Pinball Was Corrupting Our Children in Lanark County

Photo-Slot machine raids were often conducted as media events. Pinterest

From the beginning of pinball in the early 1930s, a recurring problem encountered by the pinball industry was the anti-gambling forces. Because of the preponderance of Slot Machines, trade stimulators and other gambling devices, many people opposed to gambling were suspicious of ALL coin-operated devices. As a result, for many years to come, pinballs had to be defended as being amusement and not gambling devices.

One must realize though that many pinball parlours, bowling alleys and bars were seedy and prone to be habited by low life people, who in addition to gambling were casting bets on the side. Slot machine raids were often conducted as media events. The press was pre-invited so the politicians could get maximum publicity.

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PINBALL MACHINES RECEIVE SPECIAL TREATMENT FROM POLICE, 1959-Perth Remembered

A clamp down on pinball machine operators was in full swing in Eastern Ontario in the spring of 1959. Twenty machines were seized with nine of them being confiscated. The purge started after several complaints about illegal gaming houses. Five electric pinball machines, estimated at a value of $4,000 were burnt at the Perth and Almonte dumps under the supervision of the Perth OPP detachment.

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The Ottawa Journal, 26 Jan 1940, Fri, Page 1

Over $233 in nickels were removed from the coin boxes prior to the machines being smashed and burnt. In charge of the clamp-down was Constable D. Pierce an Corp. L. Gartner of the OPP Perth detachment. For the machines to be destroyed, thirty-one days had to elapse after an operator was convicted. The forfeited money was sent to the local magistrate who in turn would forward the money to the provincial treasure. Photo shows an O.P.P. constable smashing a pinball machine at the dump.

Ken Brown from Brown’s Pool Hall on Gore Street was quotes in the Perth Courier that he had nearly been put out of business. One would say it was a slippery slope to the Mafia taking over the town:)

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