MANCERA: Experiencing 'Gray Machines' compared to casino gaming first hand
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At first glance from the outside, Lucky Arcade Skilled Games seemed like it was trying to go under the radar while at the same time lighting up its entrance with a disco ball.
This was my first stop on my fortune-seeking adventure, for which I was provided with a crisp $100 budget as part of the Bristol Herald Courier reporting project into the growing number of “Gray Machine” skill game rooms across Virginia. My second stop would be trying my luck at the slot machines at the Bristol Casino.
I was accompanied by Emily Ball, the Bristol Herald Courier’s photographer, when we entered Lucky Arcade Skilled Games. The first thing that stood out to me was that no one asked us for any ID. In fact, it seemed that aside from a few cameras and a sign that said, “Be Kind,” the only security was an individual who enthusiastically greeted us at the entrance.
I was glad to see that none of his enthusiasm dissipated when we revealed we were with the Herald Courier and asked if it was OK to take pictures. By the time I sat down, however, several of the patrons, who had been compulsively trying their luck, made their way to the exits.
To the background tune of Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer,” I relied on the wisdom of a regular who taught me the ins and outs of how to spread your luck like peanut butter on toast, sparingly but without missing a spot.
During the time Emily and I spent at Lucky Arcade Skilled Games, we learned through conversations about the subtle differences within the machines themselves that keep regulars coming back. They explained the Gray Machines are less expensive than the slot machines one finds at the casino, which allows for more spins per dollar. I also observed a clear friendship between the person in charge and the regulars who stayed behind.
I spent $40 of my allotted $100 at Lucky Arcade Skilled Games and left having earned $60 to the glee of the man in charge, who exclaimed, “I am glad you are leaving with a smile!”
Day two of my new life as a fortune seeker took me to the Bristol Casino, where upon entering the establishment, I was immediately asked for my ID by a security guard, who also asked me to take off my glasses so that the cameras could scan my face.
As I walked around trying to take in the full sensory overload of the pinging of slot machines, fortune wheels, and roulettes, mixed in with the cries of glee or disappointment at the results from small pockets of fortune seekers, who would gather around an individual and share in their emotions. Everywhere I walked, the smell of cigarettes followed.
Once I walked around the casino floor a couple of times, I finally sat down and played my first game. I lost $20 in less than three minutes. It was clear to me at that point that the stakes were raised. The second game I played, with the earnings from the previous day, went so well that when I cashed out and walked away, I saw out of the corner of my eye an individual swooped in to continue what I had started.
It was not until the third slot machine game, which was a Wizard of Oz-themed game that I truly started encountering all sorts of bonuses and combos. My remaining $40 soon became $117. The more time I spent sitting and clicking the button, the more routine it started to feel.
While on this yellow brick road, a fellow fortune seeker began regaling me about their past exploits and highlighted that they had yet to encounter such success on their current journey. Looking at where I was, they recommended I call it a day. I decided to take their advice and cashed out.
In total, I went from an initial budget at the start of my fortune-seeking journey of $100 to $165.
There were a few things that stood out to me in relation to my fortune-seeking adventure. When it comes to the machines themselves, the unregulated Gray Machines seem to create an allure of control through more interactive play. However, there is no way to actually know how the machines are set up.
The clear contrast related to security is not ideal, and although an honor system seems to be working at Lucky Arcade Skilled Games, I would attribute it more to the charisma of the person in charge and his personal relationships, with the individuals who walk past the disco ball, than to a sign stating, “Be Kind.”
What is clear to me, in the end, is that it would have been very easy to continue. Time spent in the Bristol Casino and at the Lucky Arcade Skilled Games can start to feel secondary.
