Guide
How to Add a Nicotine Vending Machine to a Bar
Most of the work happens before the machine arrives, and almost none of it is yours.
Confirm the venue is 21+ at all times, settle who holds the tobacco retail licence, agree the placement and confirm power and connectivity reach it, then agree commercial terms. Under a managed model the operator does the licensing, buys the machine and installs it.
Check the door policy honestly
Not the policy you intend, the one you operate. If under-21 guests can be inside at any hour, stop here — this is the disqualifier that catches most bars.
Settle the licensing question
Decide who holds the tobacco retail licence for the address. Under a managed model the operator normally does, and the venue supplies written permission to operate there.
Pick the wall
Visible to staff, clear of the service queue, with clearance for a guest to stand. A machine nobody sees earns nothing.
Confirm power and connectivity
A standard outlet within reach and reliable Wi-Fi or Ethernet at that point. This is the most common cause of a placement moving after survey.
Agree the commercial terms
Percentage, what it is a percentage of, payout timing, reporting, term and exit.
Installation
Under a managed model the operator delivers, mounts, commissions and stocks it.
Before you sign, ask
- Who is liable if a sale is made to someone under 21?
- Who owns the machine, and what happens to it at the end of the term?
- Who owns the stock?
- What does removal cost, and how much notice does it take?
- What reporting do I get, and can I reconcile it?
Last reviewed . A person rechecks the sources before this date changes.
See whether your venue qualifies
The assessment applies everything on this page to your actual address.