United Coin Machine

United Coin Machine Co. was an American gaming route-operations company based in Paradise, Nevada. Rather than operating a conventional casino portfolio, it supplied, installed, and managed slot machines in third-party venues such as bars, convenience stores, and grocery stores. This route model allowed the company to participate in Nevada gaming outside the large resort-casino sector and made it one of the state's largest slot route operators for many years. The company was founded in 1958 by Bernard Shapiro, a Northern California coin-machine operator who also held a small interest in the Royal Nevada casino. United Coin was established after the Royal Nevada went out of business, drawing on Shapiro's experience with coin-operated amusement and gaming equipment. Its core business developed around operating machines at distributed retail and hospitality locations rather than concentrating gaming activity in a single property. United Coin changed ownership several times. Advanced Patent Technology acquired the company in 1979. The following year, Advanced Patent agreed to sell United Coin to Bristol Silver Mines for $13 million in cash and stock, but withdrew from the transaction three months later, stating that United Coin had become more desirable. By 2000, the parent company was known as Alliance Gaming. Alliance agreed to sell United Coin for $112 million in cash plus $6 million in preferred stock to gaming developers Michael Luzich and Daniel Kehl, but canceled the transaction a year later after United Coin's profits increased. In 2004, Century Gaming acquired United Coin for $100 million in cash and $5 million in assumed debt. The business subsequently continued operating as a route operator, including in Nevada and Montana. In 2013, it sold its Northern Nevada operations to another slot-route company. It returned to that region in 2015 by placing machines in a chain of sports bars. In July 2014, the United Coin name was retired. Its Nevada and Montana operations were rebranded as Century Gaming Technologies, aligning the route business more directly with its parent company. Accordingly, United Coin Machine is best understood as a historical operating brand whose activities continued under Century Gaming Technologies rather than as an independently active consumer-facing brand.

United Coin Machine was founded in 1958 by Bernard Shapiro, who had previously operated a coin-machine business in Northern California and held a small interest in the Royal Nevada casino. The company was formed after the Royal Nevada closed and developed a route-based gaming business. Instead of relying on a single casino property, United Coin installed and operated slot machines at distributed venues, including bars, convenience stores, and grocery stores. This model made it a significant participant in Nevada's licensed gaming economy outside the major resort-casino sector. Advanced Patent Technology acquired United Coin in 1979. In 1980, Advanced Patent reached an agreement to sell the company to Bristol Silver Mines for $13 million in cash and stock. The proposed transaction did not close: Advanced Patent withdrew from the offer three months later, citing the increased desirability of United Coin. By 2000, the parent organization was operating under the name Alliance Gaming. It agreed to sell United Coin to gaming developers Michael Luzich and Daniel Kehl for $112 million in cash plus $6 million in preferred stock. Alliance canceled the transaction in 2001, attributing the decision to increased profits at United Coin. Century Gaming acquired United Coin in 2004 for $100 million in cash and $5 million in assumed debt. Under Century's ownership, the route business continued to operate in Nevada and Montana. In 2013, the company sold its Northern Nevada operations to another operator in the slot-route sector, but it subsequently returned to the region in 2015 through placements at a chain of sports bars. The United Coin identity was retired in July 2014. Operations in Nevada and Montana were rebranded as Century Gaming Technologies. The rebranding marked the end of United Coin as a distinct operating name, while the underlying route-business activities continued within Century Gaming's organization. Publicly available reference material describes the company's operating history and ownership changes but does not provide a complete list of executives, detailed financial statements, or a standalone website.

• 2014

  Rebranding as Century Gaming Technologies

  [1]United Coin Machineen.wikipedia.org

  The United Coin name is discontinued for the Nevada and Montana operations.

• 2004

  Acquisition by Century Gaming

  [1]United Coin Machineen.wikipedia.org

  Century Gaming acquires United Coin for cash and assumed debt.

• 1979

  Acquisition by Advanced Patent Technology

  [1]United Coin Machineen.wikipedia.org

  Advanced Patent Technology purchases United Coin Machine.

• 1958

  United Coin Machine is founded

  [1]United Coin Machineen.wikipedia.org

  Bernard Shapiro establishes United Coin Machine after the closure of the Royal Nevada casino.

A Nevada-focused gaming route operator serving licensed third-party venues outside traditional resort casinos.

• Gaming services · 1958

  Slot-machine route operations

  United Coin's principal business was the distributed operation of slot machines. The company placed and managed machines at licensed third-party locations, including bars, convenience stores, grocery stores, and later sports bars. Its route-operator model extended gaming access beyond traditional casinos while providing venue partners with machine-based gaming operations and servicing.

• 2014

  Retirement of the United Coin brandStrategy

  Background

  Century Gaming controlled the company's Nevada and Montana route operations.

  Action taken

  Century Gaming replaced the United Coin name with Century Gaming Technologies.

  Aftermath

  United Coin ceased to operate as a distinct brand, while the route operations continued under the Century Gaming Technologies identity.

  Source

• 2004

  Century Gaming acquisitionM&A

  Background

  United Coin was an established route operator serving gaming venues in Nevada and related markets.

  Action taken

  Century Gaming acquired the company for $100 million in cash and $5 million in assumed debt.

  Aftermath

  United Coin continued as part of Century Gaming's route-operations portfolio.

  Acquisition consideration. $100 million in cash plus $5 million in assumed debt (2004)

  Source

• 2000

  Proposed sale to Michael Luzich and Daniel KehlM&A

  Background

  Alliance Gaming agreed to sell United Coin after the business had become an important and profitable slot-route operation.

  Action taken

  Alliance announced a sale for $112 million in cash plus $6 million in preferred stock, but canceled the deal the following year after United Coin's profits increased.

  Aftermath

  United Coin remained within Alliance Gaming until its acquisition by Century Gaming in 2004.

  Proposed consideration. $112 million in cash plus $6 million in preferred stock (2000-2001)

  Source

• 1980

  Withdrawal from the Bristol Silver Mines sale agreementM&A

  Background

  Advanced Patent Technology had agreed to sell United Coin Machine to Bristol Silver Mines for $13 million in cash and stock.

  Action taken

  Advanced Patent withdrew from the proposed transaction three months after reaching the agreement, stating that United Coin had become more desirable.

  Aftermath

  United Coin remained under Advanced Patent Technology rather than transferring to Bristol Silver Mines.

  Proposed consideration. $13 million in cash and stock (1980)

  Source

1. 1United Coin Machineen.wikipedia.org