The British have always been gambling lovers, even long before the advent of betting shops. For centuries, gambling has been a main recreational activity in the UK. People enjoy playing the game of chance for entertainment purposes. However, gambling back in ancient times was quite chaotic – play today at www.ukonlineslots.com.
Let’s talk about the history of Slots and Britain gambling law.
Brief History of Britain’s Gambling Law
The UK has a complicated history of gambling. In the 18th Century, private clubs allowed bets from the upper class in society, as it was a form of entertainment to them. Some went bankrupt and ran into debt; others knew where to stop. By the 1850s, the UK had opened its doors to over 150 gambling establishments. As time went past, the fame of gambling spread wide across the country, and it was widely accepted. So it was no surprise when evangelicals and reformists clamoured for the ban on betting establishments. There were no laws guiding gambling then, so they were not legal.
In 1853, a betting act law was passed into the British constitution. It prohibited commercialized gambling and made it impossible for people to bet in gambling establishments. However, the upper class was excluded, as they could gamble on horse races- provided they attended the event.
History of Slots
The origins of slots can be traced back to the late 19th Century. The first slot machine was created by an American-based company, Sittman and Pitt. The slot machine had five drums and a total of 50 playing cards. The machines were placed in bars, costing a nickel to play.
In the 1880s, a mechanic based in San Francisco, Charles Augustus Fey, created a slot machine. Fey created a machine that would allow automatic payouts to winners. He is fondly referred to as the inventor of the first slot machine.
However, for this development to be achieved, Fey had to reduce the game’s complexity. He replaced the five drums used by Sittman and Pitt with three reels. Fey also replaced the card symbols with five symbols, hearts, diamonds, spades, liberty bell, and horseshoes. He named his machine Liberty Bell, which many other slot companies adopted.
In 1964, Bally created the first electromechanical slot called Money Honey. It was an upgrade of Fey’s model, and the reels were powered electrically. However, the game was still started by pulling the lever. 1976 saw the birth of video slot machines. It was developed by a Las-vegas based company, Fortune coin. It was the first actual video slot that was created.
The next milestone was in the mid-90s when online slot games were created. This development allowed players to play their favourite slot games on their smartphones and computers.
First Legal Slot in the UK
Not long after the betting law was passed in 1960, casinos opened their doors back on the street of Britain. Now, gambling was legitimate and done without fear. The first casino in the UK was established by George Alfred James, located in Port Talbot, Wales. James turned the first floor of his shop into a casino called The Casino Club.
The fame of The Casino Club spread around the UK, and it became a popular hangout spot for locals and tourists alike. Players were able to play their favourite slot games in a thrilling atmosphere.
