Aussie Slot Collector Proposes Law Change after Charges, Fine

A vintage arcades and video games collector in Queensland, Australia, became the first person in the province to face charges under its 1991 Gaming Machine Act. The aforementioned law was established in order to combat illegal gambling and criminal activities related to the sector.

Yet, according to a report released by the Courier Mail, the person who was charged and subsequently fined, didn’t engage in any unlawful gambling activities. The vintage video and arcades game collector, Greg Selman, got into trouble with the law after he was found in possession of slot machines and various parts for those devices.

Last year, law enforcement raided the collector’s residence to uncover a total of 13 slots, known as pokies in the country. The machines varied in condition as some were disassembled for repair. During the raid, police uncovered only two pokies that were working. However, the authorities also seized software as well as slots components.

Selman’s hobby, as noted, revolved around vintage gaming devices. In his mancave, he would disassemble them, repair them and in some cases sell some of the machines that he owned. As a collector, he claimed to own the devices for entertainment only and said that the machines do not pay out any money.

The Collector Received a Fine

But as gambling devices even outside of working order or in parts, their possession is unlawful under the 1991 Gaming Machine Act in Queensland. As a result, Selman was charged for unlawful possession of a gaming machine. In addition, the collector faced two counts of possession of restricted gaming components.

Prosecutors called for the implementation of a sanction of AU$15,000 ($10,000). However, in the end, Selman was hit with an AU$4,000 ($2,600) fine without a sentence. Although the fine was lower than initially sought, it’s important to note that law enforcement seized devices and components costing approximately AU$20,000 ($13,300) from the collector’s home.

Magistrate Kyna Morice acknowledged that this is the first time a person is charged under the 1991 Gaming Machine Act. She added: “The ignorance of law is understandable, if one does a quick search of Facebook Marketplace, one finds many of these machines for sale.”

The Collector Proposed Changes to the Gambling Laws

Considering the charges and subsequent fine, Selman urged for changes in the aforementioned regulations that would permit collectors to own such gambling machines. Considering that they wouldn’t use them for commercial purposes and there are such machines already being sold freely on the market, the collector’s efforts effectively seek to protect others just like him.

In light of this, Selman launched a petition via change.org, explaining his case and encouraging Queensland residents to support his cause. Selman explained that the current regulations are “imprecise” and fail to determine the ownership and use of pokies or other gambling machines for private usage.

He wrote: “This results in private collectors being prosecuted and technically categorizes any crane machine in shopping centers as unlicensed.” Ultimately, Selman explained that the Gaming Machine Act requires a revision.