WTH Kokomo?

[pmpmstrb]

Looking for some other info about Kokomo Parks I came across this little nugget of WTH?.

Title XIII Chapter 130. Apparently pinball machines are illegal in Kokomo.

130.05 PINBALL MACHINES PROHIBITED.
(A) For the purpose of this section, "PINBALL MACHINE" shall mean
an amusement device that consists of a glass-topped cabinet in which a
ball propelled by a plunger rolls down a slanting surface among an
arrangement of pins and targets with each contact between ball and
target scoring a number of points indicated by a system of electric
lights in which the player deposits a coin in the provided place for
such purpose before commencing, and from which, if the player succeeds
in bringing about the prescribed result or score within an allotted
number of shots or balls which the player receives for the coins
deposited, the player is permitted a replay of the machine or is
entitled to some other reward.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to operate, permit to be
operated, or permit to be offered or available for operation, any
pinball machine.
('75 Code, ' 16-6) Penalty, see ' 130.99

130.99 GENERAL PROVISIONS PENALTIES
(A) Curfew violation penalty
(B) Smoking in City Hall penalty
(C) Whoever violates any provision of this title for which no
penalty is otherwise provided, shall be fined not more than $1,000. A
separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day that a violation
occurs or continues.

 

[Scutter01]

When I lived in Michigan, some towns prohibited private ownership of pinball machines (although some businesses could get waivers), classifying them as "public nuisances". They used some crap about them being "mechanical gambling devices" as an excuse since that would make them fall under the same category as slot machines. You'll note that all you have to do to get around the rule is to disable the "free replay" option, and most pinball machines built in the last 25 years have a user-selectable switch on the board for that specific reason.

I think the real reason was to cut down on the number of "pool hall" type places.