Online casinos are one of the primary forms of online entertainment, with millions of players contributing to a global industry worth billions of dollars.
Everyone has their favorite game — some like the suavity of blackjack or poker, which today often features live dealers. Others favor the iconic spin of the roulette wheel. But time and again, people love to hit the slots. It’s no surprise why — with cutting-edge graphics, themes and narratives, and gameplay to rival traditional video games, the slot machine has come a long way from its origin.
Delve a little deeper into the history of the slot machine, from the mechanical reels of the early 20th Century through to the powerful VR slots we find today in online casinos. Let’s take a closer look.
Origins
The first mechanical slot machine was invented in 1895 by Charles Fey and was named the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell was an unprecedented success in the United States, and it began to find a home in bars and other public spaces.
The machine had three wheels that featured hearts, spades, diamonds, and, of course, liberty bells. But when Fey refused to sell the rights to the machines to the bars and cafes where they appeared, other knock-off slot machines started to appear, including the Operator Bell, which emerged from Chicago in 1907 and was the first to feature fruit symbols alongside playing cards.
Mid-Century Advancements
By the 1960s, new technology was becoming available, and the trusty old mechanical slot machine was under 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, which was 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.
The Present
While the basic premise of slots might remain the same, today’s games could not be more radically different, and the ease of use and accessibility are unprecedented and a primary driving force behind the success of the online casino industry as a whole.
There are scores of places for players to play online slots, and major companies around the world, such as SkyCity, have added online options to their already formidable land-based premise. Modern slots come in all shapes and sizes — the simple gameplay is a canvas to be built on by developers, who make the most of cutting-edge graphics and sound design to enhance the immersive nature of the games.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are also becoming popular options amongst fans of online slots, taking the online casino experience to the next level.
The Future
Slots are getting more and more futuristic. As technology develops, smartphones and tablets become more advanced, and wireless internet, 4G and 5G, are widespread, so the online gambling industry comes on leaps and bounds.
Slots are beginning to make use of 3D graphics and animation. VR and AR will be interesting to watch develop — although there are games available (as mentioned above), they may currently be limited by players’ access to the hardware involved.
VR especially requires a setup, and, ideally, its own space to play in — it’s probably not the best way to spend a train ride. AR requires less and more affordable tech. However, the cost of developing the apps is something of a hindrance to the rollout of this fresh and exciting technology.
Nevertheless, the future looks bright for slots as companies adopt an ever more mobile-first approach to developing the games and stretch their repertories to include current themes for players to enjoy.
The complexity of modern slots belies the simple gameplay at their core. Beneath the cutting-edge graphics, elaborate gameplay, and exciting themes lies a simple premise, one that has been unchanged for over a century.
