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The Evolution of Slot Machine Technology: From Mechanical Reels to Digital Innovations
READ TIME: 3 MIN.
Slots have undergone a massive transformation. From the simple mechanical slots that are nearly a hundred years old, to the online entertainment machines we know today from sites like bruce bet. Here, you can explore the relationship between skill and chance and also learn much more about where the development is heading in the future!
Whether you're a casual gamer or a hardcore slots fanatic, you're guaranteed to learn something new about slots – so if you, like us, love slots in all their forms, this is the article you absolutely must not miss!
From Simple, Random Slots to Advanced Gaming Platforms
Few slot enthusiasts know it, but the first slot machine was actually built around 1880. It was called The Liberty Bell and was 100% mechanical. However, it didn't take long before its popularity skyrocketed, and soon these slots could be found in bars and saloons all over the world – primarily in the USA.
There was a "small" problem though: gambling wasn't legal yet. So instead of winning money, players could win coupons that could be used in the restaurant or bar. This was one of the reasons why the icons looked the way they did – with bananas, cherries, and grapes. The symbols essentially reflected the prizes!
As laws evolved and playing slot machines became more widespread, the machines themselves also became much more advanced. One challenge with mechanical slots was that with 10 symbols on each reel and 3 reels, there were 1,000 possible winning combinations. This meant only a 0.1% chance of winning the jackpot, making it difficult for manufacturers to offer large jackpots – simply because it was too easy to win.
In fact, it took nearly a hundred years – until the 1980s – to solve this problem. By making slot machines electronic and adding various "priorities" to the symbols, it became possible to adjust the winning odds and offer the life-changing jackpots we know today.
Implementation and Use of Gamification
As people's attention spans have significantly shortened in recent years, it became necessary to implement other features to keep players engaged. Therefore, many game providers implemented a form of gamification in their slots – a way to give small rewards and encourage players to keep playing to reach a bigger goal.
One of the clearest examples of this is a game like Vikings Go Berzerk, which features a so-called rage meter. The more you play, the more your rage meter fills up, until you eventually enter a bonus round. It's a clever way to visualize player progress and make it easier to continue playing.
This form of gamification is a growing trend – both in terms of casinos in general and the games themselves. It's an effective way to keep people engaged, while also giving game developers a graphic element to play with for triggering bonus rounds – instead of it just being randomly activated by a winning combination.
Higher Interaction and Customization in the Future
One of the biggest challenges with slots – at least from the providers' perspective – is that we all have vastly different preferences when it comes to slot games.
So how do you create games that cater to all these preferences? Game providers are already experimenting with this, and several slots now allow you to adjust RTP and volatility – for example, based on how many betting lines you want – and even allow you to adjust the RTP directly.
So far, that's mostly where it stops, but it's not hard to imagine developers going even further, adding customizable graphics and effects, where the most dramatic features are reserved for high-volatility games. This way, the same game can be enjoyed by many different types of players – no matter their mood – instead of having to switch between different games.
We see this degree of user customization everywhere in society – from streaming services to social media – and there's no doubt that we've only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to casino games!
