High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A slot machine (American English), informally fruit machine (British English), the slots (Canadian English), poker machine or "pokies" (slang) (Australian English and New Zealand English) or simply slot (American English) is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed. Slot machines are also known as one-armed bandits because they were originally operated by a lever on the side of the machine (the one arm) instead of a button on the front panel, and because of their ability to leave the gamer penniless (bandit). Many modern machines still have a legacy lever in addition to the button.