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Franzi | Games
Franzi | Games 
50 Years of MERKUR Casino: 1974–1983
Look back with us on 50 years enjoying the game.
approx. 4 min.
50 Years of MERKUR Casino: 1974–1983
The first decade
Arcades and ambience
In 1974, the first MERKUR Arcade was opened in Delmenhorst. The “invention” of the modern gaming venue in the form of the MERKUR Arcade by company founder Paul Gauselmann was an important milestone in his entrepreneurial success. The first Arcade was located at Langen Straße 4–6 in Delmenhorst.
Orange ceiling rings, light strips, and brown sisal wall coverings shaped the interior of the first Arcades; the exterior design featured three-coloured stripes.
In 1976, the MERKUR sun was added, designed by Paul Gauselmann’s long-time friend Werner Gantefoehr as a lucky symbol for the company.
From the very beginning, the Arcades relied on a uniform interior and exterior design to create the highest possible recognition value.
Star factor: At many new openings of MERKUR Arcades, celebrities also offered their congratulations. Among them were TV host Jürgen von der Lippe, singer Ted Herold, actors Heinz Eckner and Volker Lechtenbrink, as well as presenter Carlo von Tiedemann.
Gaming Machines 1974–1983
The company invested in its machines like no other in the industry, thus always offering customers the latest products.
Entertainment machines (UHG) were particularly popular with customers in the beginning. Video game consoles were not yet available for private use. This is why they enjoyed the same popularity in the arcades as pinball machines and driving simulators.
In December 1976, the MERKUR B , the first money gaming machine developed by Paul Gauselmann, received approval from the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB). In 1977, the machine was launched nationwide. It immediately brought much more gaming fun and doubled the cash takings. In 1978, the MERKUR Capri was introduced to the market. At that time, money gaming machines were reel machines and offered one single game per machine. Their replacement therefore always involved exchanging the entire machine. The subsidiary company Stella was founded, which launched the money gaming machine Venus onto the market. The machine was particularly successful and was later further developed as the Venus Multi and Venus Multi Multi.
With the money gaming machine Komet , which featured a risk ladder, the company achieved another major success. In 1983, the MERKUR Disc , a disc machine, marked another milestone in the development of money gaming machines from the Gauselmann Group. From 1983 onwards, the video boom stagnated, while the interest in money gaming machines increased. With the entertainment machine TV Ideal for video games, only the circuit boards had to be replaced for the first time – the housing could remain in the branch.
1/3 MERKUR B (1977)
2/3 MERKUR Komet (1981)
3/3 MERKUR Disc (1983)
Did you know?
- The MERKUR B received its name because it was launched in the Year of Mercury.
- The majority of employees working at MERKUR Arcades during this decade were male.
- Small change wanted: At first, money gaming machines could not accept banknotes. This only changed at the beginning of the 2000s.
- On average, MERKUR Arcades were open 17–18 hours a day. Common opening times were from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.
- Pinball machines were particularly popular with guests. To supply the branches with these sought-after entertainment machines, several containers were often transported across Germany on the company’s own lorries.
- Set in stone: In 1976 the 30-pfennig game was introduced, with higher stakes not permitted.
- Pioneering: Between 1982 and 1983, the first IT system was introduced at MERKUR Arcades. With the IBM 5280, the statistics department was now able to collect and evaluate data electronically, making punch cards and calculators redundant.
