38 replies to this topic

[wearecity]

I don't think there is any sadness in seeing machines go from where kids play in particular, £5 10p play, just leads to kids playing the higher jackpot machine.

 

Said it before around the forums, but when I use to see youngsters attractive to the fruit machines or watching me play, I always said to them something similar to, please remember this conversation, when you are older, do not play these machines when you're old enough, they will ruin your life and probably others in your family/friends as well.

 

How many times have we seen a youngster sneaking into the over 18 section of a seaside arcade for a quid or two play and/or trying to tell us how to play an AWP, thinking they know it all.

 

Apart from the small % of people in the know about emptiers etc, since the AWP was a thing, they have been trouble and for many have done irreparable damage to lives, such as splitting up relationships and causing debt and the consequences of that.

 

I know it's up to the individual to accept responsibility for their actions, but most of us know, what an addiction is like and how difficult it is to break.

 

As Degsy has said on some of his videos, whilst we are getting nostalgic about these machines, you also have to remember the bad side of being addicted to them.

[FruitTim90]

That is a very good point JJoengineer about the fact that the high techs were not making enough so that is why they get replaced, why on earth I never thought of that myself I do not know, good point.

I can’t count how much I must be down throughout my teen years with machines believe me, so it is stupid that I “miss them” honestly, but it’s just the fact that if I do go and have a play I want to actually play something and not look at a video screen with their new weird boring games. But yeah I am stupid to miss them and I will be honest that even tho I have not played a single spin of a machine in years I know for a fact if I was to go play today and lose £10 I would chase that £10 no matter what, then of course that turns into £20, then £50 and so on. I will always be an addict I think, but one thing I do know I have control over is to pay bills and family first before machines, that I am confident of but I have no control to stop spending my money in machines.

But as things stand, if all I find are video machines everywhere then I guess I am done with machines for good, I will soon find out.

[wearecity]

Testing an addiction is a dangerous game to play.

I have a mate who was clean for 15 years who tried it with booze and a mate who convinced himself recently he could just have a couple of fags. Both situations ended up badly.

The trouble with an addiction is you obviously enjoy/like what you're addicted to.

Several of us tried back in 2009 to come off the fruitys. Only one person had fully managed it when they posted a few years later.

Myself I failed to quit completely but through blocks/restraints for online and the utter rubbish that is an AWP nowadays, I pretty much have things under control.

BUT... I do still enjoy a gamble now and then, so will probably never be fully gamble free. I just make sure everything is taken care of, money put in savings each month and it's only completely spare money I may sometimes but not always gamble with.

[CharlieRaymondo]

Testing an addiction is a dangerous game to play.
I have a mate who was clean for 15 years who tried it with booze and a mate who convinced himself recently he could just have a couple of fags. Both situations ended up badly.
The trouble with an addiction is you obviously enjoy/like what you're addicted to.
Several of us tried back in 2009 to come off the fruitys. Only one person had fully managed it when they posted a few years later.
Myself I failed to quit completely but through blocks/restraints for online and the utter rubbish that is an AWP nowadays, I pretty much have things under control.
BUT... I do still enjoy a gamble now and then, so will probably never be fully gamble free. I just make sure everything is taken care of, money put in savings each month and it's only completely spare money I may sometimes but not always gamble with.

All goes hand in hand. It's about knowing ones limits and what is going on in a person's life. Drink, fags, arcades, all can be abused but can also be enjoyed in moderation. Most of us have been in one of those dark corners through life.

[cliffc]

Hi

 

He did have to close his arcade in Gravesend, however since this small set back he has now opened several more arcades under the Mr p's name and he also has opened an arcade called Reel Fruits In Maidstone the Mr P's arcades are located at

 

Bognor (the newest one)

Chatham

Tonbridge

 

A visit to any of these arcades will bring back memories of the golden age of arcades and fruit machines, with High Percentages you should be able to spend a good few hours and not lose to much of your hard earned cash

[vectra666]

