In short: For most pubs and restaurants, having machines installed is the simpler option. You pay no rent, bear no risk and receive a share of the takings. When renting, you pay a fixed amount, regardless of how much the machine brings in.
Model 1: Installation with a share of the takings
The machine operator installs the machine free of charge, services and empties it and settles accounts regularly. The venue owner receives an agreed percentage of the takings. The machine operator bears the costs of travel, spare parts and labour. This is how Vengi works.
- No investment and no running costs
- No risk in weak months
- Technology, approval and accounting from a single source
Model 2: Renting a machine
When renting, you pay a fixed monthly rent and keep the takings. This can pay off with amusement machines that perform very well, but it also means that if the machine performs poorly, you still pay. Depending on the contract, maintenance and repairs are not always included.
With gaming machines, the question hardly arises
Anyone who installs gaming machines commercially needs a licence under Section 33c of the Trade Regulation Act (§ 33c Gewerbeordnung) and proof of the briefing by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK-Unterrichtung). As a venue owner, you would have to meet these requirements yourself if you wanted to run machines on your own account. With a machine operator, this is not necessary: a pure share of the takings does not make you a machine operator.
What to look out for in an installation agreement
- How large is your share, and how is it calculated?
- How often are accounts settled, and how transparent is the statement?
- How long does the contract run, and how can it be terminated?
- Who pays for repairs, travel and spare parts?
- How quickly does service arrive in the event of a breakdown?
At Vengi, you get a clear answer to each of these questions before you sign.
Sources: IHK Offenbach on § 33c GewO. As of November 2026.