Of pokie machines over the years 🎰
You might think that pokies have always had bonus rounds and progressive jackpots, but think again.
The comparatively advanced, seamlessly designed and lucrative online pokies of today are a far cry from their ancient ancestors. Our team recently dug into the history of pokie (or slot) machines and how they’ve evolved over the years.
Learn more about pokies by reading on below.
1887 - Charles Fey and the early days
Charles Augustus Fey is credited with inventing the very first slot, which is the name for pokie machines everywhere in the world bar Australia and New Zealand. After tinkering away in his San Francisco garage for years, he invented a machine that allowed for automatic payouts.
All you had to do was pull a lever in order to activate the machine. A payout was achieved when 3 symbols - hearts, spades, horseshoes, diamonds or liberty bells - lined up next to each other on a single payline. The highest prize was won when 3 liberty bells appeared, which led to the slot machine being dubbed the Liberty Bell.
1910 - Fruit and bar symbols are born
Due to the popularity of the Liberty Bell, competitors began stealing the design and replicating it under their own name. By 1910 there were over 3,000 slot machines in San Francisco.
Consequently, this led to both local law enforcement, the government and the church to question the ethics of slot machines. Were they corrupting young children? Did they promote devil worship? Are slot machines immoral?
While these regulatory bodies were pondering the aforementioned questions, pioneers such as the Industry Novelty Company began sidestepping suspicion. By replacing the original symbols with pictures of fruit, they were able to market them as chewing gum dispensers.
While this was simply a way to continue selling slot machines, these pieces of fruit and bar symbols (which symbolised a pack of chewing gum) became synonymous with slot machines around the country.
1930 - Slots and the Great Depression
After the exuberance and excess of the 1920s came the Great Depression. This time period saw slot machines banned from practically everywhere in the United States (except Nevada).
Of course, slots were run by organised crime gangs, which means banning them outright was never totally possible. They kept on getting more and more popular right up until the 1950s. Finally, the government relented and realised that they too could make money by taxing slot machines.
This led to a boom in slot machines that had never been seen previously. They then spread around the world to countries such as Australia.
1953 - Aristocrat release the Clubman
The very first slot machines in Australia were developed by Aristocrat in 1953.
Called the Clubman, it was a blend of American features and good old fashion Australian ingenuity. As the inaugural slot machine in Australia, it was played by just about everyone. This success inspired Aristocrat to launch another slot called the Clubmaster in 1955.
1964 - The rise of electromechanical slots
Up to this point, slots were clunky mechanical devices that while fully functional were still rather awkward to transport, set up and play. The electromechanical slot changed this.
It operated entirely using electricity but still employed a lever mechanism. This meant that it was an improvement on prior models, yet it could be played by slot machine devotees. Called the Money Honey, it also had a bottomless hopper which allowed for payout amounts of up to 500 coins. Eventually, as these electromechanical slots began to proliferate, the lever was removed.
1976 - Video slots are developed
The 1970s signalled another great leap in the evolution of slot machines, with out and out video slots entering the market. Manufactured by a Las Vegas based company, the first video slot literally used a TV as its display.
Unfortunately for most punters, it was only available in the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel upon its release. After gaining media attention, sparking great interest in the general public and going through a few rounds of cheat-proofing modifications, it was eventually approved for use in other Las Vegas casino venues.
1990 - Pokies machines are made available in pubs
Australia was somewhat slow to capitalise on the slot and pokie craze, so it wasn’t until the 1990s that they found their way into pubs and clubs in the states of New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. This saw an uptick in punters playing pokie machines and before long they were as common as a schooner glass on a bowlo countertop.
2000 and beyond - Mobile apps and virtual reality
With the rise of the internet and computers, it was only a matter of time before online slots became reality.
They took the graphics to the next level and introduced complex bonus rounds for punters to win on. They also brought the casino experience into the homes of people around the nation. Mobile online casino apps followed and these days, gambling via a mobile device is the number one way to bet. From here, pokies can only become more advanced. Will progressive jackpots become the norm? Are virtual reality online pokies just around the corner? Can you win BIG at Uptown Pokies?
We don’t know the answer to the first to questions, but we can say with confidence that it’s possible to score life-changing wins when you play with us.
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