Amusement arcade
This article or subsequent section is not sufficiently supported by evidence (e.g., anecdotal evidence). Information without sufficient evidence may be removed in the near future. Please help Wikipedia by researching the information and adding good supporting evidence.
This article or paragraph presents the situation in Germany. Help describe the situation in other countries.
An amusement arcade, gaming arcade, in Switzerland gaming parlor - in intended approximation to licensed casinos also casino (e.g. big cash casino, slot machine casino) - is the name given to establishments in which various types of slot machines and video games are offered to customers of legal age. In the past, the customer paid for each of several game attempts individually by inserting one or more coins into the corresponding machine. Meanwhile, in current slot machines, banknotes are common as a means of payment, so that one can deposit a larger balance right away. Gaming arcades made a turnover of 5.48 billion euros throughout Germany in 2018.
History
The first arcades appeared as early as the late 19th century, see Penny Arcade (gambling house).
Statistics
In 2016, there were 9,102 arcade locations in Germany with 14,877 licensed arcades and 155,075 gaming machines, representing a decrease of approximately 2% compared to 2014. In 2018, the supply reduced again, to 8,836 sites, 13,666 licences and 143,525 amusement machines. Gaming halls are subject to the gaming machine tax or gaming amusement tax, the amount of which varies from municipality to municipality. The revenue from gaming machine tax increased significantly in recent years from €201 million (2006) to €1,071 million (2018). In 2019, the gaming machine tax amounted to 997 million euros.
In December 2019, the EU Commission opened a formal state aid investigation against Germany for alleged financial aid to WestSpiel after an investigation found that casinos are in direct competition with gaming arcades.
Questions and Answers
Q: What is an amusement arcade?
A: An amusement arcade is a place where people play arcade games, such as video games, pinball machines, and slot machines.
Q: When were "penny arcades" first introduced, and what kind of games did they have?
A: "Penny arcades" were introduced in the nineteenth century and had game machines called "bagatelles," which were similar to billiards and pinball.
Q: How long were penny arcades popular, and what replaced them around the 1950s?
A: Penny arcades were popular at amusement parks and fairs until around the 1950s. They were often replaced by more modern games of chance and skill such as shooting galleries.
Q: What was introduced in amusement arcades in the late 1970s, and when were they most popular?
A: Videos were introduced in amusement arcades in the late 1970s. They were most popular during the early 1980s.
Q: Who did arcades become popular with?
A: Arcades became popular with young people.
Q: Why did many video arcades begin closing in the late 1990s?
A: Many video arcades began closing in the late 1990s as the technology of home video game consoles began to rival and eventually exceed that of arcade games.
Q: Where are video arcades still popular today?
A: Video arcades are still popular in Japan, where they are called game centers.
