The service
Nicotine Vending Machines, Fully Managed for 21+ Venues
Most venues start by pricing a machine. Then they find the rest of it. We take the rest of it.
Afterwrk places and operates age-restricted nicotine vending machines in venues that are closed to anyone under 21 at all times. Guests get convenient access to nicotine products and the venue gets a revenue line that is not alcohol. We own the hardware, handle the operator-side licensing where applicable rules allow, keep it stocked, service it and monitor it remotely, so no one on your team manages inventory, handles cash or troubleshoots equipment. The venue provides the wall, the power and the 21+ door policy.
Hosting vs buying a nicotine vending machine
A venue that buys its own machine keeps all of the margin and takes on all of the work and risk. A venue that hosts one takes a share and takes on almost none of it. Neither is wrong; they are different businesses.
| Buying your own | Hosting with Afterwrk | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | The machine, delivery and installation | None |
| Tobacco retail license | Yours to obtain, keep and renew | Afterwrk's. We are the retailer and we license the address |
| Stock | You find a supplier, fund it and count it | We buy, own and restock it |
| Servicing and repairs | Yours | Ours |
| Card processing | Your merchant account | Ours |
| Sales revenue | All of it, less your costs | An agreed share of the net profit |
| If it does not sell | You own a machine and the stock in it | You have lost nothing but the wall space |
What Afterwrk manages
The equipment
We buy, deliver, mount and configure the machine. There is no equipment cost to the venue and nothing to finance.
The license
Where applicable rules allow, Afterwrk handles the operator-side licensing for the placement, including the permitting that goes with it.
How compliance works →The stock
We choose, buy, own and replenish the product. The venue never orders, counts or pays for inventory.
The service
Cleaning, consumables, hardware faults and software updates are ours. The machine reports faults and stock levels to us remotely, so a restock or a repair is usually already scheduled before anyone at the venue notices.
See the machine →
What the venue is responsible for
- Keeping the premises restricted to guests aged 21 and over at all times — not most of the time, and not only after a certain hour.
- Providing a spot on a wall with a standard power outlet nearby and reliable connectivity.
- Written permission for Afterwrk to operate at the address, which the licensing application needs.
- Telling us if the venue's age policy, licensing position or address changes.
Which venues this is built for
Bars
Late trade, a wall behind or beside the bar, and a door policy that is already 21+.
Bars →Nightclubs
High throughput, queue pressure at the bar, and controlled entry that is already carding everyone.
Nightclubs →Lounges
A compact footprint and a guest amenity that suits a slower, higher-spend room.
Lounges →Casinos
Age-controlled gaming floors, but property and jurisdiction rules vary and need separate review.
Casinos →Private clubs
Membership-controlled access, which usually makes the age question simpler to evidence.
Private clubs →
How the machine works for a guest
Guest approaches
The machine is self-service and sits where staff can see it. No bartender time is used.
Age is verified at the machine
Identity and age are checked at the point of sale, every time, before anything is dispensed. A venue's door policy is the first control; this is the second.
Selection and payment
Card payment is taken at the machine. Cash handling is not part of the model.
Dispense
The product is dispensed and the sale is recorded against the machine's own inventory.
What it costs the venue
Nothing for the equipment, the installation, the restocking, the servicing or the software. The venue receives an agreed share of net profit. Exact terms are set in the venue agreement rather than on this page, and are agreed per venue.
Where we operate
| New Mexico | Now accepting placements. Albuquerque first; the rest of the state reviewed by address. |
|---|---|
| Arizona | Taking venue checks — placement subject to review. Bars only, by statute. Each address is reviewed for licensing and servicing before anything is proposed. |
| Nevada | Under regulatory review — not placing. Cigarette vending has its own licence class; other tobacco products, which by statute include vapes and nicotine pouches, have none. Interest is welcome; placements are not. |
Common questions
Who owns the machine?
Afterwrk owns the machine, stocks it and services it. The venue is not asked to buy equipment or hold inventory.
Does my venue need a tobacco license?
In New Mexico, no. Afterwrk is the tobacco retailer and holds the New Mexico retailer license for the location. The venue leases us the wall space — or subleases it, if the venue rents its own premises — and is a landlord in this arrangement rather than a tobacco retailer. Not every state permits that structure; we use it where it is allowed and tell you plainly where it is not.
Can I buy a machine from Afterwrk?
No. We do not sell machines. We own and operate them, which is what keeps the licensing, stock and servicing off the venue.
Can any bar have one?
No. Federal rules restrict tobacco-product vending to facilities where people under 21 are not present or permitted to enter at any time. A venue that admits under-21 guests at any point — including for daytime dining or private events — will not qualify under the current model.
See whether your venue qualifies
The assessment asks about your age policy, your room and your power and connectivity. It takes a few minutes and the reply is an answer, not a sales call.