In 1951, Congress banned slot machines from domestic military bases after passing legislation to that effect. Slots have had a contentious history in the military And they can be played by service members as young as 18 – individuals who wouldn't be allowed to enter most casinos in the U.S.
Slots are often found on bases where there is precious little to do, like Diego Garcia – a 12-sq.-mile island in the Indian Ocean with a population of just over 4,000 people – where the Navy runs 52 slot machines.