Play Meter

UP FRONT
On ce again the poli y of Play M ter and Amu se-
ment Operator ' Expo is being qu stion ed with r pect
to so-called gray area equipment and whether gray
area exhibitors wil l be w leomed at th forthcoming
show in Chicago in March. Th e answer is still no . Th e
poli cy at Expo will be onsistent with th e poli y
followed by Play Met r in acce pting advertis m ent .
Pla y M eter beli eves it i ve r y mu h in th e b t
interests of the amusement game indu stry it erves to
differentiate clearly among the three ca tegories into
whi ch co in -o p erated games fall , bon a fid amu em'ent ,
bona fide gambling, and ca mouflag ed or subterfu ge
gambling. There is no hon est onfusion amon g th ese
ca teg orie s, and in th lon g run , manufa ctur rand
operators of legi tim at ga mblin g device are goi ng to
be hurt almost a mu h as th amu seme nt indu tr by
the continu d fforts o f irrespon ibl pro mot r to
defy anti-gambling law with gray ar a d vi
D efyin g va lid law in thi s field is cri minal a ti vit y ;
doing 0 on a pl ann ed
al i
rimin al on pira y;
defying 10 al ga mblin g statut s b y an o rga ni zed ent er-
pri se of any substantial iz eve n tri gger ev re f deral
racketeering anctions. Play Met r beli eve the coi n
machine indu stry has nou gh er iou s image problems
alread y without takin g on any appearance o f inten-
tiona l criminalit y.
Legitim ate m anufa ct ur rs of un am ouf l ag d
gamb ling equipment are not invit d to parti ipat in
Expo be ca use Pla y Meter fe Is th e amu e m ent -only
seg ment of th e indu stry ha s so man y i nt re ts in
common there would not b a fair place in th Expo
10
program for gambl in g ubj t .
The gaming ind u try now h a sp lendid shows and
co nf ren e
nt ring o n it ow n in t r t -a lthough
Pla y Met r would not ru le ut om jointly-sponsor d
me tin g o r ev nt in th future ( pe ially if off-line
lott eri e prov
u
ful 0 lott ery-spon or d co in-
operated devi e ar some day I ga li z d for op ration
in ar ad
and amu m nt tr t 10 ation ).
But gray area d vi
ar o m ethin g else . The 1983
Expo ex hibitor ' co ntract au th orize Play Meter to
r fu e to how any ma h in or quipment "i f . during
normal co m mer ia l ope rati on it i il l gal a a gambling
device per e und er th law of any . . jurisdiction or
' if it i d ign d . m anufa ctur d . and / or i nt end d for
u e primaril for ambling."
0 on
who know
nou gh about our indu tr to b r ading Pla y Meter
with int r t and ompre h en ion co uld have any
doubt what that m an . but t h
ontract al 0 sp cifi s
fa tor to be
alua ted ( a h pa yo ut . point ys tems to
tally winning . multipl
oin tak . kno k-off circ uitry.
absence of skill . t c.).
Th lin i cI ar. and Pla y M ter intend to hold it.
Ware co nfi d nt mo t of ou r reade rs and adv rti
stand behind u in thi .
~~aIPhCl~
Edi tor and Publ i her
PLAY METER. February 15. 1983