newer online designs of today. Each stage of development has introduced new features and mechanics that have helped shape modern Slots, yet the core concept of the games has always remained the same.