Fruit machine history: from bars to online casinos
Introduction
Fruit machines are a gambling icon with simple rules that launched the automata industry back in the 19th century. Their journey ranges from mechanical "Liberty Bell" in American bars to modern online slots and Australian pokie clubs. History shows how three fruits on a drum became a symbol of an entire industry.
1. Mechanical Dawn (1895-1960)
Liberty Bell (1895, Charles Fey): the first successful three-reel machine with five characters (horseshoe, bell, tambourine, heart, pick). A vehicle for entertainment in San Francisco saloons; winnings were awarded in the form of chewing gum or beer.
Fruit symbols (1907): to circumvent gambling legislation, manufacturers began to use wrappers with fruit chewing gums (cherry, lemon, plum) on candy machines, which gave rise to the "fruit" aesthetics of the machines.
Bell as jackpot: three bells brought the greatest reward.
Key characteristics: fully mechanical control, internal transmission of levers and gears, limited payout pool, lack of electricity.
2. Era of electromechanics (1960-1980)
The first electromechanical slot (1963, Bally): the introduction of electric motors and solenoids made it possible to add several payment lines and automatic credit counting.
Distribution in bars: machines began to occupy separate racks in bars and cafes, attracting players with simplicity of mechanics and fruit symbols.
BAR symbolism: borrowed from the Bell-Fruit Gum Company - BAR triple strip.
Innovations: backlight lamps of winning lines, value tables of payments directly on the front panel, return of coins through the collector.
3. Video slots and first digital loop (1980-2000)
Video era (1986, Fortune Coin Co.): the first slots with CRT screens, replacing mechanical drums with animation; the ability to introduce video bonuses and multiple lines (up to 5-9).
Traditional fruit motivations: bright cherries, lemons and "sevens" were preserved, but with the addition of new special characters (star, bell, BAR of different levels).
The advent of auto spin and progressive jackpots: the ability to set a series of auto spins and combine bets into a common progressive pool.
4. Emergence of "pokies" in the Australian market (1990-2010)
Terminology: in Australia, any video window is called "pokie" - from "one-armed bandit." Fruit slots were occupied by pub clubs and RSL clubs everywhere.
Regulation: Automata are licensed at the state level; the maximum rate and percentage of return are set by regulators (95-97%).
Redesign: Pokies with 3-5 reels, up to 20 paylines, graphic themes, but still retain key fruit symbolism.
Social component: built-in jackpots, club loyalty programs and pub chips.
5. Going Online (2000-2015)
HTML5 technology: ditching Flash for cross-platform compatibility with desktops and mobile devices.
New features: demo mode without registration, autospin with limits, turbo mode, interactive bonus functions (pick-and-click, simple freespins).
Australian "online pokii": Overseas casinos are "bringing" fruit machines to the Australian market by offering familiar games licensed by Curaçao, MGA.
6. Current trends and hybrids (2015-2025)
Multiplier fruits: some slots introduced Wild fruit with a multiplier × 2- × 5, increasing the potential gain of classic combinations.
Cascading mechanics: After winning, the symbols disappear, making room for new ones, which creates a "rain of fruit" - analogous to sandstorms in Egyptian slots, but with a fruit theme.
Megaways version of fruit: up to 117,649 ways to win combined with fruit symbols; a rare but notable occurrence.
3D animation and AR: some providers have exhibited prototypes with 3D fruit models that can be "contemplated" through AR applications, but there is no mass implementation yet.
7. Forecasts for the future
1. VR pubs: virtual pubs with fruit machine arcades, where the player walks between cars and communicates with other visitors.
2. NFT fruits: collectible symbols in the form of tokens that give privileges or increased RTP on certain slots.
3. AI personalization: an adaptive interface offering paylines and bonuses based on the user's playing style.
4. Social tournaments: massive online competitions in classic fruit slots with prize pool and streaming integrations.
Conclusion
From simple lever-drum-chewing gum mechanics to sophisticated online platforms and Australian pokie clubs, fruit machines have gone more than a hundred years. Their enduring popularity is due to the simplicity of the rules, nostalgic design and constant innovative adaptation to new technologies and markets. Today, the classic lives in a browser, on a mobile and in pubs in Australia, ready for new rounds of evolution.
