Play Meter

- THELASTWORD HE LAST WORD few things things to to ponder ponder AAfew TT he general generalrule rule I've I'vegiven given he myselfregarding this column myself regarding this column focusininononone onesubject. subject.InInthe the isistotofocus interest of cohesiveness and clariinterest of cohesiveness and clarimonth'stopic topicisisvideo videolotlotty,ififthe ty, the month's tery, for example, I stick to video tery, for example, I stick to video lottery.I Idon't don'tdrift driftoff offinto intolicenslicenslottery. ed themes for pinballs or the need ed themes for pinballs or the need for a dollar coin. for a dollar coin. But seeing as its my column, I But seeing as its my column, I can dowhat whatI want. I want.Therefore, Therefore,forforcan do saking the concept of general saking the concept of general rules, cohesiveness, and clarity, rules, cohesiveness, and clarity, I'dlike liketototouch touchupon uponvarious various I'd issues that have arisen lately, or issues that have arisen lately, or ones that have been lying in the ones that have been lying in the deepest recesses of my brain, only deepest recesses of my brain, only bedislodged dislodgedby bythe thefear fearofofHurHurtotobe ricane Andrew hurtling me ricane Andrew hurtling me through the streets of New through the streets of New Orleans. Orleans. August,I Iwrote wrotethe thefirst firstofofaa . •InInAugust, two-part story on biz-ops. Some of two-part story on biz-ops. Some of you may have thought, "Why you may have thought, "Why writeabout aboutbiz-ops? biz-ops?That Thatdoesn't doesn't write really concern our industry or afreally concern our industry or affect our day-to-day business. " fect our day-to-day business." Well, the answer is that when Well, the answer is that when unscrupulous biz-ops rip-off ununscrupulous biz-ops rip-off unsuspecting customers, those suspecting customers, those customers are apt to lump these customers are apt to lump these biz-ops withlegitimate legitimatecoin-op coin-op biz-ops ininwith companies. In the constant battle companies. In the constant battle forpositive positivePR, PR,we wecertainly certainlydon't don't for need that. need that. Anyway, in the August story, I Anyway, in the August story, I talked thepresident presidentof ofthe the talked totothe U .S .A. Lottery biz-op , Joseph U.S.A. Lottery biz-op, Joseph Pruneau.Even Eventhough thoughI Iheard heardhe he Pruneau. was the ultimate sleaze ball, it was was the ultimate sleazeball, it was feltthat thathe heatatleast leastshould shouldbe begiven given felt the chance to respond to allegathe chance to respond to allegations of fleecing customers. But nowthat thatI've I'vereceived receivedaacopy copyofofhis his now arrest record from the Florida arrest record from the Florida DepartmentofofLaw LawEnforcement, Enforcement, Department see-and you will too-that thisisis I I see-and you will too-that this no innocent angel. no innocent angel. Pruneau,who whoalso alsouses usesthe the Pruneau, aliases Prunequ and Pauneau, aliases Prunequ and Pauneau, hasbeen beenarrested arrested1010times, times,beginbeginhas ning in 1966 at the age of 18. The ning in 1966 at the age of 18. The charges have included petty charges have included petty larceny, grand grandlarceny, larceny,fraud, fraud, larceny, burglary, vehicle theft, flight/ burglary, vehicle theft, flight/ escape, malicious damage to proescape, malicious damage to property, and possession of an illegal perty, and possession of an illegal gamblingdevice. device.Would Wouldyou youbuy buy gambling games from this man? Unforgames from this man? Unfortunately,many manyunwitting unwittingpeople people tunately, have. Not the kind of person you'd have. Not the kind of person you'd liketotobe beconfused confusedwith, with,eh? eh? like •Though there's been recent . Though there's been aarecent warming in the AMOA/ AAMA warming in the AMOA/AAMA thingscould couldget getfrosty frosty coldwar, war,things cold again before long. The reason? A again before long. The reason? A certain U.S. U .S . subsidiary subsidiary of of aa certain Japanese video game manufacJapanese video game manufacturer is not content with its proturer is not content with its proscribedrole. role.ItItwants wantstotooperate operate scribed the games as well, like the parent the games as well, like the parent and other Japanese companies do and other Japanese companies do Japan.This Thismay maybe bekosher kosherover over ininJapan. there, but it's got some noses bent there, but it's got some noses bent outofofjoint America-andsome some out joint ininAmerica-and of those noses belong to AMOA of those noses belong to AMOA high-ups,who whowe wehear hearare arekeepkeephigh-ups, ing quiet but secretly burning. ing quiet but secretly burning. They want AAMA to step in and They want AAMA to step in and do somethingabout aboutit,it,or orat atleast least do something show that it recognizes the possishow that it recognizes the possible conflict. conflict.Another Anotherparallel/ parallel/ ble dedicated situation brewing? Stay dedicated situation brewing? Stay tuned. tuned. requeston onbehalf behalfofofmy mycolcol· •A A request leagues here at Play Meter-and tions of fleecing customers. But leagues here at Play Meter-and PLAY METER PLAY METER 248 248 OCTOBER1992 1992 OCTOBER theother othertrade tradepress, press,for forthat thatmatmatthe when one of us calls you, Mr. ter: ter: when one of us calls you, Mr. Manufacturer, Distributor, OperManufacturer, Distributor, Operator,State StateAssociation AssociationHead, Head,etc., etc., ator, for a comment: PLEASE CALL for a comment: PLEASE CALL Excuseme, me,I Ilost lostmy myhead head BACK!Excuse BACK! momentarily. Really, though, momentarily. Really, though, ifif we'vegone gonetotothe thetrouble troubleofofseekseekwe've ing you out for inclusion in a ing you out for inclusion in a featurestory storyor ornews newspiece, piece,isisaa feature timely response asking too much? timely response asking too much? youhave haveno nocomment, comment,just justsay say IfIfyou so; we'll move on to someone who so; we'll move on to someone who does. Don't leave us in the lwch, does. Don't leave us in the lurch, waiting for a promised return call waiting for a promised return call that never never comes. comes . It's It's no no fun fun that scrambling for quotes while an scrambling for quotes while an irate production person yells, irate production person yells, "You're past your deadline!" "You're past your deadline!" There, I feel better now. There, I feel better now. Finally, speaking speakingfrom from the the .• Finally, perspective of a dispassionate perspective of a dispassionate observerwith withno novested vestedinterest interestinin observer the outcome, I hope the reborn the outcome, I hope the reborn Seeburg International makes Seeburg International makes itit back. Like Like aa sports sports champion champion back. who's hit bottom and attempwho's hit bottom and isisattempting a valiant return, Seeburg ting a valiant return, Seeburg isis trying to regain some of the luster trying to regain some of the luster it enjoyed before falling on a halfitdecade enjoyed before fallingOther on a halfhardtimes. times.Other jukedecade ofofhard jukemanufacturers have big, highbox box manufacturers have big, highpowered distributor networks; powered distributor networks; Seeburgisisrebuilding rebuildingits itsnetwork network Seeburg brick by brick. Call me a sucker brick by brick. Call me a sucker who can't resist an underdog, but who can't resist an underdog, but I'm pulling for 'em. D I'm pulling for 'em. Christopher Caire ChristopherCaire Caire Christopher FeaturesEditor Editor Features