Video Poker History - History of Video Poker

Although video poker does not have a history as long as the table game, it has been around for quite a few years. As you can imagine, it took a while for video poker to come into its own due to the fact that technology had to be up to speed to make these machines accurate and efficient.

The earliest video poker machines appeared in casinos during the mid to late 1970’s. During this same time, the personal computer began to rise in popularity as well. With similar technology being used, it is easy to see why both began to become more common during the same time period. Even though the first video poker machines came about in 70’s, they were nowhere near as advanced as the ones that are seen in casinos today. Over the past 30 years, technology has improved enough to take video poker to the next level.

In 1979, International Game Technology released Draw Poker. This was the first video poker machine that gave players a glimpse of what the future held. During the 1980’s, video poker began to become popular because players were finding that it was less intimidating and simpler to learn than table poker. These two reasons for video poker popularity still hold true for gamers of today’s generation.

The majority of casinos in the United States offer some sort of video poker. In fact, most of these machines are placed in areas of the casino floor that can be easily located. With so many people interested in playing video poker, casinos want to make sure that the games are never hidden.

Video poker has come a long way since the 1970’s. Not only are the games more advanced and easier to play, but more casinos are offering the machines to players. Although it is difficult to think that the video poker industry could advance much further, who knows what will happen over the next 30 years. There may come a time when the video poker machines of today are looked down on.