Often based (if at times tenuously) around the moral and legal aspects. The major difference, however, appears to lie in the controversy which can be found within the community built up around the emulation of machines which are designed for financial speculation. This is due to the use of custom hardware (ASIC devices) and a lack of access to datasheets for some of the remaining hardware due to perceived commercial and/or security concerns. Obtaining information about the operation of the electronic hardware is no more difficult than obtaining information about other types of systems, but is a significant nuisance nonetheless. On a “physical” level, the major difference is that as well as emulating one or more electronic circuits (including one or more Microprocessors) as one would for most Computer and Game systems, there is also a need to emulate the electromechanical elements of such machines (including coin acceptor devices, reel mechanisms, payout devices and illumination, to name but a few).

Emulation of Fruit Machines does not differ much from emulating a Computer System or Games Console or similar.