There is an uproar of protest in the community over the much discussed "pinball machines" which have been a matter of deep moment and heavy debate in the meetings of the city council on various occasions.

Recently the state police, the city police and the sheriff's office got busy and started enforcing the law governing gaming devices. The triple-threat of law enforcement closed up a very lucrative source of revenue for operators of the clever mechanical contraptions which entertain and painlessly remove one's money a nickel at a time with the ever-present hope that a nickel ventured may be returned manifold.

The state law says any device which pays money for 'money ventured is prohibited as an offense against the gambling law. The pinball machines - some of them at least - pay off when the skillful or the fortunate happen to shoot the ball into the right race course, field, green or what-not. Therefore they are considered by law as gambling devices.  Nevertheless there has been much argument about 'whether or not these things can be considered games of skill or games of chance. While the powers-that-be have been debating the question, the numbers of pinball machines have doubled and tripled until they have multiplied into thousands all over the state.

In the City of Las Vegas the question arose and the council sought advice from the attorney-general.  A letter asked the attorney-general if pinball machines were gambling devices.  He replied with the question "'What kind pinball machines."  It seems that there are myriads of them.

Then the election loomed up in the offing arid judicial probity seemed threatened with challenge. Orders went out to pinch the pinball machines, slot-machines, cigarette machines and what-not. Police raiders and sheriff's deputies fell upon the least favored custodians of such devices as the first victims and promptly the nickel-gamblers were deprived of their favorite indoor sport.  Soon all of the pinball machines were in shrouds everywhere.

Then a few venturesome souls began unveiling the  impounded equipment and resumed gathering in the nickels.  Thereby began the case for the uproar. Not knowing just who in the three groups of peace officers might light on them for opening up again, the custodians tried first to make friends with all three - the city police, the state police, and the sheriff's office, but there seemed to be no peace.

A few machines are again in operation on the sly.  The folk who have their machines in limbo are protesting that the fellows who are going full blast are favored by the peace authorities.

To settle the pinball pain that is being suffered the three police groups ought to get together and make one grand raid at the same time in a few dozen places to convince everybody that the state gambling law is operative twelve months in the year and not just thirty days before an election.

from: Las Vegas Daily Optic,  September 19, 1936, page 4.

Return from Pinball Pain (1936) to the History of Pinball Page.

Go from Pinball Pain (1936) to the Vintage Pinball Store Home Page.

New items are added DAILY!

Bookmark this site NOW and check back often for Nifty Pinball Machines!

Get your FREE subscription to the Vintage Pinball Newsletter! Enter your info below and press the button.