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• Selling Slot Machines To Convenience Stores Pennsylvania Near
• Selling Slot Machines To Covenant Stores Pennsylvania Near

Pennsylvania should immediately shut down games of skill to stem the spread of the coronavirus, an advocacy group called for on Friday.

According to the Pennsylvanians Against Illegal Gambling (PAIG), the PA Department of Health and county health departments should order businesses that are housing illegal gaming devices to shut them down.

Unregulated gaming devices have “proliferated in gas stations, corner stores, restaurants, clubs and bars,” spokesman Peter Shelly said. And now they pose a health hazard.

PA State Police have testified before the legislature that more than 15,000 of the machines are scattered throughout the state.

By contrast, licensed slots in casinos number 24,000.

Surfaces can harbor the virus for three days

Shelly pointed to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that found the virus that causes COVID-19 “is stable for several hours to days on surfaces.” Federal scientists found the virus can survive for up to three days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces.

This is a major reason the state has already ordered the closing of casinos and entertainment centers, as well as bars and sit-down restaurants.

But many of the devices remain in play at places such as convenience stores, which remain open because of the essential services they offer, said Shelly.

He added:

“At a time in which Pennsylvania casinos have made the difficult but appropriate decision to shut down to protect the health of their patrons, employees and the public, these machines continue to attract gamblers of all ages. You don’t have to be a health expert to know that the extended period of times in which players interact with these machines could accelerate the spread of coronavirus to some of our most vulnerable citizens.”

State is cracking down on devices, but slowly

The heat on these unregulated devices has been rising of late.

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) recently provided grants to local law enforcement agencies. The grants provide more than $740,000 across five jurisdictions to address illegal gambling.

And meanwhile, PA State Police continue their crackdown across the state.

Grant recipients: Five PA jurisdictions

Receiving the grant money are:

• $250,000 for the District Attorney’s Office in Delaware County, which is where Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack is located
• $221,025 for Bensalem, the host city for Parx Casino
• $154,336 for Cumberland County, just west of Harrisburg
• $114,802 for Lackawanna County, which houses Scranton and the Dunmore Borough police (Mohegan Sun Pocono is in nearby Wilkes-Barre.)

The local law enforcement grants, as stated in the Gaming Act, earmark $2 million annually. The grants are for local law enforcement to “investigate violations of and enforce laws relating to unlawful gambling in this Commonwealth.”

Delaware County’s grant is $250,000, the max

Democratic State Representatives from Delaware County announced receipt of the grant money in a release authored by Margo Davidson.

The money will fund a task force staffed by an assistant district attorney and one detective. Their purpose will be to combat illegal gambling in Delaware County, according to her announcement. Davidson, who chairs the House Democratic Southeast Delegation, said in the presser:

“This grant will provide the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office with the funds needed to identify, prevent, deter and prosecute unlawful gambling.”

Other representatives focused on safety and funding issues that will be addressed with the help of the state-funded task force.

“This important state funding allows for the development of increased prevention and law enforcement here at home,” Rep. Leanne Krueger said. “These state funds will help the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office maintain and improve the safety and security in our communities.”

Rep. Mike Zabel said:

“Illegal gambling operations skirt the rules and provide zero tax dollars, which is an important and often-times overlooked aspect in the reason why Pennsylvania needs to continue to prosecute these cases.”

Rep. David Delloso also focused on the aspect of tax dollars not being collected from unregulated machines.

“Trying to lower our school property taxes will always be an important issue for me. Slot machine revenues are used to fund general school property tax reductions, so combating illegal gambling is one important part of that process.”

Selling Slot Machines To Convenience Stores Pennsylvania Near

“Illegal gambling lacks the integrity and regulations put in place at the state level to protect residents of our community,” Rep. Jennifer O’Mara said. “This task force has the important job of protecting citizens and making sure tax revenue is collected.”

Enforcement efforts have increased

Enforcement around the state has increased since the courts lifted a temporary injunction against seizures of Pennsylvania “skill games.”

While the ultimate question about the legality of the skill devices remains to be answered either in court or through the legislature, the decision has ratcheted up enforcement by the State Police.

Between Jan. 22 and Feb. 25, authorities confiscated 71 gambling machines. That included 65 video gambling devices from 17 liquor establishments.

Recent seizures

Seizures by the statepolice are continuing.

• The Parade Speed Check convenience store in Erie had six devices and $1,087 in cash confiscated on March 3.
• Nine video games and two additional coin-pusher devices, along with $215 from a quick stop store and gasoline station at 1220 Wheeler Ave. in Dunmore on March 4.
• Lenny’s, a pub in Gibsonia, Allegheny County, near Pittsburgh, had five video machines seized on March 11.
• Four video machines and $410 in cash from Hourglass, a pub in Brookville Borough, not far from Punxsutawney.

