Vending machines are shipping with a single coin slot, a dollar bill validator, and a credit card reader (some with tap and pay).

Juke boxes around me have no coin slot, a $1, $5, $10, $20 bill validator, a credit card reader, and on-line pay options.

Arenas, stadiums, concert venues, theme parks, etc. are going completely cashless.

Why are we so hard-headed in our thinking? We build the latest technology into the games, then resist the change that could actually help us improve revenues.

I don’t know…I think it is a valuable conversation. Ask jukebox owners if they want to go back to coins, or if their profits have increased with credit card and ap usage. It wasn’t long ago where jukes and pins were on a level playing field as far as coin to play goes. Now, I load up $20 on my ap, and play what I want to hear. I don’t know if the song costs a quarter or a buck.

Are “we” part of the problem in keeping the cost of playing a game so low? Perception is reality. If the coin slot is there, do people expect the game to be under a buck? If so, are we indirectly cheapening our product by still wanting coin slots?

I wonder what Stern has planned for their Insider program. They need a return on the investment they are making. Could they be planning an ap (like jukeboxes), where you load $$$ to your Stern account, and through an ap play a game? Stern keeps a portion, and electronically sends the operator and location their cut? Playing through an ap eliminates the hardware expense of a credit card reader and service. If it works for jukes, why not pinball?

I’m retired. Still think it’s a worthy discussion. Change is good!