5,894 slot machine stock photos are available royalty-free. Vintage toy slot machine on white. Casino Slot Machine Player. Woman Playing One Handed Bandits. Retro styled image of a vintage gaming slot machine. With fruit icons. Detail at casino showing no price at display. Download Slot machine images and photos. Over 12,563 Slot machine pictures to choose from, with no signup needed. Download in under 30 seconds.
Introduction to Why Slot Machines Say Bar
This group is for discussion, networking, buying and selling Vintage Slot Machines. Anyhing to sell? Any machines or parts you are looking for? Let the Slot Machine Collector Community know! 54 Free images of Slot Machine. Related Images: casino jackpot slot machines gambling las vegas arcade money slot chance.
Why do slot machines say bar on their reels? Well, to understand why this tradition came to be, we'll have to delve into slot machine history. First of all, these gambling devices weren't always called slot machines. Slot machines were originally referred to as a one-armed bandit, then later in Great Britain as a fruit machine.
A slot machine gambling device is activated by pulling a handle or pushing a button. This can only be done after coins, tokens, cash, or casino credits has been entered. Consequently, reels with symbols begin to spin. When done spinning, the symbols shown lined up along pay lines are used to determine the payout, if any.
Reel symbols are often traditional, including stars, bars, numbers, and various pictured fruits. Fruits can include cherries, plums, oranges, lemons, and watermelons. The number seven is also very popular. And, finally, then there are bar reel symbols.
Keep Reading … or Watch Instead!
Or … Listen Instead!
Subscribe to my Professor Slots podcast: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Gaana | Stitcher | Pandora | iHeart Radio | Tune-In | SoundCloud | RadioPublic | Android | RSS and wherever else you find podcasts!
Bar Reel Symbols
Fruit reel symbols were first used in slot machine by the Industry Novelty Company in 1909. This was quickly followed the next year by Mills Novelty Company of Chicago, recently inherited by Herbert Stephen Mills. But, with a slight addition.
Mills added the photograph of a chewing gum pack along with the fruit reel symbols. Soon after, these photographs of a chewing gum pack were replaced with a stylized bar symbol.
Slot machines have a very rich history. Within gaming device circles of the time, it was well known that Charles Augustus Fey of San Francisco refused to sell or lease the design of his first coin-operated slot machine, the Liberty Bell, which he invented around 1887.
So, how did Mills get the design from Fey? There are two theories. First, that Fey cooperated with Mills to spread the use of slot machines. After all, Fey is known as the 'Father of Slots' both for his invention of the coin-operated device as well as popularizing its use.
The second theory is Mills somehow 'obtained' a Liberty Bell as a result of a San Francisco saloon robbery in 1905. Less than a year later, Mills produced a new version of the Liberty Bell called either the Mills Liberty Bell or Operator Bell.
During my review of the history of early slot machines, there are also suggestions the bar symbol may have another origin story. It is generally accepted that the bar symbol is a stylized image of a chewing gum pack, as well as a company logo.
According to some historical sources, however, the company having that logo may have been the Bell-Gum Fruit company.
A Bit More History
As mentioned, slot machines have a very rich history, especially in their early days. Besides Why Do Slot Machines Say Bar, there are a few other interesting historical items of interest.
In 1916, another historic slot machine innovation created by the Mills Novelty Company was the jackpot. When a specific combination of reel symbols resulted from a bet, the slot machine would empty its coin hopper of all coins as a prize.
The Mills Novelty would later go on to produce slot machines with wooden cabinets, rather than the original cast iron construction materials.
Photos of early slot machines are online at Cyprus Casino Consultant, Casino Observer, the International Arcade Museum, and elsewhere. I especially enjoy photos of antique slot machines in my copy of Slot Machines: A Pictorial History of the First 100 Years by Marshall Fey, grandson of 'the Father of Slot Machines' Charles Fey.
The Cyprus Casino Consultant website shows 4 slot machines on a waist-high counter top. They appear to have wood cabinets and are each perhaps 30 inches high by 18 inches wide. In metric, that's about 76 centimeters by 46 centimeters.
Each slot machine is of the one-armed bandit variety, meaning they appear to are activated by first inserting a coin and then pulling a large lever on the right side of the machine. Each of these models appears to accept coins at the top, as well as dispense coins for winners at the bottom.
