Slot machines: where we were, where we are and where we are going
Where were we
Charles Fey invented the slot machine in the 1890s. He probably never imagined that his creation called the “Liberty Bell” would become the most popular form of casino gambling today.
However, the evolution of slots had many growing pains, as many in the United States viewed gambling as a social evil. By 1910, all legal gambling activity was shut down, leaving horse racing as the only legal entity in the United States.
During the prohibition era of the 1920s, the public’s thirst for gambling matched that of alcohol. Slot machines along with alcohol were found at “Speak Easy’s” across the United States, many of them controlled by organized crime. After the ban ended, the underground casinos remained active.
States began cracking down on illegal casinos and began destroying gambling equipment, including slot machines. New York City Mayor LaGuardia called them “mechanical pickpockets”, smashed them with a sledgehammer, and dumped them in Long Island Sound. (You can watch the action on YouTube.)
In 1931 Nevada legalized gambling. Slot machines populated the casino floors of the states, but they were only there to amuse the wives and lovers by playing their pennies and nickels while the men did all the heavy gambling at the tables. (A depiction of this is shown in the 1952 film, “The Las Vegas Story” with Vincent Price, Victor Mature, and Jane Russel.) Slots remained a game of “checkers” until Atlantic City legalized gambling in 1978.
Bally Manufacturing invented a unit powered by electricity, and slot machines began to “light up” and produce various sound effects. When multi-currency acceptors were introduced, the new dollar machines meant bigger prizes for customers. when the Random number generator It was invented that the jackpot amounts could be increased on the four and five reel versions. A rotary button became an alternative to the handle.
Tea Indian Gambling Law was passed in the 1980s, allowing casinos on reservation land and recently legislated dockside riverboat gambling attracted new slots players, while racetracks added one-armed bandits .
IGT released megadollars in 1986 and the slots were now connected across Nevada by phone lines offering a lottery-sized jackpot that grew with every coin wagered. Tea progressive jackpot was born and players could now become millionaires. Players began to abandon table games, flocked to the machines and the casinos took notice.
Where we are
The proliferation of slot machines paved the way for new inventions. IN video slots with 25 lines, up to a bet of 10 credits per line allowed for a ticket in, ticket out (TITO) system. Coins and handles followed the dinosaurs. Traders could now reduce denominations to as low as a penny and still make a profit.
In the new century, slot machine manufacturers were quick to promote the themed Slot, Units based on popular movies, TV shows, and artists. Players can now tap the Wheel of Fortune, laugh about Curley, Larry and Moe, take a walk with Captain Kirk, gold croon on Old blue eyes. All games have video clips of favorite shows.
Theme slots have evolved to 5 video reels with up to 40 lines. The chairs have tall, comfortable backs, and some even vibrate when certain additional features are activated. Touch screens have the latest LCD technology, 3D graphics and Bose sound systems as they continue to evolve. Depending on the theme of the game, players can bet as little as one cent (credit) per line up to a maximum of $2, $3 and $4. Bonus features offer generous payouts, while progressive jackpots run into six and seven figures.
Newer games saw the introduction of CSI, Sex and the City, Iron Man, Michael Jackson, David Copperfield, The Walking Dead, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, Wonder Woman, Ellen, Let’s Make a Deal, The Godfather, Monopoly, And the list goes on and on.
Where we go
The themed slot will certainly continue to grow. However, there is a large segment of casino users who are looking for something different. they are the millennials.Born in the early 1980s to the late 1990s, he grew up playing video games. Casinos realized that this generation didn’t mind sitting in front of a machine that did all the work for them to win. They want to be involved in making it happen. This led to the introduction of Gmasters of skill at the Global Gaming Expo 2016 in Las Vegas.
two companies, GameCo and gambling introduced its products at the show and by all accounts things look very promising. other companies, konami and Scientific Games are creating their own versions to appeal to Generation Y. Other companies will soon follow.
Some of the games are based on poker, where a limited number of players use their skill to grab the cards they need. In another game, players have to collect rare treasures in the Pharaoh’s Secret Temple before time runs out.
It’s too early to tell if the skill element will be successful, but some games are already up and running in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Only time will tell.
Tea American Gaming Association reported that there are 832,988 slot machines in 1,151 casinos in 44 states, with more on the way. This begs the question: with over 50 million visitors to casinos annually, will the slots craze continue?
You can bet on it!