---
type: "LegalText"
title: "15 U.S.C. § 1178"
description: "Nonapplicability of chapter to certain machines and devices"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 15
title_name: "COMMERCE AND TRADE"
chapter_number: "24"
chapter_name: "TRANSPORTATION OF GAMBLING DEVICES"
section: "1178"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1178"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc15@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t15/s1178"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-15/usc15.xml"
source_hash: "9433a77c3d3f6001840cd30b91c7008c0da1597bcd094d26436c51ad47c5e93d"
raw_snapshot_hash: "6982338d990ef19d6b52bff6825089bdd6d0ee1233d9382673faf533decd5059"
text_hash: "8ea9d88607bda3d2d264057ea72203b92afb4f343f27a1e5ac769541068a04d5"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 15 U.S.C. § 1178 - Nonapplicability of chapter to certain machines and devices

## Text

None of the provisions of this chapter shall be construed to apply—

(1) to any machine or mechanical device designed and manufactured primarily for use at a racetrack in connection with parimutuel betting,

(2) to any machine or mechanical device, such as a coin-operated bowling alley, shuffleboard, marble machine (a so-called pinball machine), or mechanical gun, which is not designed and manufactured primarily for use in connection with gambling, and (A) which when operated does not deliver, as a result of the application of an element of chance, any money or property, or (B) by the operation of which a person may not become entitled to receive, as the result of the application of an element of chance, any money or property, or

(3) to any so-called claw, crane, or digger machine and similar devices which are not operated by coin, are actuated by a crank, and are designed and manufactured primarily for use at carnivals or county or State fairs.

(Jan. 2, 1951, ch. 1194, § 9, as added Pub. L. 87–840, § 6, Oct. 18, 1962, 76 Stat. 1077.)

## Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateSection effective on sixtieth day after Oct. 18, 1962, see section 7 of Pub. L. 87–840, set out as an Effective Date of 1962 Amendment note under section 1171 of this title.