For those of a certain age, there is something about an old-fashioned slot machine that boasts a degree of nostalgia. Whether it be their own days standing in a pub and playing slot games whilst having a drink or the memory of their parents doing so when they were younger, there are plenty of people out there who like to play on slots and gaming machines. Indeed, there is something of a cottage industry nowadays in installing such machines in the personal home of others, but what does the law saw about this?
In essence, there is nothing wrong with owning a slot machine and playing on it in your own home. You can even let other people play on your fruit machine when they come round to visit, with things only becoming problematic when you either ask them for money for the privilege or they need to put money into the machine to make it work. At this point, you’ll need to have a gambling licence in order to stay on the right side of the law, with most people not having their own gambling licence and therefore falling foul of the UKGC.
Is It Legal To Own One?
The first place to look is whether or not it is technically legal to own a slot machine. The short answer to that is that yes, it is entirely legal. Having and operating a fruit machine in order to amuse yourself is completely fine and there is no need to obtain a gambling licence in order to do so. If you have friends around to your house and they want to play on your gambling machine then that is also fine, as is allowing your family members to play on the machine when you’re not using it yourself. All of that is totally above board.
Problems only start arising if you want to charge your friends or family for the pleasure of using your slot machine. Regardless of whether you’re asking them for a set fee, such as £5, to play on the slot machine for a given period of time or you’re in a position whereby the machine is fully working and they need to put coins into it to trigger its action, as soon as any money is involved there is a need to have a gambling licence of some sort. If you don’t have a licence then you’ll be breaking the law by allowing people to play your machines for money.
What Sort Of Licence Allows You To Charge Money?
In Britain, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission is willing and able to issue a Single Machine Permit, which are specially designed for people that collect and use gaming machines in private. It allows for the repair, maintenance and sale of such machines and their individual parts and is a licence type that is limited to individuals, rather than commercial businesses. It costs £25 to apply for such a licence and works as an alternative to Gaming Machine Technical Operating Licences, also issued by the UKGC.
This type of licence is likely to be the one that you’ll need to get if you want to charge others to use your machine. The clue about it is in the title, though, given that it is a Single Machine Permit. In other words, you can’t get one and then have a dozen slot machines at home that you charge people to use. If you are in any doubt whatsoever about what is allowed and what isn’t, the best thing to do is to contact the Gambling Commission directly, who will be more than happy to help explain how licences work and which one you’ll need.
How You Can Buy Them
Knowing that it’s legal for you to have a fruit machine at home is one thing, but knowing how to actually get one is something else entirely. Obviously all of the usual second-hand places are a good place to start, with the likes of eBay and Gumtree awash with people selling old slot machines. Of course, just because they’re selling them doesn’t mean that you should be buying them and it is important to weigh-up how reliable such sellers are. Instead, you’d be much better placed to turn towards genuine and trusted retailers.
Sites like Fruit Machine Planet have a wealth of different slot machines available and have refurbished them to a high level. Whilst you’re likely to pay a little more for them than on the traditional second-hand sites, you can still get some for a decent price and you know that you’re buying quality. Indeed, companies like that will tend to boast 30-day warranties with the machines, giving you peace of mind. Not only that, but they normally send you a link to a YouTube video that explains how the games work so that you know what you’re doing with them.
Why Buy One?
There are numerous reasons why you might want to buy a slot machine. The nostalgia factor will always play a part for some people, for example, whilst for others there is the simple fact of wanting to play on a machine that isn’t a PlayStation or an Xbox. Others still might want to own a slot machine in order to practice on them before heading to the casino. Whilst most slot machines that you’ll be able to buy from second-hand places don’t offer the same games as modern casino-based ones, there are still some available.
Another reason to own an old slot machine is to restore it to its former glory. Some slot machines will have seen their value go up since being restored, for example. Although such financial investments aren’t common, it would be untrue to suggest that they don’t happen and aren’t a reason why there are some people that buy such machines. Whatever your reasoning for buying an old slot machine, they’re likely to provide you with hours of fun in the comfort of your own home; just remember not to charge people to use them.