A brightly colored vending machine dispensing collectible “mystery boxes” made a brief and unusual appearance inside the Pentagon late last year, raising questions about consumer protections, gambling-like mechanics, and the appropriateness of chance-based retail inside the nerve center of the US military.
The machine appeared inside the Pentagon just before Christmas and was removed several weeks later, according to reporting by Task & Purpose. Unlike conventional vending machines that sell snacks or drinks, this one offered sealed, brightly patterned boxes for a minimum of $80. Buyers did not know what they were purchasing until after payment, with boxes potentially containing Pokémon card packs, sports trading cards, or autographed athletic jerseys.
The vending machine was operated by Lucky Box Vending, a company that places similar machines in shopping malls and casinos. Its brief presence at the Pentagon drew attention because of the building’s symbolic and operational importance as the headquarters of US military decision-making.
An employee of Lucky Box Vending, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to privacy and security concerns, said the machine had been installed through legitimate channels. According to the employee, a company location scout worked with Pentagon concessions officials, the same offices that oversee commercial vendors such as coffee shops, restaurants, convenience stores, and retail kiosks inside the complex. The employee declined to identify who specifically approved the installation.
While often perceived as a strictly military environment, the Pentagon hosts a wide range of commercial services for its tens of thousands of daily occupants. These include gift shops, financial services, laundry and postal facilities, well-known retail brands such as CVS, and fast-food outlets like Popeyes. Vending machines are also common throughout the building, though they typically sell bottled drinks or packaged food rather than collectibles.
The items inside the Lucky Box machine are physical collectibles that can be resold on secondary markets, the employee said. However, the resale value is not guaranteed. That uncertainty has prompted online critics to label the machines a form of gambling or even a scam, an assessment the employee strongly disputed.
“They’re meant to be fun,” the employee said, arguing that customers always receive a tangible product, even if its market value may be lower than the purchase price.
The controversy intersects with broader concerns about financial vulnerability among US service members, particularly younger troops. A Government Accountability Office report released last year found that service members may be more susceptible to gambling problems than the general population, citing factors such as age, stress, and a higher tolerance for risk.
The GAO report also highlighted the presence of recreational gaming machines, including slot machines, on some US military installations, noting that oversight and safeguards against gambling addiction are inconsistent across bases.
Although the Lucky Box machine is not classified as a gambling device, critics argue that its chance-based purchasing model mirrors the psychological dynamics of gambling. The employee acknowledged that while buyers are guaranteed to receive an item, they are not guaranteed an item worth as much as—or more than—the price paid.
“We’re a memorabilia sports card manufacturer,” the employee said. “We don’t typically get into the values of things because it’s always changing. It’s too hard to say something is worth this much today and that much tomorrow.”
Pentagon spokesperson Sue Gough confirmed that concessions personnel had temporarily removed the machine while officials conduct an internal review “on whether or not the Lucky Box retail vending machine is a good fit for the Pentagon.”
The Lucky Box employee said the machine is currently in storage on Pentagon premises pending the outcome of that review and added that the company hopes to place similar machines on other military installations in the future.
Before its removal, the Pentagon machine was drawing steady business, the employee said, though the company declined to share revenue figures. Part of the appeal, according to the employee, is the popularity of online “unboxing” videos, in which consumers film themselves opening mystery products for social media audiences.
Chance-based purchases have drawn scrutiny well beyond physical vending machines. In the UK, lawmakers have debated whether virtual “loot boxes” in video games should be regulated as gambling, and such mechanics have also faced examination by the US Federal Trade Commission.
The Pentagon’s brief flirtation with mystery-box retail remains under review, an episode that has sparked debate over where entertainment, commerce, and risk should intersect within military spaces.
