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In the 1980s, Zurich was a paradise for fans of slot machines. Nowhere in Europe was the concentration of pinball and gambling machines greater. In the city alone, players could gamble on specially developed slot machines for the canton of Zurich in 68 gaming halls. However, resistance emerged. Within a short time, there were four referendums, which ultimately led to the ban of the gambling machines. Today, there isn't a single gaming hall left in Zurich.

Ivo Vasella spent a lot of his free time in Zurich's gaming halls as a teenager. The author comprehensively explores the history of these venues and the thriving gaming industry for the first time. Who was in charge of the scene, who were the players, what kind of youth culture was associated with it, and what stories lie behind the fascinating machines? Answers to these and other questions, along with rich visual material, provide entertaining yet critical insights into a unique, vanished world.