Fred Franklin is a 63-year-old electrical engineer and the owner of Toledo’s Rec Room Specialties Co., a company that specializes in reconditioning old slot machines to be used as home devices.

"Many years ago, I started collecting slot machines and old mechanical stuff. One thing led to another and I decided to start my own business.", he explained.

The machines are sold in stores for about $1,000. The company’s favorite slots now are 10-year-old Bally models because, as Mr. Franklin explained, they repair only relatively modern stuff.

In those states where it isn’t illegal to have slot machines at home as long as they are not used for gambling, modifications made to the machines are minimal. In states with stricter laws, they are modified to no longer accept coins.