Posts Tagged ‘Gumball’

What an illegal crane machine looks like

Now everyone knows what an illegal vending machine looks like I want to provide you with the actual legal verbiage to back it up.  First I want you to know that I have had a friend tell me that when you ad dollar to the prize that it is a bonus prize. For example he would have a pile of stickers from his sticker machines that would not sell. He created a display that had various stickers and tattoos on them along with the photo of a $1 dollar bill and a $5 dollar bill.

Next he would place a $1 dollar bill in with the sticker that would vend first. He says when they win a dollar on the first try they know that there is real money in there. He would place another dollar a little ways up and then he would place the $5 dollar bill in the middle of the stack and then another $1 dollar bill at the top of the stack.

I do not know how many of you have seen the inside of a sticker machine but they hold nearly a box of stickers at a time if you fill it up that much. He would empty the stack every single time he set machines up like this. His crappy stickers and tattoos are still today his best selling item when they are setup in this fashion.

The problem is that he is too stubborn to change his ways. This works for him and he makes money and that seems to be the underlining factor. I beg all of you not to be so stubborn and it will protect you and your assets as you accumulate them from your vending machine business.

Whether you have spiral gumball machines with a few capsules that have a small piece of gum with $5, $10, $20 dollar bills wrapped around them they are still bad news and could ruin your source of revenue.

Now to the law as it pertains to those of you with me in California.

Bureau Of Gambling Control – Number 10 Law Enforcement Advisory

Illegal Gambling Devices

California’s gambling device statutes are broad in their coverage and prohibit any person from owning, renting, or possessing illegal gambling devices. (Penal Code, 330a, 330b, 330.1.) An illegal gambling device has three features:

1. It is a machine, apparatus, or device (Coin operation is not required);
2. Something of value is given to play the device
3. The player has the opportunity to receive something of value be any element of hazard or chance (“something of value “ is not limited to coins, bills, or tokens, gift cards, game credits, or anything else with a value, monetary or otherwise.) (Penal Code, 330a, 330b (d). )

In addition, if a device can readily be converted to have the features of an illegal gambling device, (as listed in 1, 2, and 3 above), it is an illegal device. (Penal Code, 330b (d). )

As an additional example, a coin pusher is an illegal gambling device, whether or not it purports to have an element of skill, because the player can win coins by playing.

There is a very big Southern California crane machine operator that has dozens and dozens of crane machines like the machine we took a picture of.   He convinces his locations with a piece of paper that he has on the side of the machine that it is a game of skill and not chance and is therefore exempt from the California Bureau of Gambling Control. One day he and his location owners may regret treading down that path.

Gumball vending bear

Hand carved red wood bear gumball machine

Gumball Machine

Good day to everyone in the vending world at How2vend! I was able to visit a really awesome shop today in Paso Robles, Ca and I cannot wait to share with you guys what I found gumball.  I found the most unique gumball vending machine that you will ever find in the world. This machine is hand carved out of wood by “Johnny” Daniels of Daniels Woodland.

Daniels Woodland is based in Paso Robles wine country on the Central Coast of California. What they specialize in is Tree Houses for the rich and famous.  As I discovered myself these tree houses are not like any other tree house that I have ever seen in my life. Johnny took me back in time to the clear cutting logging days. “When logging redwoods is what they would do is climb about 10 or so feet above the ground and “notch” the tree to place a board on. They would do that on either side of the trunk and have two lumberjacks climb up the trunk to the boards and cut the tree’s down.” Johnny explained.  Decades later those trunks still remain. Daniels Woodland will harvest those trunks. Many of those harvested redwood trees have trunks with a diameter of 30 feet or more.  “We have a 7’ chainsaw that we use to core out the middle of the trunks.” Johnny said.  After the trunk is cored they will stand the trunk up and cut a hole for the entry way. Then they build the most wonderful tree house with any type of amenities that you could think of. “Running water, electricity, and really your heart’s desire” Johnny said.  You will have to visit their website at Danielswoodland.com to get a look for yourself. They sell these tree houses to U.S. Policy makers and professional sports team owners. They do ship them all over the world. However, tree houses are not the only things they build. They do themes for movies and create the most amazing coin op shooting galleries around.

Johnny’s brother and partner Ron has operated vending machines for years and had always wanted to create a coin op shooting gallery.  Ron also inspired Johnny to hand carve the gumball bear that is pictured above.  This gumball vending machine in unlike any other vending machine I have every operated or laid my eyeballs on.  “This is just the type of machine that just really attracts people. It is unlike anything most people have ever laid their eyes on except at a place like Disneyland. At 6’ and hand carve out of one piece of wood you could imagine the sales we have made with this machine.” Ron said.  They tested the gumball vending bear at the local fair the past 2 consecutive years and could not keep gumballs in the machine. “We had fill the bear with an entire box of gumballs twice a day.” Ron explained. For those who are new to vending a box of gumballs is from 850-950 gumballs and every single one sells for a quarter. “ Next year we are going to place some green apple gumballs in the machine and change the coin mech so the machine vends at .50 cents instead of .25 cents. “ Ron explained.  “The foot traffic was there and we just want to protect our profit margins in such a tough economy. It is far better to gain more income with less.” Ron said.

These gumball vending bears are incredible and really bring a special element to the vending world.  I think a lot of vending machine operators really try sticking to the norm in a lot of ways capping revenue. These bears are a great way of adding a really unique money making element that all of us vending machine operators can learn from.  Worst case scenario we can all ad one of these machines to our routes.

Have a great day Vendors,

Randall

How2vend.com