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MECHANICAL DEVICES GENERALLY

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances tit. 13, ch. 267, art. VI
in effect

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.560 Definitions.

267.560. - Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall mean: Game of chance: Any mechanical amusement device which simulates a common gambling form, including but not limited to, poker, blackjack, craps, hi-lo, roulette, slot machines, though not offering any pecuniary award or gain to players, except games or devices licensed by the State of Minnesota as video games of chance under Minnesota Statutes Section 349.50 et seq. Machine: A mechanical amusement device. Mechanical amusement device: (a) A machine or contrivance, including "pinball" machines, which, upon the insertion of a coin, slug, other token, or paper currency, operates or may be operated as a game, contest or other amusement only and which contains no automatic payoff device for the return of money, coins, merchandise, checks, tokens or any other thing or item of value; provided, however, that such machine may be equipped to permit a free play or game. (b) Mechanical miniature pool tables, bowling machines, shuffleboards, electric rifle or gun ranges, miniature mechanical devices and games or amusements patterned after baseball, basketball, hockey and similar games and like devices, machines or games which may be played solely for amusement and not as gambling devices, and which devices or games are played by the insertion of paper currency, or coin, or at a fee fixed and charged by the establishment in which such devices or machines are located. (c) Mechanical amusement devices shall include all devices and machines described in (a) or (b) above, whether operated mechanically, electronically, by means of a video display, or by a combination thereof. Operator: A person engaged in the business of operating mechanical amusement devices. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.010; 85-Or-142, § 1, 7-26-85)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.570 License required.

267.570. - License required. No person shall engage in the business of operating any mechanical amusement device without being licensed under this article. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.020)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.580 Application for license.

267.580. - Application for license. Any person desiring to engage in the business of operating mechanical amusement devices shall apply in writing to the licensing official; such application shall contain the name of the applicant and, if a partnership or firm, the names of all partners or persons interested therein; if a corporation, the state of incorporation, the names of all officers and managers, together with the residence address of all persons named in the application, the business address of the applicant, and shall state whether or not any person named in the application has ever been convicted of any crime. Such application shall also contain the number of machines desired to be licensed and the location at which such machines will be kept and operated. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.030; 2013-Or-171, § 5, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.600 License fees.

267.600. - License fees. The annual operator's license fee shall be as established in Appendix J, License Fee Schedule. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.050; Ord. of 10-11-74, § 1; 77-Or-147, § 1, 7-15-77; 86-Or-041, § 1, 3-14-86; Pet. No. 251179, § 14; 12-29-89; 90-Or-014, § 1, 1-26-90; 91-Or-049, § 1, 3-29-91; 98-Or-046, § 1, 5-22-98; 2000-Or-101, § 1, 10-13-00; 2002-Or-023, § 1, 4-5-02; 2002-Or-075, § 8, 8-9-02)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.605 Location restricted.

267.605. - Location restricted. A mechanical device shall not be kept or operated on the premises of a store primarily engaged in the business of selling groceries. This shall not apply to any store which sells groceries as an incidental part of another business. (78-Or-136, § 1, 7-28-78; 81-Or-065, § 2, 3-27-81)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.610 When licenses expire.

267.610. - When licenses expire. Licenses issued under this article shall expire on November first of each year. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.060; 2009-Or-134, § 9, 11-13-09)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.620 Licensee's identification required on machines.

267.620. - Licensee's identification required on machines. (a) The licensee shall permanently affix, in a conspicuous place on each machine licensed under this article, his or her name and either address or telephone number and shall keep the same legible. (b) At the time a license is issued, the department of licenses and consumer services shall issue to the licensee a decal for each licensed machine. The decal shall show an assigned license number and the license year. Immediately after the issuance of the license, the licensee shall permanently and conspicuously affix the decal to the appropriate machine. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.070; 80-Or-197, § 1, 8-22-80; Pet. No. 251179, § 15, 12-29-89; 2013-Or-171, § 6, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.630 Transfer of machine location.

267.630. - Transfer of machine location. Any duly licensed machine may be transferred from one location to another upon due notice thereof being given in writing to the department of licenses and consumer services. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.080)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.640 Impounding of machines.

267.640. - Impounding of machines. Any machine found to be in noncompliance with section 267.620 of this article shall be impounded by the police department or the licensing official, and any impounded machine may be reclaimed by the owner within thirty (30) days from the date of impounding and upon the payment to the city of costs sufficient to defray the expense of impounding and storage, and any reclaimed machine shall not be used except upon compliance with the terms of this article. If the machine is not reclaimed within the thirty (30) days above specified, it may be destroyed or disposed of at the discretion of the licensing official. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.090; 80-Or-197, § 2, 8-22-80; 2005-Or-117, § 1, 11-18-05; 2013-Or-171, § 7, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.650 Replacement of lost decals.

267.650. - Replacement of lost decals. If a decal required by section 267.620 is lost or removed from the machine, the operator may obtain a replacement of the decal upon filing with the licensing official an affidavit setting forth the facts, and upon the payment of the fee as established in Appendix J, License Fee Schedule. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.100; 77-Or-147, § 1, 7-15-77; 80-Or-197, § 3, 8-22-80; 2002-Or-075, § 9, 8-9-02; 2013-Or-171, § 8, 12-6-13)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.670 Revocation of licenses.

267.670. - Revocation of licenses. In addition to other penalties, all licenses held by the operator may be revoked for any violation of this article. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.120)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.680 Multiple coins to increase odds prohibited.

267.680. - Multiple coins to increase odds prohibited. No mechanical amusement device shall be so constructed, maintained or operated as to be capable of taking additional currency, coins, slugs, or tokens for any one game in order to increase the odds or chances of winning game credits, replays, or points, or of obtaining a higher score. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.130; 85-Or-142, § 2, 7-26-85)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.690 Gambling prohibited.

267.690. - Gambling prohibited. No owner of any amusement device, or owner or operator of any establishment where such device is located, shall permit the same to be used for gambling or for the making of bets or wagers. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.140)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.710 Prizes in lieu of free games prohibited.

267.710. - Prizes in lieu of free games prohibited. No licensee or owner or operator of an establishment where any amusement device is located shall give any money, token, merchandise or any other thing of value or any reward or prize in lieu of free games registered on such device, and all free games so registered shall be played on the amusement device registering such free games, and there shall be no device on the machine whereby the operator can cancel registered free games. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 369.160)

Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 267.720 Placement limitations; games of chance.

267.720. - Placement limitations; games of chance. (a) No more than a total of two (2) games of chance, as defined in this article, and video games of chance, licensed by the State of Minnesota under Minnesota Statutes Section 349.50 et seq., may be operated in any location. (b) Games of chance may be operated only at licensed on-sale intoxicating liquor establishments. (85-Or-142, § 3, 7-26-85)
Source: City of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Code of Ordinances, City Charter and Park and Recreation Board Code of Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/mn/minneapolis/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_TIT13LIBURE_CH267AM_ARTVIMEDEGEFetched: 11/2/2026

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