- This page is for coin operated machines. For the webcomic, see Penny Arcade (comic); for the performance artist, see Penny Arcade (performer).
A penny arcade can be any type of venue for coin operated devices, usually for entertainment. This included early forms of pinball and fortune telling machinery of the 1930s. Vending machines may also be considered in this category.
The earliest penny arcades from the nineteenth century had machines called bagatelles—a game combining pinball and billiards. Later, penny arcade machines evolved more similar to modern pinball.
Another form of machine found in penny arcades were "peep show" machines which allowed the viewer to see various views of objects and later moving pictures. Slot machines, love testers, fortune teller machines and other coin operated devices were found in such venues.
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