Coin Operated Slot Machine Repair

The laundry industry is as big today as it’s ever been and nothing is likely to change that in the foreseeable future. There are around 30,000 coin-operated commercial laundries in the US that generate an annual gross revenue of $5 billion. These figures don’t include communal laundry facilities provided in apartment buildings and other multi-family housing buildings and rental homes. Simply put, the laundromat business is steady, strong, and vibrant. So there are plenty of coins going through plenty of machines and occasionally one gets stuck.

When the mechanism is new and the coin undamaged it’s rare to see any jams. Everything slides through perfectly well and nobody has to get frustrated. However, the washers get used heavily and parts wear also the coins are rarely the perfect shape they were when they were made. All this means coins get stuck from time to time.

In an ideal world, the stuck coin may fall out of the chute by just pressing the coin return button but you’re reading this so we guess that didn’t work.

Use tweezers to reach into the coin slot. See if you can grasp the coin and pull it out.
Chances are someone has already slapped the side of the machine where the coin slot is located. Try upping your game, place a piece of wood (or something that will protect the paintwork) against the side nearest to the slot and use a hammer to rap sharply on the wood to try to unjam it. Don’t hammer too hard as to cause damage but the vibration may loosen the stuck coin and will make it fall in or out.
Insert another coin into the slot hoping it will dislodge the previous one.
Sometimes one of the coin slots may have a coin tipped to the side that prevents the coin slot from moving. Push the tilted coin upright using a utility knife.

Dis-assembly

Sometimes the coin is not the problem or the coin is bent or is still stubbornly clinging on.

Stuck coin slides may be caused by factors other than coins, such as a loose screw jammed between the coins and the ramp. If the above fixes don’t work, and you still don’t want to call a service technician, you might need to open the coin box or extract the entire coin assembly.

Here is the definitive list of coin-operated machine repair services near your location as rated by your neighborhood community. Want to see who made the cut? A note to our community regarding COVID-19.

If you’re not the owner of the machine, there’s nothing you can do about it. Report the problem to the owner or building proprietor. If you have the keys for the access panel, opening the coin box can often dislodge a stuck coin. Removing the entire coin assembly can be tricky and it depends on the type of machine you have.

There are a few types of coin acceptor the main ones are; the upright, the flat sliding mechanism, and the dial types.

In general, the coin slot mechanism is housed to one side on the top of the washer and is either the upright type or the sliding type, the dial type being more common on dryers.

First, remove the coin store tray, empty it and check if there is anything obvious in the coin shoot inside.
Get a pen and notepad and record where you have removed any screws, nuts, connections etc.
Remove the maintenance panel which is usually on the top face of the coin slot housing at the back and locked with a key.
Remove the long bolt that’s often hexagonal in cross section and runs from the front of the housing to the maintenance panel.
There may be some wiring to the slot mechanism, disconnect it.
Carefully pull the slot mechanism free.
You should be able to see the offending coin if you need to dismantle the unit any further, continue to take notes and diagrams.
Once you’ve removed the coin, test it with a fresh one and if all is well, reverse the process to reassemble.

If the problem continues the coin slot mechanism may need replacing. Since you now know how to remove it, you also know how to replace it. Call your local parts distributor and order a new one appropriate for your model or give us a call.

You can find as many objects to collect as you can find collectors, but some of the most interesting collectibles are slot machines. You can buy them used, but the legality of owning a gambling machine varies from state to state. This page takes a look at some of the issues involved in buying a used slot machine to start or expand a collection of your own.

Where Do You Live?

The first thing you should understand is that no matter where you live, if you’re using a slot machine to offer gambling to other people, you need a license. In some states, gambling is completely prohibited. Chances are you’re an individual collector and don’t have a gambling license, so don’t let people gamble on your games unless you have a high risk tolerance for illegal behavior.

In some states, even collectors aren’t allowed to own a used slot machine. These states include Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Ownership of slot machines, used or otherwise, is illegal in those states.

Other states have no legal restrictions on slot machine ownership as long as you’re not using them to run a gambling business. These states include: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The other states have specific guidelines based on the age of the machine. For example, in California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming, it’s legal to own a slot machine as long as it’s at least 25 years old. Other states have higher or lower age limits—in Florida you can own a slot machine as long as it’s 20 years or older, but in Massachusetts, it has to be at least 30 years old. And still other states base it on what year the machine was built; in Illinois and Iowa, for example, it’s only legal to own slot machines that were constructed before 1950.

To the best of my knowledge, this information is complete and accurate, but before buying your own used coin-op slot machine, you should check with local legal authorities to make sure you have the most up to date information. You should always obey the laws in whatever jurisdiction you reside.

What Kind of Dealer Are You Dealing With?

You’ll find plenty of people selling used slot machines on the Internet. Many of these are third-party sellers. That means they don’t offer slot machines directly; instead, they just take your order and then buy the slot machine from someone else and have it shipped to you. You’ll often notice that these third party dealers use stock images or pictures that were stolen from direct dealers’ websites.

It’s better to deal with a direct dealer when you can. These dealers will often offer a warranty on the machines they sell. They’ll also be able to help you over the phone if you’re having a problem operating your game. Third party dealers aren’t able to offer you this level of service.

One way to be sure you’re dealing with an actual dealer instead of a third party is to ask them if you’re able to visit their showroom or warehouse. Third party dealers, for obvious reasons, don’t have showrooms or warehouses.

What Kinds of Used Slot Machines CAN I Buy?

Most dealers offer reconditioned machines that have been retired from use in Las Vegas style casinos. Many of these are the same IGT (International Game Technology) manufactured games that you’re used to seeing in the casino, only older and more primitive. Most dealers also provide replacement parts and repair services.

One thing to look for when considering buying a machine from a dealer is whether or not they use real glass or plexiglass. Real glass is superior as plexiglass fades over time. You can expect to pay a little more for a machine with real glass, but it’s worth the extra cost. If you’ve ever seen a faded plexiglass screen on a used slot machine, you’ll know what I mean.

Many of these games can be set up to enjoy on “free play” mode. You don’t have to insert any kind of money in order to play these games. You can even modify these games to pay out tickets.

Examples of some of the popular and well-known games available for sale on the Internet include titles like Cleopatra, Double Diamond, Munsters, Red, White, and Blue, Sizzling Senves, Tabasca, Texas Tea, and Wild Cherry slots. Many other titles are available besides these, but you’ll recognize a lot of these brand names as still being available (albeit in newer models) in casinos today.

How Much Should I Spend?

Used slot machines are collectibles, and they’re priced accordingly. Shipping is usually going to be expensive, too. You can probably expect to pay at least $600 for a good machine and $200 for shipping. Video slots will cost twice that or more, and you’ll sometimes have the option of upgrading to a new LCD monitor when buying a video slot machine. Those are expensive, too–$400 or $500.

Other upgrades you can pay for include stereo sound packages, coin in coin out functionality, and/or backlit reels (on mechanical or electro-mechanical machines). These upgrades generally cost between $100 and $200 each.

Of course, these prices apply to relatively newer slot machines. Older antique slot machines can cost more or less. I’ve seen slot machines from the 1930s and 1940s that were beautifully refurbished for sale for as little as $325. Some of these older machines are barely recognizable as slot machines, but they make beautiful, conversation-worthy collections.