In 1932, Raymond Moloney founded the Bally Manufacturing Company. Back then, the company emerged from its parent corporation, Lion Manufacturing. The organization’s name came from its first game, originally named the “Ballyhoo.” The company was renamed Bally Entertainment. It started in the pinball and slot machine business and moved to casinos, health clubs, and video games. By 1968, Midway Manufacturing Co., a competitor in the pinball game market, acquired Bally Manufacturing. Afterward, in 1996, Hilton Hotels bought Bally Entertainment, nevertheless kept the name. In the same year, Alliance Gaming purchased Bally’s gaming division. Later on, Scientific Games bought the company from Alliance. The prior’s name is now Light & Wonder. It still uses Bally Technologies as a secondary manufacturer for video slot machines and other casino-related machines.
- Pinball games:204
- Years active:1932-1996
- Status:Not Active
- Location:Chicago, IL, USA
- Website:Bally Manufacturing Co.
About Bally Manufacturing Co.
Bally Manufacturing Co. was founded in Chicago on January 10, 1932, by Raymond “Ray” Moloney, taking its name from its first pinball game, Ballyhoo, which sold over 50,000 units within its first seven months of release and helped establish the company as a major player in the pinball industry. Building on the success of coin-operated amusements during the Great Depression, Bally quickly diversified into slot machines and other coin-op entertainment, pausing these productions during World War II to contribute to the war effort. Following Moloney’s death in 1958, new investors acquired the company, revitalized its operations, and led Bally to capture a dominant share of the global slot machine market by the 1960s, aided by innovations such as the world’s first fully electromechanical slot machine.
In the 1970s, Bally experienced a boom in pinball production, releasing many highly successful games, including Wizard! (1975), which introduced a licensed pop-culture theme based on The Who’s rock opera, and Captain Fantastic (1976), featuring Elton John imagery. Along with titles like Eight Ball (1977) and KISS (1979), these machines became widely popular and helped solidify Bally’s reputation for creative gameplay innovations. The company also ventured into casino ownership when New Jersey legalized gambling in Atlantic City, acquiring and developing properties under the Bally name. At the same time, it expanded into arcade video gaming through its Midway division, scoring major successes with games like Pac-Man and Space Invaders.
By the 1980s, Bally had grown into a broad-based entertainment conglomerate, branching out into areas such as health clubs (Bally Total Fitness), theme parks (Six Flags), and lottery systems. However, amid rising debts, the company sold off its pinball and arcade division to rival Williams Electronics in 1988, effectively ending Bally’s direct role in making pinball machines. Bally subsequently focused on its casino and gaming operations until the mid-1990s, when further restructuring led to its acquisition by Hilton Hotels in 1996, marking the closure of Bally Manufacturing Co. as an independent entity.
Though no longer an active manufacturer, the Bally name endured under various successor companies that continued using its brands and assets. Meanwhile, many original Bally pinball machines remain prized among enthusiasts, reflecting the company’s long-standing influence on both the mechanical and thematic evolution of pinball. Bally’s pioneering use of licensed themes, technical innovations, and extensive diversification left a lasting imprint on the coin-operated entertainment and casino industries, establishing a legacy that endures in contemporary gaming.
