THE GAMBLING MACHINES OF LONDON

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1935, Page 25

THE GAMBLING MACHINES OF LONDON

The ciaze for the gambling machine, once confined to fair-giounds and cheap "pleasuie-palaces," has now taken a firm grip on the habitues of many of London's -West End clubs During recent months a number of cocktail bars "and supper clubs within a-narrow radius v 'Of-Piccadilly have installed slot machines which operate on the turning-up.of-a combination of: numbers* or, in some-cases, a combination of. fruits: Rewaids varying from 3s to as much as £8 are'obtainable 011 the appearance of a winning combination, but many weeks, of observation ..in. a number of clubs has proved to me that the chances of emerging with a profit from a session of play are very slim (says a special correspondent in the '.'Daily Express"). From the moment the clubs provided the machines for their members, however, they were an-.instant attraction, particularly among, women. ' Some clubs have installed only one Is or Gd machine; others provide for the "amusement'V of their members a vanety of machines,1 .from those taking pennies to others^which 'require a 2s piece to operate them To overcome legal obstacles each machine bears a^notice pointing out that it is really a game- of "skill," the "skill" apparently being lequired in the opcialion of tlucc buttons, by which the revolving diums bearing tho numbois 01 tiuits can be 'braked" 111 an elicit kLscqiuc a winning combination.

It is no exaggeration to say that this

new- craze is one";of ,the mpst profitr able 'ever introduced Into "London's clubland. ■ " ''. ■ i,One .club "which, has a Id, a Is, and a 2s machine,makes a profit on,them of between £100 and £150. every ■week. At, another a single Is machine invariably, returns' more than.£2o.a week to the proprietors. Women are without exception the heaviest losers: One wealthy womatt who frequents a number of these, clubs had for several months- been losing at one', place an average of £20. a week.■■■■ On.onei evening she. lost £15, and on .another occasion—a luncheon-time' session^-filO. Another woman, having lost steadily over a period of;weeks on a machine whose "jack-pot'V-in this case between £7 10s arid £8 for the combination 999 —stubbornly refused to "turn up," determined to test .tq the full her chances of receiving any profit, however small. In three' hours she disposed of £22 in 440.. shilling chancesi T?he only returns made by the machine were sums of 3s, ss, 10s, and one of 18s. AHOffie' money the woman won she put bick'.into the, machine-: with her original Stake. (fi-% :.•;.■£>>;■;' i: .c ;' The "jack-pot"sjin '.':■ ;thisjs*particular; machine is supposeditp be^Wpti oh ah average about twice a week," but the woman had been playing steadily on it for nearly a month without having seen it turn up.-1 . It must be emphasised that these machines are -flourishing ■ vih;:, clubs whose respectability is unimpeachable, and which have, hitherto not permitted any higher form of gambling than bridge.