5 Things Nobody Tells You About Buying Indoor Games Equipment for Your Venue

Who This Checklist Is For

If you're setting up a bar, a game center, a hotel lounge, or any venue that needs indoor games equipment—and you're not a procurement veteran—this list is for you. I've spent over four years reviewing deliveries of pool tables, ping pong tables, arcade cabinets, and board games for a commercial supplier. Roughly 200 unique items cross my desk every year. And I can tell you: what's in the catalog is not always what arrives.

This isn't another "buyer's guide" with specs you could Google. This is the stuff I had to learn by rejecting shipments and reordering parts. Five steps. Read them before you place your order, not after.

Step 1: Check the Spec Sheet Against What You'll Actually Get

I know this sounds obvious. But I've seen a ton of buyers order a "modern pool table" based on a photo, only to discover the cloth is a different grade and the slate is thinner than expected. The spec sheet says "7 ft," but the total footprint including the frame is closer to 9 ft. That's a huge difference when you're planning your floor layout.

What to check:

• Actual playing surface vs. overall dimensions (this is where people get tripped up)
• Material of the playing surface (slate thickness for pool tables, MDF vs. plywood for other games)
• Weight (can your floor support it? can your delivery team move it?)

In our Q1 2024 quality audit, we found that 23% of first-time buyers had selected a table that wouldn't fit their space when measured properly. The issue wasn't the product—it was that no one had checked the footprint spec against the room dimensions. Don't be that person. Print the spec sheet, measure your space on the floor with tape, and then decide.

Step 2: Understand the "Little Things" That Will Drive You Crazy

Here's where experience really matters. A pool table is a pool table, right? Not exactly. I've approved shipments where the cushion rubber was fine, the cloth was fine, but the ball return system jammed on every third shot. That's not a defect you can see from a photo.

Things that don't show up in product images:

• Ball return mechanism reliability (does it work consistently or jam?)
• Cue tip quality (cheap tips wear out in weeks)
• Leveling system (can it adjust to an uneven floor without wobbling?)

When I specify requirements for our $18,000 commercial projects, I add these details to every contract. For example, I now require that all table leveling feet have a minimum adjustment range of 1.5 inches. Why? Because we rejected a batch of 20 tables in 2023 where the leveling system couldn't compensate for a floor that was 0.75 inches off in one corner. The vendor claimed it was "within industry standard," but our standard is higher. Now every contract includes that spec.

Step 3: Test It—Or At Least See It in Person

I get it. Buying online is convenient. But for arcade machines and electronic games, the difference between a good unit and a problematic one is often in the software and the controls.

Why does this matter? Because a joystick that feels "slightly off" to you will feel unusable to your customers. And if you're buying multiple units for an arcade, inconsistency between units is a red flag. I ran a blind test with our operations team: same cabinet model with two different joystick brands. 78% identified the reputable brand as "more responsive" without knowing which was which. The cost difference was $12 per unit. On a 50-unit order, that's $600 for a noticeably better player experience.

What to insist on:

• Play a full game on a demo unit if possible
• Check the screen brightness and viewing angle (players will be at different heights)
• Ask about the control board—some cheap boards introduce input lag

If you can't visit the supplier's showroom, ask for a video of the actual unit running. Not a promo video. A real, unedited walkaround. Most reputable suppliers will do this without hesitation.

Step 4: Confirm Delivery and Setup Logistics Before You Pay

This is where I see the most communication failures. I say "delivery to the venue." They hear "curbside drop." Result: a 300-pound crate sitting on the sidewalk and no one to move it inside. That mismatch cost us a $2,500 redo on a rush job last year.

We were using the same words but meant different things. The buyer thought "delivery included" meant setup and placement. The supplier thought it meant leaving the crate at the front door. Discovered this when the order arrived and the venue had a second-floor game room with no elevator. The crate sat in the lobby for three days while they argued over who would carry it up the stairs.

Ask these exact questions:

• Is the quoted price curbside delivery or room/location of choice?
• Is assembly and leveling included? (This matters for tables especially)
• What is the access dimension requirement? (Doorways, elevators, staircases)
• Who is responsible for old equipment removal if needed?

Write the answers into your contract. It's not rude—it's protection for both sides. I've seen buyers assume setup was included when it wasn't, and then they paid double to hire independent movers.

Step 5: Plan for the First 12 Months of Ownership

Here's a question almost no one asks: "What parts are most likely to need replacement in the first year?" Every product has a few components that wear faster than others. For pool tables, it's the cloth and tips. For arcade machines, it's the buttons and power supply. For ping pong tables, it's the net clamps.

Ask the supplier:

• What are the most common warranty claims for this model?
• Are replacement parts readily available and what do they cost?
• Do you offer a spare parts kit with the initial purchase?

Some suppliers will avoid answering. That's a red flag. The good ones will tell you honestly: "The rubber on these legs can start peeling after 8 months of heavy use, so we include extra set in the box." That kind of transparency is gold.

When I was starting out, the vendors who told me the hard truth about their products are the ones I still work with today. The ones who glossed over potential issues? They're the reason I now carry a checklist on every quality review.