Coin Slot Magazine - #009 - 1975 - June [International Arcade Museum]
It's time the laws were changed
by Richard M. Bueschel,
author of the forthcoming book
LEMONS, CHERRIES AND BELL-FRUIT-GUM
An affectionate technical, social and business history of the mechanical
coin-operated gaming machine: the slot machine, or "One-Armed Ban
dit" (Vestal Press, scheduled for December 1975)
If you had a uniquely American machine from the late 19th Century, or
the first half of the 20th Century that was beautiful in design, workman
ship and operation; had its own specific place in the history of American
science and technology; had made a major contribution to American
social and commercial history; exemplified American know-how to the
whole world; and one that you had lovingly restored to working order by
yourself, could you keep it ? The answer isnft an easy yes or no. All
you can say is, "It depends. " on what ? Well, it depends on what it is.
If it was an antique automobile, you'd probably be written up in the local
.newspaper as a technical historian, and asked to participate in Memorial
Day Parades. If it was an antique airplane, you'd be well known at anti
que fly-ins and be respected as a mechanical genius. If it was an antique
typewriter, washing machine, shotgun, steam engine, cannoa, locomo
tive, camera or juke box, you'd be regarded as someone who had a keen
Understanding of the technological advances of our age, and a historian
to boot,
But... if it was a slot machine, you've broken the law 1
What kinds of laws are these that permit all American mechanical anti
ques the priviledge of being rediscovered, cared for, restored and pre
served for posterity with the exception of one class of machine ? In a
word: Repressive I
And why do these laws exist at all ? To prevent gambling ? Hardly I
It's illogical that the citizens living in the many states that raise public
funds through state lotteries, or permit off-track betting, or have open
racing seasons, would be protected against gambling in any way, shape
or form by laws that prohibit the private ownership of antique gaming
machines. For one thing, private ownership of gaming machines would
keep them out of public's hands. The public would rarely see them, or
only see them as often as they might see antique cars, airplanes, or
typewriters. So why do these repressive local, state and Federal laws
exist ?
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Quite possibly the answer is the simple one that nobody has gotten around
to changing the old prohibitions now that there no longer is any need for
them. If that's the case, it's time some thing was done about it. The
whole matter of the ownership and display of mechanical gaming machi
nes is ridden with inconsistencies, inequalities, and needless repression.
It should be'straightened out, clarified, and legalized.
antiques. We're asking for the legal right to restore
and display antiques that only happen to have a gambling feature. Yet that
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