Change my mind, Coin drop machine’s don’t belong in a kids arcade. It’s gambling for kids.

36 comments
  1. It’s not like a parent giving their six-year old kid €2 in 20c coins has the kid lying in his bed at night thinking “I need all those fucking coins. I NEED those coins”. The gambling problem in this country doesn’t stem from a childhood addiction ffs. It is a shit “game” though.

  2. It’s only gambling if you actually have a chance of winning.

    These are “guess where the coin will wedge securely in” games.

  3. Microtransactions in games are worse, especially if kids are buying random packs with a low chance of getting what they want.

  4. All of those chance-based ticket-paying arcade games are gambling. Really, though, the only way to ban them would be to ban all prize-winning or prize redemption in arcades completely, and that would probably put arcades in general out of business; kids aren’t going to the arcade just to play old-school video games.

  5. surely it’s better for them to learn about this early with 2 quid rather than later and with more stakes?

  6. I was OBSESSED with these in mosney, my brother was playing at the community games, I was blowing my money on these

  7. Every Toy aimed at my 5 year old is a “surprise” or “mystery” – she thinks opening the toy see the surprise rather than actually playing – have a ban on any surprise toys – eg LOL Surprise

  8. A lot of people need to learn the difference between “this toy/activity isn’t great for my child, and I should active parent and stop them from playing with it” and “a blanket ban needs to be put on this toy/activity”.

  9. I remember when I was younger and at a birthday party, I won some money out of one of these machines. What did dumbass 7 year old me do? Put it right back in.

  10. Coin drops (unweighted ones) still have some level of skill involved. You have to wait for the plunger to drop at the right moment, or find a machine with the right amount of coins already set to drop.

    Imo this is leagues away from lootboxes or microtransactions on apps, which are just a 1:1 “pay money -> pure luck chance of reward.”

    These machines are no different from alcohol, drugs or any other potentially addictive activity. The best possible prevention of abuse is parents taking the opportunity to teach and impart wisdom early on rather than setting up blanket bans that don’t dissuade anyone set on abusing.them.

  11. True but other depression era scams that chug change should probably be adult only aswell….. anyone pay attention to the mobile games your siblings or young ones play ?

    Make sure they never have a credit card

  12. I made a killing on these as a child on holidays in Courttown. Haven’t gambled since. My little shorts were weighed down by coppers and sweets

  13. I would kind of agree with you except that these things taught me a lesson about myself that has prevented me from gambling into my thirties.

    Maybe I’m in the minority but I think they serve as an excellent cautionary tale more than a gateway.

  14. Old buddy of mine absolute degen nowadays. Gambler, kicked out of numerous homes. Friendless. Jobless. Alcoholic. Guess where it started for him…

    I remember he was fucking obsessed in the plex with these and we were not even 16. Dropping ten cents in for hours. They are a disgrace.

  15. Probably best to learn about gambling and suffer a loss at young age. At an age when all you have is about €20 to your name.

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