Part I: Games & Gaming · Slot Machines & Electronic Gaming

Machine Entry Authorization Log (MEAL)

Operations

An automated electronic log that records every instance the secure door of a slot machine is opened, capturing the date, time, reason for entry, employee identification, and duration of entry. The MEAL is a critical security and audit tool used by surveillance, compliance, and internal audit to verify that all machine accesses are authorized and properly documented. Any machine entry not recorded on the MEAL, or any entry with an incomplete or suspicious reason code, triggers an immediate investigation. The MEAL record is maintained for a period specified by regulation (typically 3-5 years).

In practice

Modern slot machines have multiple secure access points (main door, cash box door, logic board compartment) each with separate MEAL logging. Some jurisdictions require dual-key entry for certain access levels.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.