I bet a very high percentage of members on here are gambling addicts, I know I am or I wouldn't frequent this site and others and I wouldn't spend countless hours most evenings and weekends creating or playing these "Memories" of fruit machines the ones that always emptied your pockets.
Whats the difference between a fruity addict and a casual player? To me it's the thrill of winning, getting the edge over the arcade. I'd even play a machine that had no lights working or dodgy reels to get my fix!
I've watched recent YouTube vids of a couple, one American guy and a British woman. And you can see the way the machines are gradually sucking them in.
In the first couple of videos you see them playing astra machines etc and it's like
What to I hold? What does this or that do?
£1 is enough etc etc
They get excited at winning a pound.
But then as the weeks progress and so do the videos you sense they're being sucked into the devil's playground.
It's now a case of
He now knows what to hold.
Winning a pound or two isn't existing
And he's ramming pound after pound into them.
Also there's now scratch card vids etc so they're being sucked into that gambling arena.
Very sad but true up and down the country.

I've always said, once you know how a machine works and plays you're a gambling addict!! You're far better off NOT knowing how they work and it's a greater feeling winning a fiver that way than eventually losing a week's wages in a hour.

I do gamble online, probably too much and the odd binge down Weston super mare, and obviously play the emu's in between making them but I always pay the bills and get food first.
Gambling is a hidden illness unlike drink or drugs
Both of them are bad, but so is gambling. I'm ashamed to say in my dark days I stole from the bosses for money to waste on the 2p/10p slots in the early 90's but back then I didn't think of the consiquenes it was I needed money for my next fix, I was eventually caught then I got thrown off the holiday park due to it, likely for me I was only out of a job it could've been worse as in calling the plod!
Did that stop me gambling, did it F#*k
Once a druggie always a druggie, same goes for this game we play!

Edited by vectra666, 03 April 2019 - 01:05 PM.

[CharlieRaymondo]

Vectra I would prefer to spend a twenty on a bottle of scotch, have a nice steak and chill on the MFME for a few hours.

Edited by CharlieRaymondo, 03 April 2019 - 01:11 PM.

[gemini17]

I don't think there is any sadness in seeing machines go from where kids play in particular, £5 10p play, just leads to kids playing the higher jackpot machine.

 

Said it before around the forums, but when I use to see youngsters attractive to the fruit machines or watching me play, I always said to them something similar to, please remember this conversation, when you are older, do not play these machines when you're old enough, they will ruin your life and probably others in your family/friends as well.

 

How many times have we seen a youngster sneaking into the over 18 section of a seaside arcade for a quid or two play and/or trying to tell us how to play an AWP, thinking they know it all.

 

Apart from the small % of people in the know about emptiers etc, since the AWP was a thing, they have been trouble and for many have done irreparable damage to lives, such as splitting up relationships and causing debt and the consequences of that.

 

I know it's up to the individual to accept responsibility for their actions, but most of us know, what an addiction is like and how difficult it is to break.

 

As Degsy has said on some of his videos, whilst we are getting nostalgic about these machines, you also have to remember the bad side of being addicted to them.

I believe we are the only country in the world that allows children under 18 to gamble!

And it is disgraceful and shame on all the slot owners and those who legislate it-to allow it to happen.

I completely agree with you,this is where most people's addictions begin.

I remember going in to an arcade with my dad!(I was 16 and you could go in but only accompanied by an adult) And although you were watched(so you didn't touch a button lol)-the naivety then was beyond clear-I may have been restricted but that did not stop an inner desire to play the slots.

Which sadly upon turning 18 I became a full blown addict and lost around 50k in approx 2 years-And no jackpots then were above £25! but I still lost sometimes up to two grand a day!

To me the only way forward is to completely break up the industry and make children's arcades free of gaming machines.-ticket only games.

I would also consider raising the age limit to 21 too or even 25,as again 10's of thousands of younger people are trapped in a constant gaming cycle 24/7 not just

on their laptops etc but also more worryingly on their mobiles.

 

Jay

[wearecity]

I believe we are the only country in the world that allows children under 18 to gamble!
And it is disgraceful and shame on all the slot owners and those who legislate it-to allow it to happen.
I completely agree with you,this is where most people's addictions begin.
I remember going in to an arcade with my dad!(I was 16 and you could go in but only accompanied by an adult) And although you were watched(so you didn't touch a button lol)-the naivety then was beyond clear-I may have been restricted but that did not stop an inner desire to play the slots.
Which sadly upon turning 18 I became a full blown addict and lost around 50k in approx 2 years-And no jackpots then were above £25! but I still lost sometimes up to two grand a day!
To me the only way forward is to completely break up the industry and make children's arcades free of gaming machines.-ticket only games.
I would also consider raising the age limit to 21 too or even 25,as again 10's of thousands of younger people are trapped in a constant gaming cycle 24/7 not just
on their laptops etc but also more worryingly on their mobiles.
 
