Ive always lived in a seaside holiday town, and growing up the arcade was a place for youngsters to hang out all day and evening. I used to go there everyday to meet my mates, anytime of the day you will find at least one of your mates in there, its a small town lol. Gambling was the norm for us and i used to win a fair amount of money just by hanging around all day watching the emmits lose all there money and walk off as soon as a machine was starting to pay out. That was until there was a change in the Taxes or something (johnny will no what i mean) and that all disappeared as the percentages were altered to pay the extra tax. Many a time i could walk in with 10p and leave with enough money for a smoke
and a good feed. It really was our only social place to go, we would score in there, drugs and women lol basically do everything in there. Lose all our dole money,wages,birthday christmas monies etc and it took me years to stop playing the bloody things, i had to avoid going near the place because as soon as i said oh just a pound it soon turned into a fiver and then i wouldnt leave until i was skint. We knew all the tricks, some legal some very very illegal lol having friends who worked there was very profitable aswell
Ive heard from many poker players who did the same some even as there main income years ago.
Just glad im away from there now with no interest in going in at all, well i am in my 30s lol but walking past you still see some of the old faces of all ages.