I think the issue is ... there's several sites that provide this info but most importantly all rely on people updating said sites.

FB is partly to blame, too. Many locations are only posting things like machine lists on their FB pages, not on their websites. There's a presumption that everybody uses only FB to find things out when it's not always the appropriate resource besides not being open to all. Please, folks, remember that players find you in more than one way.

Can't advise as I don't use them a lot myself for the same reason you're stating. Plus as soon as I said one site was popular you would have people posting that I am wrong and another site was more popular! You know how Pinside is!

One method you do see a lot is .... people posting all the time "Where to play pinball in (insert city/state)". By starting a new thread you get people posting what places are better than others and also can advise as to current games and condition.

So true. See this with so many businesses today.

The reason we use FB is it reaches the most number of people with the least amount of effort, not because I think everyone uses it.

Pinball map is only for pinheads not for gen pop. I need gen pop to survive. Frankly pinheads are cheapskates and I’d die if I relied on them.

Bumping this because I do the same thing. I can’t tell you how many new locations I’ve discovered through the pin map.

You can also change the status of a location to 'closed/demolished/shadow realmed/whatever' but what effect that has on a listing I have no idea - it doesn't help when a place that used to have a table just got rid of them rather than closing up shop completely

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I laughed pretty hard at that last sentence (and have heard the same from other Ops). I use the maps to locate games in areas, then use their website and social media from there. I used to be more diligent updating on the pin maps and need to continue that. I also try to tag and leave reviews when I find games on location.

Not sure about the specifics of how the Pinside map works, but as for PinballMap, if you remove all the machines, they have a script that runs periodically that will remove locations without pins.

You can also send a message to the local admin (which happens automatically when you add/remove a machine or leave a comment) and the local admin can manually remove them.

The creators (Scott & Ryan) are very responsive, have an open thread on Tiltforums, and a contact page at https://pinballmap.com/portland/about

^ THIS ^

Pinball map seems to be the most popular. All your can do is make sure to get on and update it when you’re out on location.

I think the better operators leave some type of contact info on the machine. I know Pinball Map does allow an operator to indicate their role at the location level. I've told many bartenders about issues and in my experience they don't give a rats ass. If it is an owner / operator that's the easiest obviously.

Ask staff who you should contact with game issues.

Perhaps it is time for Pinside "Pin Map" to synchronize with Pinball Map somehow. I think it would be better for the industry to have one standard map instead of 3-4 different databases that are not always updated because one person prefers it over the other. Pinside map is not mobile friendly at all compared to Pinball Map (app), and when I am out and about looking for a place to play that is a requirement.

I will echo this. My go to is Pinball Map. I check/update that first, and then if I remember I'll update Pinside.

I like the pinside map better and that is my go to. I always update the pinside map when going someplace new.

How do we remove duplicates? I thought I found it before but can't find it from my phone.

I did the same thing the OP was talking about on a recent vaca trip to Florida. I found that places used to exist pre-pandemic in a strip center were long gone. I contacted a local that had listed like 20 machines, and asked if she was an arcade. She laughed and said NO, just a collector and NO I could not visit and play. LOL. But she did let me know of several arcades that were still open but were an hour away from my vaca location, which were in Orlando area.