Jay

Been that way forever I think.

I remember at Butlins being in the arcade (but called amusements back then) in the 70s. I used to play the Compton Cakewalks and fruit machines were available, no one specifically monitoring the amusements.

As I've mentioned before, I remember watching my mum also playing the old electromechanical machine Ten Up. So exciting to a small child when the 50p appeared on the feature reel and the bell rang and the coins hit the plastic tray.

80s machines having an attract mode, of course further encouraging a child to play. Flashing lights and sounds, attracting even a very young child towards them.

I would imagine if fruit machines had only been invented in the 2000s it would have been very quick before the effects were known and children barred due to an outcry on social media from enraged parents.

[vectra666]

It's not the arcades fault they allow children to gamble, that lies firmly under this and previous government's
But it doesn't just end there.
As I've said before, you can only gamble upto 10p at a time untill you're 18 yet you can gamble on the lottery or spend £10 a pop on the scratchies at 16.

Then there's the humble school times where gambling in its innocent form takes place.
The fetes where there's the "Human Fruit Machine" ok it's only to win a bag of chews but it's still tempting some kids to play the real things.

Then there's school raffles to win fat gaining chocolate, which you're not allowed to give kids it in their school lunch boxes but they openly raffle it off in countless raffles throughout the year. Again although it's not a cash prize on offer, it's still a form of gambling in my eyes!
You're getting a pound on your number coming up is the same as betting a pound three bars roll in.
Unfortunately gamblings everywhere and if you can control yourself you'll be fine, but there's loads out there that can't!

That reminds me, I must start my next layout so the younger ones amongst us can learn how to play then play the real things.
Any thing can be bad for your health but if used in moderation and you can control yourself then it's fine.
Ramble over lol.

Edited by vectra666, 04 April 2019 - 02:56 PM.

[edwardb]

I have no issue removing machine from under 18s areas, at all. I always thought Cat D was a bit daft. The industry does make a rod for its own back far too often.

 

As people on here know, I have been in the industry for 21 years, but I am all for more regulation. More than happy to see lockouts on AWPs/FOBTs as in Holland, and also enforcing time and spend limits.

 

The irony is, the arcade industry was behind the £2 FOBT change (funding the anti FOBT lobby) and yet they often allow kids to gamble.

 

Would also like to see scratchcard age raised to 18, and some more controls on online gaming. Oh and less betting ads on TV. A bit of common sense would go a long way,  

[jon2007]

£100 cat c seen to be dieing out now my local weatherspoons only has one machine all the rest are the video screens I'm guessing they make more money I think cat c won't exist soon maybe then we will get to play on here

[fruitsnappa]

£100 cat c seen to be dieing out now my local weatherspoons only has one machine all the rest are the video screens I'm guessing they make more money I think cat c won't exist soon maybe then we will get to play on here

 

Plenty Cat C's on a multi terminal.

[datadiffusion]

Well, it's true that when I was at Mr P's, although its a very relaxed atmos and we had a lot of fun, we went in expecting to would walk out with pockets lighter but have a few hours fun in the process.

 

There was a mixture of people there, others clearly with the same attitude but a couple who were clearly playing for more than just amusement. I'm not saying that like it's any sort of shock, just walk

into the over 18s section of any arcade, but even a retro one.

 

As for the decline of High Tech analogue AWPs, that's been going on for years and anything with actual reels would seem alien to most other countries for the last 15-20 years+.

 

I don't know if it is nostalgia, or the perception of the public that somehow the screen can cheat the player quicker than the 'mechanical' reel that has made manufacturers hold off fully screen based machines until relatively recently.

 

One thing that's true though is that the analogue fruit machine market is on it's arse, with all the companies of even ten years ago first taken over, merged and then closed, pretty much Bell Fruit left now IIRC.

