When Pinball Was a Crime: The Outlaw Days of the Silver Ball

Today, pinball sits in the nostalgia corner of bars, arcades, and even living rooms. You drop a few quarters into The Mandalorian machine or Jurassic Park and chase multiball glory without a second thought. But not too long ago, that same silver ball was treated like contraband.

The Pinball “Prohibition”

In the 1930s and 40s, early pinball didn’t look like what we know now. There were no flippers—just a plunger, some pins, and gravity. Players would launch the ball and hope it landed in the right slot. Because payouts were often involved, lawmakers lumped pinball in with slot machines. To them, it wasn’t an arcade game; it was a racket.

Smash First, Ask Questions Never

New York’s Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia made it personal. He claimed pinball robbed children of their lunch money and funded organized crime. In 1942, he ordered police to raid arcades, seize machines, and smash them with sledgehammers. Photographs show officers grinning as they dumped cabinets into the Hudson River. Los Angeles and Chicago had their own bans too, treating pinball like a back-alley vice.

The Courtroom Skill Shot

The turning point came in 1976. Roger Sharpe, a competitive pinball player, was brought into a New York courtroom to prove pinball was a game of skill. Under oath, he “called his shot” on a specific lane—then made it, like Babe Ruth pointing to the stands. The demonstration convinced the court, and the decades-long ban finally flipped to “Game On.”

From Outlaw to Icon

Fast forward, and pinball is now celebrated as a mix of design, engineering, and art. Machines like Stranger Things, Godzilla, and The Mandalorian are massive draws, blending old-school mechanical charm with modern lights, screens, and sound. What was once trashed in rivers is now collected, restored, and worshipped.

The Irony

Pinball’s outlaw reputation only made it cooler. It went from “menace to society” to “retro-chic,” and today, pinball leagues are thriving worldwide. The same game that once required police raids now has world championships livestreamed online.

The pinball saga also echoes in today’s gambling debates. Just as flippers turned pinball into a “game of skill” and opened the door for its legalization, modern gambling machines often weave in skill-based elements—think bonus rounds that reward reflexes or decision-making. In states that outlaw pure games of chance, this distinction creates a legal pathway for certain types of play. What was once a silver ball bouncing through pins now serves as a blueprint for how skill and chance continue to blur. So if you're in a state that normally outlaws gambling online, you can actually safely, legally, and securely engage in games of chance. We recommend sites like Sugar Shack Games, Reel Lucky U, Play Sweeps Now Casino, Sweepstakes Online, and Bovada Casino . Keep it safe fun, and follow us for more interesting gambling stories.