Today online slots are widely regarded as design perfection. They provide fast, convenient user interfaces, come in an enormous variety of themes, and provide exceptional entertainment. But, of course, the journey to perfection had to start somewhere.
Let’s take a look at how slots have changed and evolved over the years.
Where It All Began
Going back in time to 1896, a Mister Charles Fey came up with an interesting invention. A mechanical device that, upon a lever being pulled, would spin a set of drums. If the drums stopped showing a set of painted liberty bells, a payout would be made.
By today’s standards the first slot seems primitive, but it was actually an enormously complicated mechanical device, and Frey deserves more than a bit of respect for creating something that would become so profoundly influential.
Modern Mechanical Slots
Frey’s Liberty Bell slot was banned soon after being created, in the early 1900s, with many arguing that the game did not offer a fair, definable payout table. So, given the incredible popularity that Liberty Bell had managed to achieve, a company called Mills Novelty stepped up.
Mills Novelty designed a mechanical device very similar to the Liberty Bell, in 1907, called the Operator Bell. The device used mostly the same design as the original, but replaced the Liberty Bell icon with a set of fruit symbols. This was the first official slot to receive broad distribution.
By 1964 designs were being produced that closely resembled the slots we play today. Electronic additions vastly improved gameplay experiences, with a strong focus being on dazzling displays of lights.
Welcome Online Slots
As the 90s rolled in, a new invention appeared that shook the nature of gaming. The internet. Focus was largely on multiplayer video games, but it wasn’t long before a number of casino games started to appear. First came digital Blackjack and Roulette simulators, soon followed by the first online slots. Microgaming is known to have developed the first mainstream gambling software as early as 1994.
Regardless of mostly not being for real money wagers, online slots were immediately extremely popular, and software developers saw the growing potential. New, better versions of digital slots were released, until finally the first online casino was launched, called InterCasino. It offered just 18 games.
Expanding the Market
Through the 2000s, and up until today, the advancement of gambling software has been nothing short of breakneck. Better graphics, flashier animations, and new systems have been introduced on a regular basis.
Of course, one of the biggest advancements was a focus on mobile devices. With smartphones quickly becoming common, and having direct access to the internet, it only made sense that digital casino games would make the leap. For example, check out at https://onlinemobileslots.net/iphone.
The Future
There is some talk of online casinos adopting virtual reality, and other such technological leaps, but chances are that the biggest improvements will be in terms of visual presentation. Faster internet speeds mean better graphics, which in turn means a more engaging gameplay experience.
But where it ultimately goes remains to be seen.