[treasure island]

An interesting thread, i rarely get chance to post or even look in on forums, and often wary too with the comments going OTT etc.. my own forum suffers from this too tbh

 

I am Dave from Mr P's Classic Amusements, I say Dave 'from' because I don't see the arcades as mine, I see them as something of a legacy, like or loathe gambling.

 

Since a young boy I loved the buzz of the arcade, but this wasn't because I was hooked or attracted to flashing lights (in a trance like state) or any other reason, I just was attracted to anything entertainment based and I liked 'chance'.

 

Reading through some of the thread it is interesting to see the thoughts of others. For me I love gambling, I am no hypocrite to it, I enjoy it, yes naturally it can be too much for some, I completely see and endorse that. 

 

As a kid i loved dice, cards, anything with chance.

 

My Dad, the only time I saw him sober was to say goodbye to him at 53, I don't have a thing against alcohol. Over the years of the FOBT due to its easy access I lost a colossal amount to roulette, I lost it not the roulette lost it for me, it was me that spent and wagered the money. I have nothing against roulette and I support the game being in a regulated establishment like a casino, where it belongs. 

 

I like food, if I eat and eat I will enjoy it, but then when I was to not be able to stand I wouldn't like food but it would be myself and not the food that is the problem, although like gambling, alcohol and food many other things they can be addictive, psychologically, and yes it can be a problem.

 

This post is a balanced view (well I guess my view) and for me being a player at heart, anyone who has met me will know how hard of a battle it has been to round up the machines that we have and the consumption of life to give to the people what I would love to enjoy; classic amusements.

 

I rent my house, I have no savings, I actually cannot stand money, I care about my team and treat them as family, so aside from bringing back memories for people to enjoy the old games that (at the time they were current) were too high stake, our players can enjoy stakes and prizes frozen in time. Naturally there will be some that will always play for the money, but as we always strive to drum into people is to play for the game and you will enjoy yourself and spend what you wanted to. If you play to win you cannot win because you will try to win £50, get to £100 and then put the invincible cloak on and aspire for more, and more until WALLOP, a inevitable white knuckle ride of tilt. 

 

I am not a businessman, nor do I wish to be, I am a gambler who enjoys the risk in life, and will always be this way. If i took risks on stocks or business deals or bought and sold I would be seen as clever and wise, but if the deals went wrong or the stocks crashed it would be deemed 'unlucky' - ring any bells lol. 

 

Life for each and every person is different because of the hand we are dealt and the cards that we change over the time will change our direction in life and some believe our destiny. Some people have the cruelest starts in life and some do not even make it, and that there are no words for, but we all do what we can, the best we can.

 

Our minds are influenced everyday, more than we know. We collect our nectar points or get our social media fixes, not knowing that the spoon feeding background influences are already underway, the prompts that we see, as we carry on our normal day to day lives.

 

With mention above of kids gambling etc, it is something I enjoyed as I was growing up but fruits were cool and appealing to lots of us youngsters back then, as were video games IN THE ARCADE, not at home as the arcade games were cutting edge. Time has revolved and OK, although our old machines will naturally not be much of an appeal to a young person as a DOND will be, the young players are very few and far between, and declining.

 

My view is that there is still a place for the 10p £5 machine, as if its a well coded game, its a fun machine and worthy of being pay to play with much smaller risk to a young person. 25 years ago a £5 was worth winning and I was winning them, but now a £5 win is almost laughable, but still the activity of gambling is as delicate as other things. Now that over 16's on fruits or must be accompanied by an adult is a good move, and still allows enjoyment for a family if they want to actually engage in an activity that is supposed treated and taken to be fun.

 

Mentioned on a post also was our percentages, we do run all of our games on high % and even the £5 stuff on is on 90% on many games because one it keeps losses minimal and another reason is it does put FUN back into the machines.

 

Most of our players are people that come from all of the UK, but as even local people try us they see the difference in gameplay and see its fun. Again, I do not ignore that some take it too far and it can become an issue. We do engage with our players because its our passion and often their passion too, so to meet fellow minded people makes this journey for us worthwhile.

 

As my youngest daughter has just woken up (AGAIN) I will have to cut this short, mind you I have probably bored you all by now, but to summarise..

