The history of fruit machines is not the same as history of slot machine games. Fruit machines have evolved from slot machines but they are not the same thing.
History of Fruit Machines: Introduction
Most people are aware that the designer Charles Fey was the person to design the 1st slot machine game. Fey should not, however get the credit for having the idea for the fruit machine. He is to thank for creating the slot machine craze that spread like wild fire and lead to the first fruit machine in the United Kingdom.
History of Fruit Machines: The Early Years
In the early nineteen hundreds slot machines became very popular. At this time in the history of fruit machines the games was still simple in design ad they had a limited number of symbols. Most of the symbols consisted of bars, fruit and the number seven was also added to get a bit more variety. From almost the beginning of slot machine games, some games were regulated to ensure that players were not cheated out of their money.
Regulation became more strict however in the United Kingdom in the mid sixties. This is when the lawmakers decided that for fruit machines to be legal, machine designers must include an element of skill. That’s when, in the United Kingdom, the games were changed to incorporate a minimal skill level before payouts were made to players.
In the United Kingdom, fruit machines are a part of the culture of local amusement arcades, local pubs and bars and other establishments with high traffic areas. It has been especially popular since the nineteen sixties. You will find that in amusement arcades the fruit machines can sometimes take a back seat to other games.
But Fruit machines always remain popular, as there are always punters who would like to try their luck and win a couple of pounds. United Kingdom casinos and online casinos also have slot machines like you will find in all other parts of the world.
In the history of fruit machines, they have come a long way since the very first fruit machine. In the beginning, fruit machines did not pay out any cash at all. Fruit machine games used to pay out prizes to winners, mostly items like drinks and cigarettes.
History of Fruit Machines: Modern History
Let’s now look at the recent history of fruit machines. From the advent of online casinos, around ten years ago, online fruit machines have become popular. You will find a number of fruit machines and varieties of games online. Online fruit machines are a real hit among online casino players and they are still becoming more popular by the day.
It’s easy to find fruit machine games and online casino designers are still releasing several new ones every month. As more and more players get to enjoy fruit machines and realize how much fun they are, they are bound to be a firm fixture at casinos and online casinos alike.