The Hidden Origin of Slot Machines

The original slot machine was a gambling device that awarded cigars or drinks instead of cash. These early mechanical marvels lacked internal payout systems, relying on bar owners to verify winners manually.

Charles Fey invented the first automatic machine in 1894, featuring three spinning reels and five symbols. Because gambling for cash was often illegal, early machines skirted laws by paying out in chewing gum, tokens, or cigarettes. Even today, the term fruit machine remains popular in Britain because those early versions used fruit symbols to represent the flavor of the gum being dispensed as a prize.