Given around 15,000 illegal devices are operating in PA, there’s more work to be done.

Regulated casino slots are unavailable for the foreseeable future, in light of the current pandemic. Time will tell if the PAIG gets their wish for a mandated shutdown of unregulated gaming devices as well.

Lead image courtesy of PA State Police.

You can find as many objects to collect as you can find collectors, but some of the most interesting collectibles are slot machines. You can buy them used, but the legality of owning a gambling machine varies from state to state. This page takes a look at some of the issues involved in buying a used slot machine to start or expand a collection of your own.

Where Do You Live?

The first thing you should understand is that no matter where you live, if you’re using a slot machine to offer gambling to other people, you need a license. In some states, gambling is completely prohibited. Chances are you’re an individual collector and don’t have a gambling license, so don’t let people gamble on your games unless you have a high risk tolerance for illegal behavior.

In some states, even collectors aren’t allowed to own a used slot machine. These states include Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Ownership of slot machines, used or otherwise, is illegal in those states.

Other states have no legal restrictions on slot machine ownership as long as you’re not using them to run a gambling business. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The other states have specific guidelines based on the age of the machine. For example, in California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming, it’s legal to own a slot machine as long as it’s at least 25 years old. Other states have higher or lower age limits—in Florida you can own a slot machine as long as it’s 20 years or older, but in Massachusetts, it has to be at least 30 years old. And still other states base it on what year the machine was built; in Illinois and Iowa, for example, it’s only legal to own slot machines that were constructed before 1950.

To the best of my knowledge, this information is complete and accurate, but before buying your own used coin-op slot machine, you should check with local legal authorities to make sure you have the most up to date information. You should always obey the laws in whatever jurisdiction you reside.

What Kind of Dealer Are You Dealing With?

You’ll find plenty of people selling used slot machines on the Internet. Many of these are third-party sellers. That means they don’t offer slot machines directly; instead, they just take your order and then buy the slot machine from someone else and have it shipped to you. You’ll often notice that these third party dealers use stock images or pictures that were stolen from direct dealers’ websites.

It’s better to deal with a direct dealer when you can. These dealers will often offer a warranty on the machines they sell. They’ll also be able to help you over the phone if you’re having a problem operating your game. Third party dealers aren’t able to offer you this level of service.

One way to be sure you’re dealing with an actual dealer instead of a third party is to ask them if you’re able to visit their showroom or warehouse. Third party dealers, for obvious reasons, don’t have showrooms or warehouses.

What Kinds of Used Slot Machines CAN I Buy?

Most dealers offer reconditioned machines that have been retired from use in Las Vegas style casinos. Many of these are the same IGT (International Game Technology) manufactured games that you’re used to seeing in the casino, only older and more primitive. Most dealers also provide replacement parts and repair services.

One thing to look for when considering buying a machine from a dealer is whether or not they use real glass or plexiglass. Real glass is superior as plexiglass fades over time. You can expect to pay a little more for a machine with real glass, but it’s worth the extra cost. If you’ve ever seen a faded plexiglass screen on a used slot machine, you’ll know what I mean.

Many of these games can be set up to enjoy on “free play” mode. You don’t have to insert any kind of money in order to play these games. You can even modify these games to pay out tickets.

Examples of some of the popular and well-known games available for sale on the Internet include titles like Cleopatra, Double Diamond, Munsters, Red, White, and Blue, Sizzling Senves, Tabasca, Texas Tea, and Wild Cherry slots. Many other titles are available besides these, but you’ll recognize a lot of these brand names as still being available (albeit in newer models) in casinos today.

How Much Should I Spend?

Used slot machines are collectibles, and they’re priced accordingly. Shipping is usually going to be expensive, too. You can probably expect to pay at least $600 for a good machine and $200 for shipping. Video slots will cost twice that or more, and you’ll sometimes have the option of upgrading to a new LCD monitor when buying a video slot machine. Those are expensive, too–$400 or $500.

Other upgrades you can pay for include stereo sound packages, coin in coin out functionality, and/or backlit reels (on mechanical or electro-mechanical machines). These upgrades generally cost between $100 and $200 each.

Of course, these prices apply to relatively newer slot machines. Older antique slot machines can cost more or less. I’ve seen slot machines from the 1930s and 1940s that were beautifully refurbished for sale for as little as $325. Some of these older machines are barely recognizable as slot machines, but they make beautiful, conversation-worthy collections.

Conclusion

Selling Slot Machines To Covenant Stores Pennsylvania Near

Buying a used slot machine can be a fun way to start a new hobby of collecting gaming machines, but do some research first. You want to make sure that it’s legal to do so before you get started. You also need to do some research into dealers before spending any money. Avoid third-party dealers, and find a direct dealer with a warehouse who offers warranties and telephone customer support.