 

I don't think that there is a 'one size fits all' answer to anything in the world, and nor should there be. We can blame the fruits, the lottery, the horses, the pools, the football acca's or we can blame ourselves if we go too deep, for me the issue will lie with me if I lose XX.XX on something. When I had a flutter online, and I spent my credit cards as angry/frustrated as I was, it was my own fault (and btw I detest online gambling) but I always look to take a positive from a negative, then it becomes a neutral, I realised the danger that IF I owned a house I could lose my house IN my house! For me that was no longer something I could look as enjoyment. Perhaps it being on a screen made it too easy to spend the money, I do not know but these fingers that are typing this now are the ones that did it, taking direction from my brain, so I did it, knowing I should of stopped, but the greed of the chase and ME not listening to my own advice made me play to win, and of course if you PLAY TO WIN, you CANNOT win, because your will always want more. I could argue that the stakes were too high or prize were beyond my dreams, but I chose to play it and chose to keep spending.

 

Set youself a limit, be it booze, gambling, eating or collecting things (just as addictive btw and can be as costly often confused with investing but we all do it) and if you can't then its not for you. If its not fun then time to sort it as we have one life, we have to have fun. One thing though, we come in with nothing and we go out with nothing and the worst addiction in life is being addicted to money. You cannot be rich in life and rich in money and I once knew somebody that was so poor that all he had in life was money.

 

All the best all and no intentions whatsoever to offend or upset, life is too short, and be assured I write this as a player not an 'operator' which I hate to be branded, but as a fellow player of life, I bid you farewell,

 

Dave aka Mr P's Classic Amusements

[vectra666]

Very well written and very true, I've never met you and from what I've heard you're a top bloke, You run a business and of course you make a profit, who in business wouldn't, but you care for your customers by offering higher %'s on your games. Too me that's what a proper business is. You treat the customer well and they'll treat you well.

[jon2007]

Plenty Cat C's on a multi terminal.

That's ture most are older games though not the new ones the last fruit machine has gone now and got the new ipub 3 big screen but it's only got paypack that joker type one forgotton the name of it the rest are just video be nice to see some new cat c 3 reel on screen but don't think that will happen

[CharlieRaymondo]

I totally agree with you Dave. I use to empty numerous machines back in the day and the first was Barcrests Jolly Taverner, which by turning it off and on really quickly gave you 9 credits each time(most barcrests did this across the board back then i.e. Take Two, Cash Zone, Cloud 999 etc). Use to use a little electrical gadget and put it in the refill keyhole and give it baby electrical charges until it gave unlimited credits or completely emptied all tubes(you never had control which the machine would do)!!

I travelled the country and even got arrested for naturally emptying machines which I've mentioned before in another thread but nothing ever stuck because I wouldn't show them how it was done(incriminate myself lol, yeah right lol)!!

If I knew then what I knew now I would of been out everyday instead of a few days a week and could of easily made between £3000-£5000 a week but being young and dumb decided to waste the years by giving my mates dough, buying takeaways and blowing it on pathetic useless shit.

On another note, I haven't been into an arcade for months then Emulation came into my life by watching Degsys videos on you tube. Went into a seaside arcade a couple of weeks ago and played my usual Bar X 7even £25 Jackpot and after losing £45 I told it to f*** off as I was heading back to the caravan for a drink and some Emulation(I would usually play until I got a least a Jackpot or two which, in most circumstances, would end up in a loss of £100+) I'm done with arcades and would rather donate to these sites so I can play golden numbers like Bell Fruits Super Nudge Gambler £1 Jackpot(f*****g love it)!!

I have a great business now and a good family life and would never flush it down the toilet by lining the pockets of the greedy arcade owners(Dave from Mr P's excluded obviously).

Well that is my history and hope I haven't bored anyone. On a closing note I will say that everyone from Admin, layout creators, members and by no way will I miss out the great wizardry of Wizard with his emulators. Finally, a massive thanks to Degsy aka Chopaholic and all at DIF, Dads FME and The Mecca.

Love and Peace......

C

[meme3]

Some of the 10p/£5 rely on Deal or No Deal, and the problem is that the percentage is 70%, meaning you're not winning much of a large sum.