Fruit Machine Chat

I think some people here already have one, but has anyone else thought about opening one? Considering how cheaply you can get hold of machines, it can't bee too difficult to start up? I assume the problem comes with licenses? are they difficult to obtain? what are the taxes on somebody running a Fruit Machine Arcade?-bet they are massive...

Surely this is the reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal way to make money from gambling

I don't know anything about the first few points. But the last line is exactly right!

I have thought about this for quite a while, being a gambler myself, I'm sure I can create an arcade people will enjoy more than the others. I think the main issue is with applying for a gamling license/planning permission etc. Local residents don't take too kindly to 'community-damaging' gambling whore-holes.

But figured someone here must know a lot more about it than me.

If you want to do it you firstly need and decent size builiding in the right location. Need permission from the council and licenses. A large variety of fruit machines which people want to play, security. There are so many factors which can make it very pricey. Also you would be gutted if you buy all these old machines and after a few days they all get robbed! Because it does happen on a regular basis!1

Yeah, building,location and security are not a problem, nor is things getting stolen. But i wanna know about the licenses and the fees you have to pay!

Is it per machine? how much? anybody?

all the info can be found via your local council (not cheap thought i'll tell you now!!)

Ive just had a look at Bromley Council's website (my local council) and the cost of a licence per machine for AWP's with a cash payout of £5 or £8 is £32 for 3 years. "all cash" machines which include £25 AWPs is £250 for 3 years.

Maybe your local council charges differently but i would of thought the charges would be pretty standard throughout the country.

Hope this helps.

you would think so wouldn't you!, they go up and down like a "up and down thing" as you cross counties.

Don't know how much S16's are but bet there not cheap

you will also need to consider things like commercial mortgages, insurance, the business rate, recruitment, tax, etc. etc. etc. etc.

it is not as simple as putting your cap on the pavement.

Any side of it which applies to any 'normal' business is not an issue. It is only the taxes and licenses I am worried about. I remember speaking to a guy a long time ago and I think his costs were about £1000 for just three machines for the year, thanks for info so far though, will look at councils webpages.

Yeah im preety sure its something more like £500 a machine per year. Club machines are the best to own!

£25 AWPs cost about £760 a year for a license. Now if you own the machine yourself thats fine, all the profits after that are yours. If you are in a pub, it goes three ways between landlord, brewery and machine owner (ie Leisure Link).

The arcade in cambridge pays about £30,000 a year in license fees i think. Then you have to add on rent as its right in the city centre, heck knows what that is! I'm guessing its easily £50,000+ though....that means for example you need to make £80,000+. Add on staff wages and overheads and you are looking at £150,000 a year i should think. That's over £3,000 a week, or £500 odd a day clear to make anything. £500 a day might not sound a lot, but you've got to keep the punter coming back and spending!

I don't think realistically anyone here does or will own an arcade

I was looking into this a while ago and collected quite a lot of documents from various sources on the net. I will take a look, and if I still have them I will email them to you.

I do remember that the costs were hugely more than I thought, and getting a license can be very difficult. The machines themselves can be cheap enough, its all the other things that bump the cost up.

I think that if you buy machines off ebay or someone your not allowed to use it to make money it is for private use thats why you have to buy off the manafacture off a company, as in my arcade the deliveries they get are directly from the supplier and cost like £1500-£3000 a machine.

And you prob dont make any money for the first two years as you spend a lot on machine. staff, sercurity and money for the machines.

I remember i explored the possibility of this for some business work a year or 2 ago, basically the council said that there wasn't a hope in hell of me opening one. The council wouldn't want the area that was available attracting the type of people that frequent the arcades.

Plus the other buisnesses will complain, so will the arcades that are already there. Good luck getting a lisence.

And as far as i'm aware it's possible to buy a machine from ebay and use it for personal gain, it's just a matter of not signing any legal documentation when you get it .