Why was the maximum payout 12d?

[coin-op]

Although gambling was illegal, it seems that levels of policing and enforcement varied. There seems to have been a degree of complicity between operators and authorities to the extent that machines could exist and thrive to some extent. In fact, some operators received notice of intended raids and replaced their operating stock with discarded obsolete machines so that the authorities removed these machines and so did not damage the operators business. Basically, strictly it all seems to come down to whether the game is a game of chance (where you have no real control over the outcome) or a game of skill (where the outcome is strongly within your control) - but in each case the answer really depended on the attitudes and interpretation by the local authorities and courts. However, if you look at something like the Little Stockbroker (circa 1930) you will see that although it looked to be a random outcome game (i.e. a bandit), in fact, it operated on a set sequence. This was intended both to get round the prohibition on gambling and to prove attractive to the operator. Unfortunately, authorities held that even this machine fell foul of the prohibition on gambling. If you look even earlier, it seems that even clown catchers and similar machines were viewed ambivalently by the authorities. Even though some machines carried a 'Judge Scrutton' notice, which cited a case where this type of machine had been held to be legal, they were still occasionally hauled away. So, in truth, operators could never be sure that any gambling game would bring them trouble or not, or that any perceived game of skill would see them steer clear of trouble.

[badpenny]

............ as already commented "Yes, games that were not pure chance were illegal" That was half the fun, you were doing something slightly dodgy. An operator I knew on Paignton Pier had a sign that said something along the lines of: -
"Beat the gambling laws of Great Britain, you are now leaving the mainland, play my machines on the pier, no passport needed!"
If anyone remembers the exact wording I'd be interested. He also packed in the business when it became legal in 60, as it took away the shadiness and he (incorrectly predicted) the future. It's rumoured that instead of carrying the heavy ones off when he vacated that he just dumped them over the railing at high tide! I suspect also he didn't have the money to invest in the new fangled bandits winging in from Japan.
How times have changed think of all the laws in GB now that nobody wouldn dream of transgressing and are strictly adhered to like: -
70 mph speed limit
Insuring your car
Selling/using marijuana cocaine
Ripping off somebody else's motor
Stealing TV's & DVD's then returning 3 months later to do it again
Drunk driving
Mugging
Soliciting via cards in phone boxes
Strapping a bomb to your back then claiming it was never intended to explode when it fails
............ oops mustn't get political! Sorry!

[cheeky]

Fine replies gentlemen. I had no idea that bandits being operated in the 50s were generally illegal. I've been trying to dig out some of the old pictures of bandits being operated in the arcades but have a mound of paperwork to sort through first. In any case, I am sure there were pictures in Mr Braithwaites book, the name of which escapes me.
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Now here comes the crippler.............
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If the maximum that could be paid out was 12 times the original amount, how come all 6D bandits pay-out 18 coins (and have a jackpot) while all 1D bandits pay-out just 12 coins?

[operator bell]

how come all 6D bandits pay-out 18 coins (and have a jackpot) while all 1D bandits pay-out just 12 coins?

Club machines (membership required, 24 hour waiting period) did not have the same restrictions as arcade machines and could pay out at least 50 pounds. There were plenty of 6D pub machines subject to the 12 times rule - they generally paid out 5 shillings (10 coins) - but the collectible ones are mostly club machines.

[malcymal]

I remember my dad coming home with loads of 6d coins after winning the jackpot at the local police station bar. He said that all the coppers used to stick a candy stick up the shoot when they hit the main pot displayed in the glass then pulling the handle to get the small secondary pot that sat above it. Going to the 'clubhouse' was awesome, you could win £50, a huge amount of money then. By the way I am a newbie to the forum, hello there everybody, bear with me if I waffle. My remembering of restricted jackpots were at the local arcades, I had a misspent youth and used to make my pocket money by hanging around the coin pushers armed with a bag of pennies to win when they were fully primed. 10p cash was a weeks pocket money for me, if you won 10p on a bandit you had made it big time. Later years I remember everything over 50pence paid in tokens, which you would exchange for goods (I used to get two packs of fags, a 1lb of sugar or a majorette die-cast toy if i was feeling cheerful) and sell them to my mum and dad. Bally gold award tokens were the rage. I then remember the shock of the £1 cash jackpot, changing to £2 tokens. Oh that was heaven. When the machine stake went from 1 pence to 2pence, my god, that was risky. Interesting topic, I really enjoyed your responses.

[badpenny]

I remember my dad coming home with loads of 6d coins after winning the jackpot at the local police station bar. He said that all the coppers used to stick a candy stick up the shoot when they hit the main pot displayed in the glass then pulling the handle to get the small secondary pot that sat above it.

You can't possibly be suggesting that the bastions of law & order in this fair and sceptic isle have been known to stoop so high as to wangle the ....... No! ........I must have misread that completely ........

[malcymal]

I remember my dad coming home with loads of 6d coins after winning the jackpot at the local police station bar. He said that all the coppers used to stick a candy stick up the shoot when they hit the main pot displayed in the glass then pulling the handle to get the small secondary pot that sat above it.

You can't possibly be suggesting that the bastions of law & order in this fair and sceptic isle have been known to stoop so high as to wangle the ....... No! ........I must have misread that completely ........

Ha ha....of course not, honest guv. Father, what did you do? rest in peace old fella.