Cherries, lemons and plums were displayed on the reels to imply the winner was playing for fruit-flavored gum. No one cared about the gum. The machine paid out winnings  but since it also offered gum, it wasn't considered gambling. Some slots still use fruit symbols.

Slots does not offer real money gambling. * Virtual chips used in POP! Slots have no real-world value and cannot be redeemed for anything of value. * Playing free-to-play slots games does not imply future success at real money gambling.