The Casino Observer website also shows 4 slot machines. Two of these machines are some of the first slot machines, from about 1890, while two others are more modern, ~1940s. The two older slot machines receive coins, but only the poker machine appears to not be able to dispense coins. This poker machine has typical card suits as reel symbols and a cast metal-type cabinet.
It appears to be missing its one-armed bandit lever, perhaps due to damage, or it never had a lever. One older slot machine with coin dispenser capability is clearly identified as a 'Liberty Bell'. It rests on cast feet located on each corner. The reel symbols show three Liberty Bells, but its 'pay table' shows card suits – not fruit or bars.
The International Arcade Museum website shows a single slot machine. It's a very old slot machine showing the symbol of the Liberty Bell on its front next to three reels showing Liberty Bell, bar, and fruit reel symbols.
This is probably a 'Liberty Bell' by Charles Fey, but must be a slightly later version due to it having obvious fruit and bar reel symbols. It also has a cast metal-type cabinet and the distinctive 'feet' of a Liberty Bell. It also has a small tray for coins, suggesting it has automatic payouts.
Charles Fey manufactured about 100 Liberty Bell slot machines for distribution in and around San Francisco. However, there are few of them remaining in existence. The scarcity of Fey's Liberty Bell is a direct result of a natural disaster occurring shortly after their manufacture: the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.
Summary of Why Slot Machines Say Bar
Starting in 1907, Bell Fruit Gum slot machines were manufactured by Industry Novelty Co. They were followed by the Mills Novelty Company in 1910.
The reels on these slot machines included cherry, melon, orange, apple, and bar symbols with non-cash payouts in the form of fruit-flavored gum, allowing machine owners to avoid prosecution under the anti-gambling laws of that time.
The cherry and bar symbols became traditional to slot machines, and are still commonly used today. The bar symbol was a company logo, originally a photo of a chewing gum pack before being stylized as a bar.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
Other Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: How Slot Machines Work from a Player's Perspective
- Next: Casino Safety or Five Fun Ways To Protect Yourself
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
I'm planning to include some reviews of various gambling machines here soon, so I thought I'd start with a look at some of the slot machine manufacturers and their products. There was a time, not long ago, when such a list would be short. But with the advent of internet casinos, the list of slot machine companies grows longer every day.
Play slot machines online for free. Get a 350% deposit bonus if you play for real money. WildVegasCasino.
Of course, depending on where you live, you might be searching for such information using a phrase like 'fruit machine suppliers' or 'gaming companies.' Such a list should (and does) include old slot machine brands like IGT (International Game Technologies) and internet casino software vendors like Microgaming and Playtech.
As I create more posts about related subjects, I'll update this page with links to manufacturer-specific lists of games and reviews of their overall offerings.
I know that a lot of sites in this space try to offer as complete a resource as possible, but please remember that I'm just one guy with a blog. I don't have an army of freelance writers working for me, and even if I did, there are so many slot machine games from so many different providers that it would be almost impossible to keep up with them all.
But if I've left out your favorite slot machine manufacturer, let me know in the comments, and I'll add it to the list.
Slot Machine Manufacturers List – Updated 2020
And here's the list of slot machine manufacturers:
1. Ainsworth Game Technology
Ainsworth Game Technology is one of the oldest companies on my list of slot machine manufacturers. They've been in business for 20+ years. Ainsworth is an Australian company, and if you know anything about gambling in Australia, you know how popular slots are there. They call them 'pokies,' though, which is an abbreviation for 'poker machines.'
And some of Ainsworth's most recent game additions include:
- Action Dragons
- Big Hit Bonanza
- Pac-Man Wild Edition
2. Amatic Industries
Amatic Industries has been in business for over a quarter of a century now. Besides slot machines, they make video lottery terminals and video roulette games. They have a huge selection of slot machine brands in their stable, too, including some of the following:
- Games Bond (Yes, this is a 'James Bond' knockoff.)
- GrandX (A 'Wheel of Fortune' lookalike.)
- Vampires (A simple enough theme and title, no?)
