Bally, IGT, and the Companies That Built the Slot Industry

I spent time in slot repair shops in the 1980s and 1990s. You learned everything because the machines broke constantly. Bally machines, IGT machines, Spielo machines. Each had quirks.

Bally invented the first electronic slot in 1963. IGT (International Game Technology) went public in 1989 and became the dominant player. WagerWorks came later. But the foundation was Bally.

0x01Bally: The Foundation

Bally started as a pinball company. They manufactured pinball machines and novelty games. In the 1960s, they pivoted to electronic slots.

Their first machines were mechanical with electronic components. Then fully electronic. Then video reels.

Bally's machines were reliable. You could depend on them. For a casino operator, reliability is profitability. Broken machine equals lost revenue.

Bally dominated the 1970s and 1980s with machines like Money Honey and Super Jackpot. These machines had dedicated fan bases. Players remembered them.

0x02IGT's Rise

IGT started later but innovated faster. They focused on software, game design, and management systems rather than hardware alone.

IGT's machines could be updated remotely. A casino operator could change game parameters, RTP, payout structures without opening the cabinet. This was revolutionary.

IGT also focused on progressive jackpots (machines networked together) and themed games. Wheel of Fortune slots became iconic.

0x03The Consolidation

Bally and IGT competed intensely. Smaller manufacturers (Spielo, Konami) had niches but couldn't compete at scale.

Eventually, IGT became the largest. Bally was bought out multiple times and is now owned by Scientific Games.

0x04The Design Philosophy Difference

Bally machines were engineered for reliability and mechanical simplicity. IGT machines were engineered for software flexibility and theme appeal.

You can feel the difference playing them. Bally machines are straightforward. IGT machines have more features, more animations, more immersion.

0x05The Geographic Distribution

Bally machines dominated the East Coast and Midwest. IGT dominated the West Coast and eventually everywhere else.

This created regional slots cultures. A Vegas player plays different machines than an Atlantic City player.

0x06The Video Revolution

When video reels came in, Bally was slower to adapt. IGT moved faster and cleaner. IGT's video machines played better, looked better, and had better game selection.

This gap is when IGT's dominance became clear.

0x07The Management System Advantage

IGT developed systems (CIRRUS, OPEN) that let casinos monitor machines remotely. Know every payout, every fault, every revenue number in real-time.

Bally had systems too but they were less sophisticated. Casinos realized IGT's systems saved them money. That advantage compounded.

0x08The Modern Landscape

Now IGT, Scientific Games (Bally's parent), Konami, and Aristocrat dominate. Regional manufacturers still exist but have small market share.

The machines are far more sophisticated. Random number generators are audited. Payout percentages are tested. There's regulatory oversight.

But the foundational design philosophy from Bally and IGT still echoes. Bally was simple and reliable. IGT was complex and flexible. Modern machines are both.

0x09The Nostalgia Factor

Old Bally machines are sought out by collectors. The mechanical simplicity is appealing. The reliability is legendary.

IGT machines aged differently. Many are in casinos still (too expensive to replace), but they feel dated compared to modern video games.

0x0AThe Lessons

The slot industry was built by companies that understood operators need reliable, flexible, profitable machines. Bally started it. IGT improved it. Everything since has been iteration on their foundation.

You play machines today that are the descendants of machines designed in the 1970s. The basic principle hasn't changed: randomness, odds, profit for the house.