{"id":24098,"date":"2020-09-05T17:30:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-05T22:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=24098"},"modified":"2023-03-22T06:32:13","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T11:32:13","slug":"whats-the-deal-with-slot-machines-and-gas-stations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/whats-the-deal-with-slot-machines-and-gas-stations\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s The Deal With Slot Machines And Gas Stations?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you ever wondered why there are so many slot machines<\/a> at gas stations? With so many of them found at UK motorway services and US gas stations, they\u2019re pretty hard to miss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever been curious about just how many there are in total, then you\u2019re not the only one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s why we decided to collect data on gas stations with slot machines in the US and the UK, then plot them on a map for the world to see. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out our infographics below and keep scrolling to discover why spinning the reels and topping up your gas go hand in hand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which US States Allow Slot Machines\nAt Gas Stations?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Map<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Across the 50 US states, only two \u2014 Hawaii\nand Utah \u2014 ban all forms of gambling. Of the remaining 48 states, just 15 have\ngas stations with slot machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include Illinois, Virginia and\nNew York, which lead the way as the states with the most station slots with\n1,894, 1,685 and 1,011 respectively. You won\u2019t be short of slots to play in the\ncenter-east and east of the country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other states that offer gas station\nslots include, unsurprisingly, gambling mecca Nevada with 632 official machines\nat our last count, as well as Georgia, Arizona, South Dakota and even Texas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Missouri, Illinois\u2019 neighbor, is\nplaying catch-up with just three so far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which UK Service Stations Have Slot\nMachines?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
\n
\"Map
A map of every UK service station with slot machines. NB: Excludes Northern Ireland.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

When it comes to the UK there are no state laws governing slot machines, so there\u2019s a much more even distribution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although, the majority are clustered\nwithin close driving distance of England\u2019s biggest cities such as London,\nBirmingham, Manchester and Leeds on busy driving routes, for obvious reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a much smaller place than the US,\nyou\u2019re more likely to come across a slot machine on your travels in the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And the main operators that host the\nmachines include Moto, Roadchef and Welcome Break service stations, which cover\nmajor motorway routes such as the M1, M4 and M6 at destinations like Derby,\nNottingham, Newcastle, and Swansea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These three operators have a\nmonopoly, accounting for 73 of around 85 stations with slots, according to our\ncalculations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moto edges out its closest competitors with 32 known premises with machines. But there\u2019s a good chance that if you stop at any of these services, you\u2019ll find a gambling game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slots Are Big Business<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We wanted to know why are there so many slot machines at service stations and truck stops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our research reveals that there are a\nwhopping 7,237 slot machines installed across 112,781 surveyed gas stations in\nthe US. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While in the UK you can find service\nstations with slot machines stretching from Scotland to the very bottom tip of\nEngland, past Plymouth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what\u2019s behind the surge in\npopularity of petrol pumps with gambling games to play?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Service stations are places people\ntypically stop at for only a short amount of time. This means stations needs to\nmake maximum money from their customers in the shortest time span possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So as well as offering fuel, food and\ndrinks, it makes sense for them to provide quick hits of entertainment with easy\n\u2018games\u2019 for fast fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Customers spin the reels, and spend on them, while they wait for friends having a bathroom break or to recharge their batteries before hitting the road. It\u2019s an effective way for roadside services to make money in a short window of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy to get bored while you\u2019re at a gas station, but installing slots may mean these \u2018pitstops\u2019 keep customers around for a little longer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while you play, you fork out more for snacks and beverages, just like in a casino. And you may even spend your winnings there too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Bit Of A Gamble?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While the majority of drivers passing through will play service station slot machines as a quick fix for boredom, and to have fun, there are also those who suffer from gambling addictions<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So gas station slots are\ncontroversial, in that they offer another distraction or temptation in a\nsurprising location, away from the bright lights of physical casinos and games\narcades where players with problems would expect to find \u2014 and stay away from \u2014\nslot machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have also been reports in the\nUK of drug dealers using slots, or fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) to launder\nmoney by converting large amounts of cash into virtual money and then back\nagain, with receipts to prove the currency comes from gambling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the UK has recently\nintroduced curbs on stakes to help tackle this and other slots-related issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, as ever, we say play sensibly, safely and for fun. And remember to have gambling awareness in mind the next time you take a road trip and stop off for some slots action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something similar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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