3. Amaya Gaming
Amaya Gaming is defunct now. It's part of The Stars Group, the company which owns PokerStars. I include it here under its original name because I think some online users still look for games from Amaya Gaming. They offer lots of cute games, including:
- Barn Yard Boogie
- Jenga
- Street Fighter II
4. Aristocrat Gaming Technology
Aristocrat Gaming Technology is another Australian 'poker machine' vendor. They'e recently gotten their hands on some major intellectual property, too, and they offer games like:
- Batman Classic TV Series
- The Big Bang Theory
- Britney
- Game of Thrones
- Sons of Anarchy
- The Walking Dead
5. Ash Gaming
Ash Gaming used to be a big deal, now they're a part of Playtech. As part of that group, they have extensive licensed properties to create games about. Their most famous, though, is probably Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
6. Bally Technologies
Bally Technologies is now a subsidiary of SG Gaming (Scientific Games). The company has been around forever. Not only do they make slot machines, but they used to be one of the biggest pinball machine companies in the world, too. Some of their most well-known brands include:
- James Bond
- Monopoly
- Willy Wonka
7. Barcrest Gaming
Slot Machine Photos
Barcrest Gaming–like Bally Technologies– is also now a subsidiary of SG Gaming (Scientific Games). If you're a real slot machine aficionado, you might recognize the names of some of their games:
- Deja Vu Diamonds
- Flippin' Out
- Psycho Cash Beast
8. Betsoft Gaming
Betsoft Gaming specializes in online gambling games, especially mobile friendly slots and 3D games. Here are some of their titles:
5 Times Pay Slot Machine Photos
- Dragon Kings
- The Golden Owl of Athena
- Ogre Empire (which has a suspicious resemblance to the movie Shrek)
9. Blueprint Gaming
Blueprint Gaming is based in the United Kingdom. Most of their fruit machines can be found on casino floors there or in Germany and Italy. Here's a sample of their titles:
- Fairy Fortunes
- Slots o' Gold
- Wild Antics
10. Cadillac Jack
Cadillac Jack was a subsidiary of Amaya Gaming, which is now wholly owned by The Stars Group.
11. EGT Interactive (Euro Games Technology)
EGT Interactive specializes in video slots. You can find a lot of their games at various sports book sites that also offer casino games. They offer over 150 different games, including titles like:
- 40 Ultra Respin
- Crazy Bugs II
- More Like a Diamond
12. Endemol Shine Gaming
Endemol Shine Gaming specializes in both online and brick and mortar gambling games. Some of their best-known properties belong to the licensed television game show genre. Some examples include:
- Deal or No Deal
- MasterChef
- Million Pound Drop
13. Fremantle Media
Fremantle Media is one of the more unusual listings on this page, because they don't exactly design or manufacture slot machine games. They own several large television brands, which they aggressively promote through multiple channels–including slot machines. If you're playing one of these slots, Fremantle Media had a lot to do with it:
- American Idol
- Blockbusters
- The X Factor
14. The Gamesys Group
The Gamesys Group does slots and bingo games. Some of the better known brands in their stable include:
- The Godfather
- Guardians of Fire & Ice
- Secrets of the Phoenix
15. Heiwa Corporation
Heiwa Corporation is a publicly-traded Japanese corporation that specializes in pachinko and pachislo machine manufacture.
16. High 5 Games
High 5 Games creates both internet-based and land-based slot machine games, some of which are popular. They use HTML 5 for their online slot machines. Their most famous games include:
- Cats
- Golden Goddess
- Photographing Fairies
17. IGT (International Game Technology)
IGT is far and away the largest slot machine company in the world. They're everywhere. The most popular gambling machines in the casino are the product of International Game Technology. Just a few of their big names include:
- Family Guy
- Jeopardy
- Siberian Storm
- Wheel of Fortune
18. Konami Gaming
Konami Gaming is the maker of the following slot machines:
- Dungeons and Dragons
- Flaming Red Diamonds
- Year of Best Wishes
19. Mazooma Interactive Games
Mazooma Interactive Games is a UK game company that specializes in online games. They're now a subsidiary of Novomatic.
20. Microgaming
Microgaming was the first large online casino software provider. They're best-known for the wide variety of their online progressive jackpots. Some of their most famous brands include:
- Battlestar Galactica
- Halloween
- Playboy
- Terminator 2
I've written about Microgaming before, here.
21. NetEnt
NetEnt is another publicly-traded company that specializes in online games. They're responsible for, among other things, the Jumanji slot machine game.
22. NewGin Co. Ltd.
I'm planning to include some reviews of various gambling machines here soon, so I thought I'd start with a look at some of the slot machine manufacturers and their products. There was a time, not long ago, when such a list would be short. But with the advent of internet casinos, the list of slot machine companies grows longer every day.
Play slot machines online for free. Get a 350% deposit bonus if you play for real money. WildVegasCasino.
