The history of the slot machine dates back to the 19th century. It was 1887 when the first slot machine was launched in the market. A San Francisco native, Charles Fey decided to launch his simple machine. Very easy, made by the classic symbols we are used to, this machine was then replicated over the years by many people who of course added many new symbols and advanced settings. We can now claim that current slots we enjoy when you click this link now are the evolution of 1887’s creation.
The success of his first release encouraged Charles Fey to launch a second version, the Liberty Bell. Like the first one, it was a 3-reeled machine. At the time of its launch, he was completely unaware that this second trial was meant to get much more success and popularity than the first one.
In the history of the slot machine, the first 20s and 30s of 1900 can be considered a very tough period. There was indeed a rigid control over them. They were often prohibited or not completely free to circulate.
We need to wait for the first and the second world war to pass to talk about another great release. In 1963, the Money Honey was released. We are talking about the first machine which introduced electromechanical technology.
The first video machine was introduced in the late 80s. This first trial was not very successful. In fact, we have to wait for 1976 to talk about the first successful video slot launched on the market.
With the introduction of electronics in 1996, the scenario totally changed and so their displays and screens which became more detailed and similar to the modern ones.
Fruit machines and jewels-themed machines soon became popular due to their simplicity and intriguing features.
The Introduction Of Online Slots
The spread of online casinos has drastically changed the overall scenario making it similar to the one we are now used to. The introduction of virtual reality has completely changed the gaming world.
It is important to highlight that the games now accessible on the internet and playable through different devices have evolved over the years. When they were first launched on the internet, the games playable were just a few and of course, it was not possible to access the variety we are now used to.
With so many different themes, their advanced graphics, and engaging sound effects, modern slots are the perfect evolution of what Fey had planned.
This big success has led may I-Gaming companies to introduce their own products in the market and become widely known. Who has never heard about Microgaming, NetEnt or Yggdrasil to name just a few? If you love games, you have played one of their latest releases at least once in your life for sure. The constant evolution in terms of techniques and the fact these industries are ‘in step with the times’ make them very successful.
The history of the slot machine is quite amazing. With thousands of different slots, it is easy now to find the perfect one for everybody’s needs. What do you think about it? Are you satisfied with this evolution?
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