I'm not sure at this point, it's over 30 years since I read it, but back in the day before there were any US casinos anywhere but Las Vegas, the Feds did indeed treat the machines themselves as something that was just totally outlawed on US territory (Generally as customs enforcement cases).
I picture Al Capone and Joseph Kennedy sitting at a table with a white tablecloth, drinking bootlegged cognac and smoking Cuban cigars.
Old school.
