eBay will not generally permit the listing of coin-operated slot machines on its website. The sale or even ownership of coin-operated slot machines is regulated or forbidden in a number of states, even for personal in-home use. The laws are often complex and may subject violators to criminal penalties. To see any exceptions to this policy, please expand the Examples section below.
Violations of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:
Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status
There are three exceptions to the slot machine policy:
Antique slot machines: Generally, slot machines that are at least 25 years old may be listed on eBay, provided that the seller explicitly states the age of the machine in the listing. However, buyers and sellers in the following states may not participate in antique slot machine sales due to laws prohibiting slot machine ownership in their state: Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Tennessee. A few states require that slot machines be even older to qualify for antique status, but a few allow more recent machines. So check your local laws to ensure that your transaction is lawful in your area. Please note that replica coin-operated slot machines that are operable and are less than 25 years old may not be listed on eBay.
Non-coin-operated slot machines: Non-coin-operated slot machines: Slot machines that do not accept or pay out coins or currency may be listed on eBay regardless of their age, and buyers from all states may participate in these sales.
Non-functional slot machines: Machines that were never functional but made solely for display may be listed on eBay. In addition, coin-operated slot machines that have been permanently altered so that they will not accept any coin or slot and cannot be converted into an operational slot machine may be listed without restriction.
All listings for antique slot machines must include the following text:
"Due to laws regulating the sale of antique slot machines, I, as the seller, will not sell to members in the states of Alabama, Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Bids from members residing in any of these states will be cancelled. Buy It Now transactions with buyers residing in these states will be considered void."
Why does eBay have this policy?
eBay urges its sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations. Since the sale (and ownership) of slot machines is prohibited by some state laws, or may cause harm to eBay or its members, sellers are generally not permitted to list them on eBay.
