In July 2014, Oakland's City Council voted to decriminalize pinball. For many hobbyists and operators, this was long-awaited, but for casual players, the lifting of the ban raises more questions than it answers.
Oakland was one of the last major cities to drop its ban; after New York City lifted its restrictions in 1976, most municipalities followed suit. In Oakland's case, the City Council’s efforts to criminalize internet sweepstakes cafes reacquainted them with the ban, which began after the repeal of Prohibition.
In the 1930s and 1940s, pinball machines had a plunger, a few holes with varying point values, and not much else. It wasn’t the immersive playing experience it is today, but it was good for gambling — an activity the government was cracking down on at the time.
Police and politicians staged photo ops depicting themselves smashing pinball machines; in New York, confiscated machines were melted down to make bullets and police nightsticks. According to Michael Scheiss, director of the Pacific Pinball Museum, Oakland police would "gift" confiscated machines to Alameda officers.
As pinball went underground, designers introduced features like flippers and add-a-ball that transformed it from a game of chance into one with rapid strategy played for its own sake. It’s very likely these changes afforded the game some reprieve, as the pinball business flourished.
In 1976, pinball designer and author Roger Sharpe gave a demonstration to the New York City Council to show that players don't rely on luck, inspiring a repeal of their ban.
Even today, jurisdictions vary; Cambridge, MA requires 500 square feet of space for each machine, arcades in Connecticut are limited to four pinball machines each, and San Francisco requires special permits. Courts have upheld the right of local governments to confiscate pinball machines and their earnings in the event of a failure to pay taxes.
In 2017 Oakland, pinball can help promote nightlife and give bar owners a little something extra to help with the rent. Players who visit a bar with pinball typically play each machine multiple times at 75 cents to $1 per play.
A tournament of 16 people playing 4 rounds generates around $56 of quarters in less than two hours, not including beer, pizza, or extra games before or after league play. Some leagues, like Belles and Chimes in Oakland and Mission Pinball Club in SF, have seasons comprising several weeks.
According to PinballMap, a database for players to find pinball games, at least 14 establishments in Oakland have pinball machines. Here's a look at some of Oakland's best places to try out your panic flip.