Of course, depending on where you live, you might be searching for such information using a phrase like 'fruit machine suppliers' or 'gaming companies.' Such a list should (and does) include old slot machine brands like IGT (International Game Technologies) and internet casino software vendors like Microgaming and Playtech.
As I create more posts about related subjects, I'll update this page with links to manufacturer-specific lists of games and reviews of their overall offerings.
I know that a lot of sites in this space try to offer as complete a resource as possible, but please remember that I'm just one guy with a blog. I don't have an army of freelance writers working for me, and even if I did, there are so many slot machine games from so many different providers that it would be almost impossible to keep up with them all.
But if I've left out your favorite slot machine manufacturer, let me know in the comments, and I'll add it to the list.
Slot Machine Manufacturers List – Updated 2020
And here's the list of slot machine manufacturers:
1. Ainsworth Game Technology
Ainsworth Game Technology is one of the oldest companies on my list of slot machine manufacturers. They've been in business for 20+ years. Ainsworth is an Australian company, and if you know anything about gambling in Australia, you know how popular slots are there. They call them 'pokies,' though, which is an abbreviation for 'poker machines.'
And some of Ainsworth's most recent game additions include:
- Action Dragons
- Big Hit Bonanza
- Pac-Man Wild Edition
2. Amatic Industries
Amatic Industries has been in business for over a quarter of a century now. Besides slot machines, they make video lottery terminals and video roulette games. They have a huge selection of slot machine brands in their stable, too, including some of the following:
- Games Bond (Yes, this is a 'James Bond' knockoff.)
- GrandX (A 'Wheel of Fortune' lookalike.)
- Vampires (A simple enough theme and title, no?)
3. Amaya Gaming
Amaya Gaming is defunct now. It's part of The Stars Group, the company which owns PokerStars. I include it here under its original name because I think some online users still look for games from Amaya Gaming. They offer lots of cute games, including:
- Barn Yard Boogie
- Jenga
- Street Fighter II
4. Aristocrat Gaming Technology
Aristocrat Gaming Technology is another Australian 'poker machine' vendor. They'e recently gotten their hands on some major intellectual property, too, and they offer games like:
- Batman Classic TV Series
- The Big Bang Theory
- Britney
- Game of Thrones
- Sons of Anarchy
- The Walking Dead
5. Ash Gaming
Ash Gaming used to be a big deal, now they're a part of Playtech. As part of that group, they have extensive licensed properties to create games about. Their most famous, though, is probably Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.
6. Bally Technologies
Bally Technologies is now a subsidiary of SG Gaming (Scientific Games). The company has been around forever. Not only do they make slot machines, but they used to be one of the biggest pinball machine companies in the world, too. Some of their most well-known brands include:
- James Bond
- Monopoly
- Willy Wonka
7. Barcrest Gaming
Slot Machine Photos
Barcrest Gaming–like Bally Technologies– is also now a subsidiary of SG Gaming (Scientific Games). If you're a real slot machine aficionado, you might recognize the names of some of their games:
- Deja Vu Diamonds
- Flippin' Out
- Psycho Cash Beast
8. Betsoft Gaming
Betsoft Gaming specializes in online gambling games, especially mobile friendly slots and 3D games. Here are some of their titles:
5 Times Pay Slot Machine Photos
- Dragon Kings
- The Golden Owl of Athena
- Ogre Empire (which has a suspicious resemblance to the movie Shrek)
9. Blueprint Gaming
Blueprint Gaming is based in the United Kingdom. Most of their fruit machines can be found on casino floors there or in Germany and Italy. Here's a sample of their titles:
- Fairy Fortunes
- Slots o' Gold
- Wild Antics
10. Cadillac Jack
Cadillac Jack was a subsidiary of Amaya Gaming, which is now wholly owned by The Stars Group.
11. EGT Interactive (Euro Games Technology)
EGT Interactive specializes in video slots. You can find a lot of their games at various sports book sites that also offer casino games. They offer over 150 different games, including titles like:
- 40 Ultra Respin
- Crazy Bugs II
- More Like a Diamond
12. Endemol Shine Gaming
Endemol Shine Gaming specializes in both online and brick and mortar gambling games. Some of their best-known properties belong to the licensed television game show genre. Some examples include:
- Deal or No Deal
- MasterChef
- Million Pound Drop
13. Fremantle Media
Fremantle Media is one of the more unusual listings on this page, because they don't exactly design or manufacture slot machine games. They own several large television brands, which they aggressively promote through multiple channels–including slot machines. If you're playing one of these slots, Fremantle Media had a lot to do with it:
- American Idol
- Blockbusters
- The X Factor
14. The Gamesys Group
The Gamesys Group does slots and bingo games. Some of the better known brands in their stable include:
- The Godfather
- Guardians of Fire & Ice
- Secrets of the Phoenix
15. Heiwa Corporation
Heiwa Corporation is a publicly-traded Japanese corporation that specializes in pachinko and pachislo machine manufacture.
