Rise of the Slot Machine

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Friday, April 29th, 2016 | Written by Shane Larson

When you step into a modern-day casino, you are automatically confronted by a sea of slot machines that are packed into square foot after square foot of space, and neatly assembled in rows according to the minimum cost of play. As you further examine the scene of countless people sitting and pushing buttons, it’s hard to believe that there was ever a time when slot machines were little more than a novelty, but a look back at gaming history shows it wasn’t all that long ago.

Slots Before the 1990s

Prior to the mid-1990s, slot machines played a very small role in casinos. Even large ones usually had only a handful of machines, and they were usually used to fill empty spaces on the casino floor. Most slots didn’t have large comfortable chairs in front of them, and were intended to only be played once or twice before a player moved onto table games or headed to the poker room. As Natasha Dow Schull wrote in her 2014 book entitled Addiction by Design: Machine Gambling in Las Vegas:

“Until the mid-1980s, green-felt table games such as blackjack and craps dominated casino floors while slot machines huddled on the sidelines, serving to occupy the female companions of ‘real’ gamblers.. [slot machines were] often placed along hallways or near elevators and reservation desks, rarely with stools or chairs in front of them and thus “occupied transitional spaces rather than gambling destinations.”

Slots Post-1990s

During the 1990s, there was a major shift in interest by casino for slot machines, and casinos responded by cutting back on their number of gaming tables and devoting more floor space to slots. As Natasha Dow Schull explains in her book, slots have since “moved into key positions on the casino floor” and are now producing “twice as much revenue as all live games put together.” Consequently, in 1996 the number of slot machines in the U.S. was around 500,000, which by 2008 had risen to 870,000 slots found inside licensed casinos and slots parlors throughout the country. While a specific count isn’t available nationwide for 2015, the number has undoubtedly risen since then.

Why the Shift?

There are a number of reasons why slot machines have become popular, including:

– The similarity to video games makes slot machines seem less like gambling and more like a “moral” choice compared to table games.

– Slot machines are generally cheaper to play than other types of casino games, so they remain popular even during times of economic recession.

– Slot machines do not require complicated strategies like some table games, and are easy to master, making them appealing to seniors and casino first-timers.

The Goal of Slot Players

When you talk to someone who is heading to a gaming table, their goal is to walk away a big winner. Studies have found, though, that slots players are not similarly motivated. People who play slot machines seem to be more interested in passing time. Most will say they just want to continue to play, earning enough to be able to continue pushing the button. While they’re naturally delighted with a big win, most are thrilled just to break even. In fact, many people even go to casinos having budgeted to lose in order to just enjoy playing the slots.

The Future of Slot Machines

While online poker and virtual casino games are stimulating an interest in gaming tables once again, slot machines aren’t fading in popularity. In fact, casinos are looking for ways to make the games more interactive by adding social networking and skill-based components to them so as to attract more millennials to their gaming floors. Truly, the days of slot machines being tucked away in dimly lit spots beside elevators are gone for good. As Daniel Holmes from accountancy firm RubinBrown explains:

“Gaming is going through a shift. It’s exciting to see where the industry will take us.. Will a slot machine still exist in some form or fashion? Yeah, I think so. You’re going to see a different mix on the floor. So it’s not just your card games. You’ll have games of skill that involve slot machines, or an e-sports area or a sports book where you watch sports or then you can go to the e-sports book that’s just like a poker room.”