Automatic Age

16
March, 1939
AUTOMATIC AGE
areas, recognize the drain which
betting places upon business.
How strange it is that organ­
ized
gambling, the enemy of
A canvass of approximately
practically
every independent
200,000 of the finest locations in
business
man,
can be cloaked
the country, most of them inde­
pendently owned and operated with legal recognition and re­
by small business men, would spectability, when coin machines,
produce some significant infor­ which are the recognized friends
mation to prove that “ Coin Ma­ of all small business men, which
chines Boost Business.” The definitely “ boost business” for
same business men would also every location owner, must con­
agree that organized gambling, tinue to be at the mercy of a
(horse-racing, dog-racing, hand handful of fanatical reformers
books) now licensed and legal­ and obsolete newspaper policy.
Who is to blame for such a
ized by many states, definitely
condition?
The coin machine in­
hurts business.
dustry itself!
If proof were needed that or­
Newspapers throughout the
ganized gambling hurts business
country print only the news of
we have only to consider what
what actually happens. The
happened in C h icago when
average newspaper is not inter­
States Attorney Courtney chop­
ested in whether “slot machine
ped up about 700 bookies over a
scandal” is representative of the
period of several weeks. Imme­
entire coin machine industry or
diately box office receipts at
one per cent of the industry. If
motion picture theatres took an
one or two hoodlums, usually
upward spurt and retail busi­
with nothing invested in ma­
ness houses enjoyed an unex­
chines, provide sensational slot
pected w ave o f prosperity.
machine news, the average news­
Variety, theatrical trade paper,
paper will print it. The result is
and the Chicago Daily News
damaging to all established op­
both commented on this effect
erators in that area who have
of hand books upon business
thousands of dollars invested in
conditions.
equipment and merchandise. The
Dr. Arthur J. Todd, North­ result is damaging to the entire
western Sociologist, using cen­ coin machine industry, and it is
sus figures and other data he has also damaging to location own­
compiled, has shown that organ­ ers who depend upon coin ma­
ized g a m b lin g in C h icago
chines for revenue.
amounts to 10 per cent of the
Perhaps other
newspapers
gross retail trade volume. (All will follow the example planned
amusement tables and reward by the Chicago Evening Am er­
machines are prohibited in Chi­ ican and make an effort to find
cago.)
something new and interesting
In California, at the race concerning coin machines. But
tracks alone, the state’s racing that is absolutely not to be an­
commission reports a yearly ticipated. Ninety-nine per cent
take of 66 million dollars, or an of all newspapers will continue
amount to $12 per capita for the to print only the news that hap­
state’s population. This does not pens. If the news that “ breaks”
include amounts bet at hand on the subject of coin machines
books, which is generally be­ is all unfavorable, then the news
lieved to be three times the pari­ that appears in print will also
mutuel take. Unquestionably, be unfavorable. Until coin ma­
California business men, as well chine interests take steps to
as those in Chicago and other keep unfavorable news from
of business A N D NOT INSTRU­
M E N T S OF O R G A N IZ E D
GAMBLING.
© International Arcade Museum
happening, in so far as that is
possible, and develops a program
of providing newspapers with
favorable information and news,
there is little hope that the
press will treat the coin ma­
chine industry any different in
the future than it has in the
past.
The golden opportunity for a
program of publicity and better
public relations was during the
peak popularity of pin games.
But business was so good for
most everyone in the business
that no one seemed to give a
damn about tomorrow. The dis­
mal situation amusement ma­
chine operators face today is
the “tomorrow” that no one
seemed to give a damn about a
few short years ago.
The conditions which the coin
machine industry will face to­
morrow are not pleasant to think
about— assuming that coin ma­
chine interests will continue to
let hoodlums, fanatical reform­
ers, legislator and newspapers
dictate those conditions.
The coin machine industry
cannot expect profitable oper­
ating conditions for tomorrow
if no effort is made to protect
our interests — if no protest is
made against unfair restriction
of our rights— if no one seems
to give a damn!
If this sounds pessimistic, it
is only because we dare to face
the facts. The facts alone con­
stitute an indictment of the in­
dustry. There is nothing we can
say that could possibly exagger­
ate the dangers of continued
apathy and inaction. Neither can
we exaggerate the need for in­
telligent leadership.
When the united voice of the
coin machine industry is intelli­
gently directed it will be heard,
favorably, by newspapers, by
legislators, by the public, and by
the thousands of business men
who will be happy to help us
prove that “ Coin Machines Boost
Business.”
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