Where Does The BAR Symbol Come From?

WHERE DOES THE BAR SYMBOL COME FROM?

• SLOTS & CASINOS
• THE EARLY DAYS OF SLOTS
• FRUIT MACHINES DEBUT
• THE BAR ARRIVES
• THE BAR CONTINUES TO THRIVE

SLOTS & CASINOS

Slot machines have become the cornerstone of both the land-based and online casino experience. Their flashing lights illuminate casino floors across the world, while the unmistakeable din of coins being paid out has become the unofficial soundtrack! But what of the symbols that make this possible?

The iconic fruit symbols are instantly recognisable, while the wilds, scatters, and multipliers are welcomed with open arms by those spinners these one-armed bandits. Then there is the equally iconic, perhaps even more recognisable BAR symbol. At first glance this simple black and white symbol looks a little out-of-place amongst the bright fruit and animated symbols that have come to dominate the reels in recent years. Yet, the BAR symbol endures, and it has endured for decades – almost as long as the slot machine has been in existence!

Despite its stubborn survival and steadfast refusal to be replaced by its modern counterparts, many punters are unaware of the fascinating story behind one of the most long-lasting icons of slot culture. So, lets find out where the BAR symbol came, and also why it is still used in todays sleek, ultra-modern slot machines.

THE EARLY DAYS OF SLOTS

To understand the origins of the BAR symbol we must first take a short trip to the end of the 19th century, when slots machines were first invented. In 1895, Charles Fey, a mechanic from San Francisco, created the Liberty Bell—the first true slot machine.

Charlie’s design was revolutionary at the time, as it allowed three spinning reels to be operated mechanicaly. These reels displayed displayed a limited selection of symbols, including the eponymous Liberty Bell. This simple machine and combination of symbols gave allowed players to win prizes when the reels lined up successfully – a mechanic that, of course, remains true to this day.

Slot machines of this era were far from the modern, sophisticated online slots we know today. These early machines were mechanical, controlled and operated by levers and gears. Here you would find no digital displays, high-tech animations nor catchy soundtracks!

However, while the mechanics were simple, they laid the foundation for what was to come in the world of gambling – and the inclusion of instantly recognisable, easy-to-understand symbols played a crucial role in the success of these early machines.

FRUIT MACHINES DEBUT

The early years of the 20th century saw many people take Charlie Fey’s invention and develop it further. In the United States especially, slots inspired by the Liberty Bell began spreading like wildfire across the nation. However, in a number of states, legal restrictions began to impact on gambling and slot machine’s that paid out cash were often outlawed. Slot machine manufactures were nothing if not nimble, and they quickly began producing slot machines that dispensed fruit-flavoured sweets or gum instead of cash.

At this time, the Bell-Fruit Gum Company were at the forefront of the changes. They enthusiastically adopted new fruit symbols such as cherries, lemons and oranges on their machines to avoid falling foul of the anti-gambling laws that had been enacted. Each different fruit symbol was used to denote the flavour of sweet or gum that players could win. This may have been a crafty way to side-step legal issues, but players didn’t mind!  These new style “fruit machines” were an almost instant hit, with their symbols becoming synonymous with the machines, and remains so to this very day!

THE BAR ARRIVES

So, how does the BAR symbol fit into this story? Well, the BAR symbol was actually came from the Bell-Fruit Gum Company’s own branding. In a stroke of marketing genius, the company decided that their logo should feature on their games. With this in mind they revamped  their logo, placed it on a rectangular block, and the BAR symbol was born!

In these early days, fruit machines were still technically vending machines, rather than gambling devices, thus the BAR symbol didn’t represent cash winnings, but rather the company’s gum products. In the coming years however, gambling laws changed and the slot machine evolved, yet the BAR symbol resolutely remained. As time went by, it began to be adopted by more and more manufacturers, becoming ingrained in the very fabric of the slot machine culture and symbology!

THE BAR CONTINUES TO THRIVE

The BAR symbol has long since outgrown its humble origins as a token act of business branding. Long after the Bell-Fruit Gum Company faded from prominence, the BAR symbol has remained, becoming a fixture in both land-based and online slot machines. While many games today feature elaborate themes, animated  graphics, and complex bonus rounds, the BAR symbol persists. Given the supply of creativity that slots developers have on hand, it is unlikely that the BAR symbol remains due to a lack of any alternative!

Instead, it would appear that the BAR symbol remains more as a nod to the past, a tip of the hat to the slots of bygone years without which the slots of today would almost certainly not exist.