⚠️This fact has been debunked
This claim is entirely false. The USPTO database contains over 6,000 gambling machine patents. Notable examples include the revolutionary Telnaes patent (US 4,448,419) for electronic gaming devices, patents issued to LNW Gaming in April 2025 (D1,069,917 and D1,069,918), and ongoing patent litigation in the gaming industry. Gambling machines can absolutely be patented in the US and have been for decades.
No patent can ever be taken out on a gambling machine in the United States.
The Myth That Gambling Machines Can't Be Patented
Here's a "fact" that sounds official but is completely wrong: gambling machines can't be patented in the United States. In reality, the USPTO database contains over 6,000 gambling machine patents, and the industry fights billion-dollar legal battles over these intellectual property rights.
Not only can you patent a gambling machine in America—companies have built entire empires doing exactly that.
The Patent That Changed Everything
In 1984, a Norwegian inventor named Inge Telnaes received U.S. Patent No. 4,448,419 for an "Electronic gaming device utilizing a random number generator for selecting the reel stop positions." This single innovation revolutionized the casino industry by allowing slot machines to use virtual reels with more possible combinations than physical reels could provide.
International Game Technology (IGT) bought the Telnaes patent in 1988 and licensed it to the entire gaming industry. Every modern slot machine uses some variation of this patented technology. One patent. Billions in revenue.
Recent Patents Prove Gambling Machines Are Patentable
The gaming industry hasn't slowed down. In April 2025 alone, LNW Gaming, Inc. was granted two design patents (D1,069,917 and D1,069,918) for gaming machines. Companies continue to patent everything from security systems and bill validators to game mechanics and bonus features.
The USPTO even has specific classification codes for gaming devices, including G07F17/32 for coin-operated gaming apparatus and G07F17/34 for mechanical slot machine mechanisms. These aren't obscure categories—they're active, constantly updated patent classifications.
Where the Myth Might Come From
So why do people believe gambling machines can't be patented? It might stem from confusion about gambling legality versus patentability. For decades, gambling was illegal or heavily restricted in most U.S. states, which might have created the false impression that the devices themselves couldn't receive patent protection.
But patent law and gambling law are separate. You can patent an invention even if using it is illegal in certain jurisdictions. The USPTO doesn't reject patents based on moral objections to gambling—they evaluate whether an invention is novel, non-obvious, and useful.
The High-Stakes Patent Wars
Gaming patents are so valuable that companies wage legal battles over them. In December 2024, Single Action Bet Tech LLC sued Penn Entertainment for patent infringement over single-action betting systems for mobile wagering. These lawsuits involve millions of dollars in potential licensing fees and damages.
Game designers file patent applications constantly. There's perpetual demand for new game concepts, bonus features, and player engagement mechanics. If you invent a novel gaming mechanism, you'd be foolish not to patent it—your competitors certainly will.
The reality is the opposite of the myth: gambling machine patents are numerous, valuable, and fiercely protected. The next time someone tells you these devices can't be patented, you can set them straight with 6,000+ examples.