The continued rise of the pachislo slot machine

At first glance, the pachislos, pronounced PATCH-ee-slows, seem to be just like their American counterparts – cheap and slightly tacky, the kind you would expect to find in any Las Vegas casino. However, to the trained eye, there are plenty of variations.

Rather than operating on currency, the machines only take tokens and the success of the game depends on the skill of the player rather than a game of chance. Below each spinning wheel is a button that stops it manually, allowing a pachislo player to hone their skills by learning to hit the button at the right moment. 

The lure of the machines could be due to the fact that they are exempt from most states’ laws barring home ownership of gambling equipment, although it is more likely to be the LCD screens which feature on the newer models, on which elaborate video-game-style narratives play out. Or perhaps it’s the kitsch styling such as colourful anime-style graphics, ear-splitting sound effects and unfortunate Japanese approximations of American themes like “Rambo” and “Harley-Davidson that has led to fans importing the machines from Japan.

Whatever the reason for its popularity, there are collectors all across America who are prepared to pay $250 for a basic model. Rita Schack of Pearland, Texas, who made about $10,000 importing and selling pachislo machines last year on her web site, BlueHotaru.com, said “once I found out the technology that goes into them and the great music they play and the flashing lights and the LCD videos they play, I just fell in love with them.” 

She added: “The only problem now is fitting them in the house.”