16. High 5 Games
High 5 Games creates both internet-based and land-based slot machine games, some of which are popular. They use HTML 5 for their online slot machines. Their most famous games include:
- Cats
- Golden Goddess
- Photographing Fairies
17. IGT (International Game Technology)
IGT is far and away the largest slot machine company in the world. They're everywhere. The most popular gambling machines in the casino are the product of International Game Technology. Just a few of their big names include:
- Family Guy
- Jeopardy
- Siberian Storm
- Wheel of Fortune
18. Konami Gaming
Konami Gaming is the maker of the following slot machines:
- Dungeons and Dragons
- Flaming Red Diamonds
- Year of Best Wishes
19. Mazooma Interactive Games
Mazooma Interactive Games is a UK game company that specializes in online games. They're now a subsidiary of Novomatic.
20. Microgaming
Microgaming was the first large online casino software provider. They're best-known for the wide variety of their online progressive jackpots. Some of their most famous brands include:
- Battlestar Galactica
- Halloween
- Playboy
- Terminator 2
I've written about Microgaming before, here.
21. NetEnt
NetEnt is another publicly-traded company that specializes in online games. They're responsible for, among other things, the Jumanji slot machine game.
22. NewGin Co. Ltd.
NewGin Co. Ltd. is another Japanese manufacturer of pachinko and pachislo machines.
23. NextGen Gaming
NextGen Gaming serves both online and land-based casinos. They offer some really cool titles, including:
- King Kong Fury
- Samurai Split
- Wonder Hounds
24. Novomatic Gaming
The name 'Novomatic' always reminds me of the Steve Goodman song, Vegematic.
But that song has nothing to do with the company, though. Novomatic Gaming is probably the biggest European slot machine maker there is, in fact.
Some of their games you've probably heard of include:
- From Dusk Til Dawn
- Stories of Infinity
- Treasure of Tut
25. Ortiz Gaming
Ortiz Gaming specializes in Class II and Class III slot machines, especially when it comes to bingo technology. And their games are OVERTLY bingo-based, too:
- Allstar Bingo
- Rodeo Bingo
- Multimania
26. Playtech
Playtech is another online game designer and creator, and, like Microgaming, they're publicly traded. They also don't allow their licensees to accept real money players from the United States. Some of their better known games include:
- Ace Ventura
- American Dad
- Batman Begins
- Grease
- Justice League
- Pink Panther
- Rocky
27. Realtime Gaming
Realtime Gaming (RTG) is probably the biggest online casino game vendor that still serves U.S. audiences — at least the audiences that don't live in states with legal, regulated online casinos. (There are 47 states like that.) As a result, you've probably never heard of most of their games unless you're a devoted internet gambler.
My favorite of their games is It's Good to Be Bad, but I'm old school.
28. SG Gaming (Scientific Games)
Scientific Games is headquartered in Las Vegas. They own Bally now, and they own Shuffle Master. And they also own WMS Gaming. Their most well-known game is probably Monopoly slot machines.
29. Universal Entertainment Corporation
Universal Entertainment Corporation is another pachinko and pachislo manufacturer.
30. VGT (Video Gaming Technologies) – One of My Favorite Slot Machine Manufacturers
VGT is one of the biggest names in the Oklahoma gambling market, and they specialize in bingo-based slot machine games.
31. WMS Gaming
WMS Gaming is now a subsidiary of Scientific Games. So see that entry above.
32. Apollo Games (just added!)
Apollo Games has a full profile on our site. Click the link for full details.
The Final Word about Slot Machine Manufacturers
The brand names in the slot machine manufacturers category are many, but, of course, IGT (International Game Technology) towers above the rest like Walmart towers over other retail establishments. The list above gets longer when you account for the companies making online slot machine games, too.
If you have any comments about the games available from these corporations, I'd enjoy hearing them. I'm human and make mistakes, so if you leave a comment pointing one out, I'll update this post with corrections (and probably even give you credit.)
