Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #009 - 1975 - June [International Arcade Museum]
Even alter permission had been granted by each of these bodies, and the
machines were legally brought in through customs, they were suddenly
seized by the local police, resulting in a major financial loss for the
dealer. The legal bodies had apparantly changed their minds, or had come
up with an opposing opinion and acted without informing the dealer.
In Chicago, one enthusiast checked and rechecked both the FBI and the
Attorney General1 s office, and got a confusing series of opinions, none of
which matched. The conclusion reached was mat it was illegal to own or
display a coin-operated gaming machine in Illinois unless— and it's a big
unless—it is a "special situation", such as art and historical appreciation,
the presentation of an exhibit, or the need to have machines available for
research for the writing of a book. Most state anti-slot machine laws can
be interpreted in the same manner, and this sounds all well and good, pro
vided the authorities have an enlightened understanding of the "special
situation. " Yet past history suggests that you can hardly assume that all of
them will. The constant danger of an alternative interpretation by someone
else not familiar with or not appreciative of the "special situation" can
suddenly lead to police at your door, no matter how many people you check
ed, or even if you have permission in writing as many collectors have done
in order to protect their collections.
Certainly there are needs for laws that protect our citizens, and if the
legal bodies across the country agree that people should be protected
against exploitation through criminally controlled gambling, such laws
should be on the books. But they should be applied to the people that profit
from such illegal gambling, not the historians and collectors of antique
gambling devices. Slot and gaming machines are an important part of
Americana.
The whole history of slot machines began with the creation of portable
gambling devices for the "Sportsmen" that followed the westward-advance
of the American frontier, ultimately leading to more permanent gambling
devices in the 1890's and early 1900fs that remained in the saloons, pool
rooms and cigar stores in the booming towns and cities that grew up as
the country expanded. There had been a few foreigif arcade machines and
gambling wheels before then, but the state of the art was soon surpassed
by American mgenuity and invention, with the creation and contemporary
mass-production of counter and cabinet automatic payout machines that
' were the marvel of their age. The ultimate contribution was the classic
"One-Arm Bandit" counter-top model known so well to dedicated slot en
thusiasts, reportedly invented in 1895 by Charles A. Fey in San Francisco
to be followed by the larger mechanical and electrical consoles, uprights
and electronic bell machines of today. It is an exciting history, rich in lore
and lure, and one that will be lost forever unless tolerated and protected
through permission to allow private researchers, restorers and collectors
to "keep, own, use, purchase, exhibit, bargain for the sale or lease of"
antique coin-operated gaming machines. Yet it appears that there is now a
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and put some
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vania, proudly
and illustrated a fabulous collection of early
ttp described
machines in h an article in an antique publication late in 1972, only to have
growing—yes, growing— eiiort to ignore "special situations" and to bust
the police arrive carrying the article and confiscating any and all mach
ines they could find, using the article as a check list. Even the publica
tion in which the article appeared suggested a "special situation", and
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