Penny Arcade (playhouse)
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The term Penny Arcade describes public amusement arcades in the USA with slot machines that could be played by anyone for little money. The first playhouses of this type were built in the late 19th century, but their popularity only began in the 1930s during the Great Depression.
The name is explained by the low prices for the games (penny) and the fact that the shops were usually located in the arcade- style shopping malls. In the early days, penny arcades were still equipped with simple mechanical or electromechanical play equipment. In the 1970s, computer games were added, which is why they are now called arcade games .
Penny Arcades were particularly popular initially in New York and New Jersey . With the advent of computer games , the center of popularity was particularly in California .
