News briefs .... news briefs .... news I
..... Ohio Music & Amusement Association prepared for an
appeals court challenge of a lower court ruling that was in
favor of video poker games. OMAA maintained in lengthy legal
briefs in late January that the lower court erred and that,
in fact, "electronic draw poker machines are schemes of chance
and fall within the Ohio statute as gambling devices" and
should be seized, as they had been in 1980 by agents of the
Ohio Department of Liquor Control. The owner of the machines
in that instance, taken from the Fraternal Order of Eagles
in Cleveland, Mills-Jennings of Ohio, sought successfully to
have the games returned and claimed that chance is not the
main factor in their play, but rather skill. OMAA, on the
other hand, asked the appeals court to consider its ruling as
a precedent that may set the trend for other states concerning
the "gray area" equipment. If gray area games are declared
lawful in Ohio, OMAA argues, it could create problems outside
of Ohio's borders. As a part of the OMAA "friend of the court"
filing in support of the state attorney general, the associ-
ation brought industry authority and attorney Rufus King to
give legal background on the games to the appeals court .....
.. .. . Florida Amusement Vendine; Association's convention and
trade show was geared up for March 26-29 at the Sheraton Twin
Towers in Orlando. A golf tournament will tee off the event,
March 26 at 11 a.m. with pro golfer Gene Smith at the Cypress
Creek Golf Course in Orlando, limited to 40 participants.
Closing date to register for that competition is February 25;
contact FAVA at 904/575-8137 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . Stern Electronics, Inc. reported being close to its
largest production run ever on any amusement game it has man-
ufactured, at this issue's press time. It was for a video game,
interestingly enough--Berzerk, three months into its produc-
tion at the Chicago manufacturer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . Gremlin Industries officials expect its next game, Astro
Blaster, to be a hit. "It's the ultimate space game with
voice," said a spokesman . for Gremlin. In this case, the voice
aids the player throughout the game, giving hints as to how
play can be improved, offering warnings, etc. The game was
previewed at the ATE Show in London; see coverage in this issue.
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PLAY METER, March, 1981