Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) a coin-operated gaming machine, a fruit machine [abbr. SE one-armed bandit].

1963		in J.H. Clarke Harlem, USA 173: But who wants to be bothered with li’l ol’ women and their damned nickles [sic] and dimes playin’ the bandits [HDAS].
1983		‘Heat Moon’ Blue Highways 102: Bandits wouldn’t tum a dime if they didn’t rattle and roll [HDAS].
1994		I. Welsh ‘A Soft Touch’ in Acid House 46: She came in the other day, intae the pub, while ah was oan the bandit like.
2009		R. Milward Ten Storey Love Song 177: Marshy [...] keeps looking over at Ellen from the bandit.

2. (US) an attractive woman.

1979

E. Torres After Hours 166: They hate it when you got a fine bandit witchoo.

3. a villain, a criminal.

1970

A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 81: Maybe we’ll find out the name of the bandit who did it.

4. see arse bandit n.