Georgia’s lack of traditional gambling infrastructure beyond the Georgia Lottery is a reality for those who live here.
However, that doesn’t mean creative, legal alternatives don’t exist. Filling the gambling gap in the market for Georgia are COAMs, or Coin-Operated Amusement Machines.
They’re not slot machines, you can’t receive your winnings in cash, and there are no flashy alarm bells or light shows to herald your win. But they’re incredibly popular among Georgians.
In fact, they generated $3 billion in revenue during the 2020 fiscal year. That actually represents a higher revenue return compared to the Georgia Lottery. While the lottery is, of course, more widely known, massive player payouts cut into their annual returns.
Georgia COAMs don’t pay out cash winnings, which helps the state’s year-end margin. At the end of the day, state governments and businesses netted $900 million in 2020.
What exactly is COAM, really?
So, the reason you’re here: What is COAM? There are two classes – Class A and Class B.
Class A COAMs are Georgia’s version of the familiar bar or arcade game.
They are licensed by an establishment through the state and operated with coins. Think of your coin-operated pool table at your local watering hole, a pinball machine at your favorite burger joint, or a jukebox where you can ruin the mood with the worst song choices you can find.
Class B COAMs are games of skill that allow the player to accrue and transfer points to other machines or redeem them with the Georgia Lottery through a ticket purchase.
A Class B COAM is similar to the older version of those tickets you get at an arcade. They’re not worth anything but may net you a stuffed giraffe or a pack of baseball cards if you’re a skeeball ace.
With Class B COAMs, you can even use your winnings at the gas pump, which is especially helpful right now.
While Georgia attempts to simply define and differentiate Class A and B COAMs with a handy image on the Georgia Lottery website, the regulatory language goes a bit further, in an amusing fashion.
No, the washers and dryers at the laundromat are not considered Coin-Operated Amusement Machines in the eyes of the state. Nor is a payphone, should you find one.
So why will be COAMs a favourite in Atlanta?
Judging by the annual revenues they generate, it’s safe to say that Georgians are into COAMs. That’s explained easily enough: People enjoy games, even the kinds that don’t offer a dopamine boost with a cash payout.
If you’ve been to any sports bar, the standard setup is familiar – pool, darts, shuffleboard. The State of Georgia and The Georgia Lottery Corporation zeroed in on the appeal and availability of these games.
And furthermore, placed them under the regulatory and administrative grasp of the government. Class A COAMs are very popular because games like pool, darts, and shuffleboard remain beloved.
When you delve into the popularity of Class B COAMs, you’re entering gambling territory more. Class B COAMs are similar to the types of touch screen games you’d find on any bartop, and while they don’t result in cash winnings, the player can still come away with something of value.
Those touch screen games are a staple in taverns and pubs, and the State of Georgia added a winning component in the form of additional game payoff or vouchers for gas or lottery tickets.
The winnings are quasi-monetized, like a raffle, to stay within the lines of state law but also scratch the itch that exists from the lack of established legal gambling in GA. Aside from the lottery, of course.
The state legislature created a pilot program in 2020 to issue gift cards to Class B COAM winners. The program was approved by the House in the recent legislative session. It’s not cash, but Georgians may soon receive redeemable gift cards for their scores on Class B COAMs.
It’s yet another step forward for a state with a complicated history toward gambling and deciding where it wants to stand in regards to legalization.
Carter Breazeale is a Durham region journalist with a focus on sports, business, and the sports industry. An Atlanta native currently residing in Orlando, Carter graduated from the University of Central Florida. Since 2018, he has covered the Atlanta Falcons for SBNation’s website, The Falcoholic.
