Slots casinos have had an interesting journey in the USA. In the early 2000s, as online casinos were gaining popularity, players from the USA had the privilege of choosing which online casino they wanted to play at. That all stopped in 2006, though, when all online casinos based in the U.S. were barred from accepting players based in America. It also became tougher for online casinos based in other countries to accept players from the USA as well.
Over the last few years, though, the laws in America have relaxed quite substantially, and now players in the USA can play at online casinos that are legalized and regulated in specific states. Each state in the U.S. has the ability to set its own rules and regulations as it pertains to online casinos.
What Is a Slot?
Slot machines are one of the classic gambling offerings. Starting as physical machines in land-based casinos, these machines had three columns of symbols in the center -- called reels -- that spun randomly every time a player pulled the lever to the right. If you were able to match specific winning combinations -- such as three of the same symbol from left to right on the reel -- you would be rewarded with monetary prizes.
Slot machines quickly became one of the most popular features of land-based casinos, and over the years, game developers began creating alternatives to the classic slot machine. These included adding more reels and paylines, integrating wild and scatter symbols that lead to bonus games and free spins, and even using fun themes from well-known movies and shows.
Today, the games are also available on online casinos. Instead of pulling a lever, players just need to push a button to spin the reels. The gameplay and basics behind the online slot machine are very similar to that of the classic slot machines in land-based casinos.
Types of Slots
Today, there are a variety of different slots games available to players in the USA and beyond. Most games fall into three basic categories, though: Video slots, jackpot slots, and classic slots.
Video Slots
The first video slots entered the market in the mid-1970s and was called Fortune Coin. The machine didn't gain popularity until the 1980s, though, once the public began trusting this new type of slots game.
This type was the first transition that began to lead the way to the eventual online slot games. Instead of having physical reels and lever to pull, video slots had digital reels that spun when the player pushed a button that says spin. This made video slots machines much smaller, which meant they could be put in more places in a casino, and more of them could be added, too.
From a gameplay perspective, video slots could integrate new graphics and displays that traditional slots could not. This type enabled the introduction of free rounds and bonus games, as well as multiple paylines and combinations. In addition, video slots gave the ability to link multiple machines together for the jackpot (or progressive slots).
Jackpot Slots
Also known as progressive slots, this type hit the market not long after video slots were released. Jackpot slots include the linking together of multiple slot machines. This can happen in both physical casinos and online.
A certain percentage from each bet at all the linked machines is placed into a jackpot pool that any person playing on one of the progressive machines can win. That jackpot continues to grow until someone hits the jackpot bonus, at which point the jackpot pool resets.
Jackpot slots are extremely popular with players because of the huge potential payouts that they provide. These jackpots are the ones you read about in the news when someone hits one.
Classic Slots
Classic slots were the first ones to hit the market. They are also known as three-reel slots. Today's online casinos offer games that resemble classic slot machines from land-based casinos.
These games often have traditional symbols such as Lucky Sevens, cherries, watermelon, Bar and Double Bar symbols, and other fruits. To win, you'll need to match certain combinations on all three reels from left to right. Classic slots often don't have multiple paylines or any wild symbols like more modern games do. Classic slots are the simplest form of slot machines.
Top Slots Software in the US
With online gambling being legal in many states in the US, players benefit from having slot games provided by some of the world's top iGaming developers. Some of the top slots software in the US are created by:
- Microgaming
- NetEnt
- RTG
- Playtech
- BetSoft
- Novomatic
- Everymatrix
- IsoftBet
- SG Gaming
Slots Casinos - USA
Q: Are online slots casinos legal in the USA?
A: Depending on the state, yes. Each state has its own rules and regulations when it comes to online casinos and gambling in general.
Q: Do I need to live in a state that has legal online gambling to play at a slots casinos in the USA?
A: No. You only need to be physically located in that state at the time you wish to play at a slots casino.
Q: Do all online casinos offer multiple types of slots games?
A: Yes. To stay competitive in the market, most if not all online casinos will offer a wide variety of the most popular online slots games.
Q: Can players from the USA play at slots casinos that are based in other countries?
A: No. Federal law prohibits them from doing so.
Q: Is every slot machine eligible for a jackpot bonus?
A: No. Only slots games that are labeled jackpot slots are eligible for the jackpot pool.
Q: Do classic slots offer multiple paylines?
A: No. In most cases, classic slot machines only include three reels and one payline.
Q: Do online slots games have a variety of themes?
A: Yes. To stay ahead of the competition, iGaming developers are constantly creating new online slots games with fun themes.