Slots and Vending Machines

The invention of the first slot marked the beginning of gambling era. First slots could be found anywhere: at saloons, bars, cigarette stores and other similar places. First slots were mainly three reel machines that usually returned 70-80% money spent on the game. Except slots there were also vending machines that gave candies, cigarettes, gums for money.  Things were doing well until the anti gambling movement started fighting against slot machine gambling.

Candy Prizes

In 1909 one of the first resolutions came into action, declaring that slot machines were prohibited to give out money prizes. In order to survive the slot manufactures had to be witty and smart. That’s how the so-called candy slots appeared. They worked exactly like vending machines with the exception that in certain bars or saloons all that candies or gums could be exchanged for money.

Fruit Machines

Charles Fey, the inventor of the very first slot machine Liberty bell, joined Mills Novelty Company to work together, producing new improved slot machines. When the time of anti-gambling movement had come, he didn’t hesitate and came up with The Operator Bell. The new slot machine was something between slot and vending machine. It worked like a slot except the fact that on the reels there weren’t any cards, horseshoes or bells. There were fruits: lemons, melons, cherries. It is said that candies, given as prizes, were of the taste similar to symbol combination.

Bell-Fruit Company’s Contribution to the History of Slots

Later on Bell-Fruit Gum Company had stolen the idea of fruit machine and created their own, where the prizes were the packs of gums, similar to the winning combination of symbols. By the way, that’s exactly where the BAR symbol comes from. It is said, that in such way the company realized the one of the greatest advertising moves ever.

Anything good doesn’t last long. That went for candy\fruit machines as well. Strict anti-gambling laws forced slot manufacturers to stop the production of fruit slots and vending machines, as they were often confused with slots.

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