Im curious as well.

In IL gambling machines and places to play are popping up like weeds.

Gambling machines are prevalent where I live. I tried to operate public pinball for a couple of years, and VLTs were 90% of the reason I failed to have any success.

When a bar owner has the option of a installing a dozen relatively small machines, each of which will make them $500 per day, or installing a couple pinball machines, which basically help them sell a few dozen extra drinks per day, they choose VLTs.

I think VLTs are the devil. Most of the people using them have addictions issues and are sinking their entire paycheck (or social assistance) into them as soon as they get it. I can't believe the government preys on its weakest citizens this way.

In the states , they are raking in. 5 per location, I have seen totals and they make hand over fist.

When Illinois got into video gaming most of the amusement operators in my area sold off their pinball/ video games and got in on the video gaming. It really has changed things. It also has changed things with the big distributors (American Vending Sales and Betson Midwest) that i would by used video games and redemption games from. They now seem to only have used inventory at their east coast locations. These distributors also made a ton of money setting up and selling video games and they aren't as interested as they once were in serving the small pinball / video/redemption operators.

Technically I guess this is why Bally / Williams got out of pinball themselves way back when, to start producing lottery machines.

Fortunately, these types of gambling machines are not legal in all 50 states in the US. But its even difficult for a pinball to compete with a plush crane in most locations.

They do great, state takes 97%

Yes, the plush crane is something to behold. My 5 cranes do so much better then the 19 pinballs i have on location. Such a shame!

I can believe it. The profits are basically blood money earned off the backs of many who really cannot afford to lose what they do. And it's getting worse with higher bet amounts and lower payout percentages. People can get into trouble a whole lot easier now.

Rob

The ones in PEI do not take coins. They take credit cards or bills (for our American friends, the lowest bill denomination in Canada is the $5). It's crazy.

Easy, route gambling machines instead.

It is a shame, that's gambling though, people are addicted to that dopamine rush of those small wins and the chance at hitting a big one.
I've watched people play those things for hours on end... I still don't fully understand it myself. I always get sick to my stomach when I bet more then a 100 bucks.

30% off the top plus Federal percentage. Operator and location get 35 % each. State does not take 97% . Plus Sci games gets a minute percentage per machine, if you have NRT terminal redemption , they also get a minute percentage and $ 500 per unit per year if you have the call in reboot option.

Pull tab machines and peoples wallets never cease to amaze me. Watching numerous 20 spots fed in....

There are operators for these in the USA? In Canada the government is the operator.

Yes operators generally buy them ( slots) 11,000 to 15,000 a pop. Parts are are insane as well.

yeah it depends on what type of slots you get, I think. the ones that are federally regulated ( like the ones you see in vegas) are probably stupid expensive.

here are the ones we see here (cabs)
https://www.funcoamusements.com/product-category/8-liner-cabinets/
(games) this is the main American distributor for these games
http://americanalphainc.com/product-category/game-boards/25-lines/

or

you can buy IGT machines which look more like the ones your see in vegas… they might even be the ones you see in vegas. there are a few bally's for like 1500 bucks.
https://slotmachinesltd.com/product-category/igt/igt-044-video-slot-machines

The grey area machines are around $ 3200?
The real slots 11k to 15k

You're in the wrong market if you're competing with gambling, slots, vlts etc.

I talked to old ops and its what drive them out originally. Look for a place to put pins where people seek them out, or other locations like campgrounds etc.

In the late 1940's gambling pins were legal in Minnesota. Kind of. They paid out tokens. If you knew the person you bought them back for 5¢ each. And be sure the law wasn't watching.

Around 1950 they were outlawed. Basically the ops were paying out more in payoffs than the games made, so they brought things to a halt. The ops wanted to run them legal or not at all. And out they went.

Many of the ops were crying, "what will we do, what will we do ?". The state East of Minnesota, Wisconsin, didn't have the gambling pins. The Wisconsin ops weren't sympathetic having never had them. They told the Minnesota ops, "Learn to be ops".

LTG : )

new probably, used they cost 1500-3k

the grey area machines new cost 3-6k
used they cost 100-1500

as you can tell they don't retain their value at all.

there is another bar in the same center as my place and they have like 7 old casino games (the real flashy kind with beacons etc.), personally I don't like that type.
kind of makes a place look a little trashy.

Only place in Arizona that you will find those are on reservation casinos.