Play Meter

Less-than-perfect, Le ss-than-perfect, FROM BUTBETTER BETTER THAN THAN NOTHING BUT THE EDITOR dilemma in Texas would be an apt description of try. Therelike are the potential tragedies if comheadslooming up are not there mittees one Tom "remember the Alamo" state. Legislators have toAAMA, intervene on the industry's behalf. AMOA, IAFEC, and IAAPA all have committee? A A the legal quagmire operators are battling in the "remember the Alamo" state. Legislators have ValerieCognevich Cognevich Valerie Editor Editor taken on the arduous task of banning redemptaken on the arduous task of banning redemption games. They don't actually declare that spetion games. They don't actually declare that specific intent but their actions speak louder than cific intent but their actions speak louder than their exact words. their exact words. It began with a biting proposal that would It began with a biting proposal that would have effectively prohibited all amusement rehave effectively prohibited all amusement demption machines except for games whichreindemption machines except for games in-to volve substantial skill. It would be awhich crime volve substantial skill. It would be a crime to possess any number of maany number of mapossess chines (even video games!) chines (even video games!) that contain things like that contain things like awarding free games or awarding free games or tickets, accepts more than tickets, accepts more than one coin to influence the one coin to influence the outcome of a single play, outcome of a single play, has inte rnal retention has internal retention mechanisms, or simulates a mechanisms, or simulates a casino game. casino game. Ironically, Texas seemed Texas toIronically, be one state thatseemed exempttoedbecarnival one state that gamesexemptfrom the carnival games from the ed skill requirement, but that requirement, but that skill would change with the new would change withironic the new I say beproposal. beironic say I proposal. cause just when things seem cause justand when seemas logical arethings working logical and are working as they should, some legislator they some legislator What seesshould, a loophole. sees a loophole. What makes it so tough is not only makes it so tough is not only the $2,000 per day fine or the $2,000 per day fine or the tough registration and permit requirements, the tough registration and permit requirements, but also that the tax collector would be able to but also that the tax collector would be able to seize machines if he thought the skill wasn't subseize machines if he thought the skill wasn't substantial enough. A tax collector with the power stantial enough. A tax collector with the power to detemline if enough skill is there. Is that scary to determine if enough skill is there. Is that scary enough for you? enough for you? Play Meter's "Legal Eagle" Tom Fricke wrote Tom MayMeter's column"Legal on theEagle" subject andFricke as thewrote chairhisPlay his May column on the subject and as the chairman of IAFEC's Regulatory Oversight Commitman of IAFEC's Regulatory Oversight Committee he quickly gathered the other committee tee he quickly gathered the other committee members (Frank Seninsky, Lary Zucker, Jerry members (Frank Seninsky, Lary Zucker, Jerry Monday, David Bishop, and me) on a conference Monday, David Bishop, and me) on a conference call to discuss it. No grass grew under his feet as call to discuss it. No grass grew under his feet as we all had a draft of a statement on our desks we all had a draft of a statement on our desks early the next day. early the next day. This is not an attempt to explain all the nuThis is not an attempt to explain all the nuances of the bill itself because Tom has gone ances of the bill itself because Tom has gone above and beyond the call of duty to tell our above and beyond the call of duty to tell our readers about it. In fact, check out his column readers about it. In fact, check out his column this month to find out the latest on this issue. Inthis month to find out the latest on this issue. Instead, I would like to begin by stressing that stead, I would like to begin by stressing that things like this happen all the time in this indus- things like this happen all the time in this indus- PLAYMETER METER PLAY try. There are potential tragedies looming if com- dilemma in Texas would be an apt description of the legal quagmire operators are battling in the 10 10 mittees like the one Tom heads up are not there to intervene on th e industry's behalf. AMOA, AAMA, IAFEC, and IAAPA all have committees dedicated to monitor laws and regulations. But dedicated to monitor laws and regulations. But no one person can do it themselves. no one person can do it themselves. Tom likened the Texas fiasco to a surprise Tom likened the Texas fiasco to a surprise bombing raid: "It was drafted without one word bombing raid: "It was drafted without one word of consultation with our industry and was introof consultation with our industry and was introduced on the latest date for the introduction of duced on the latest date for the introduction of bills, Pearl Harbor-style." bills, Pearl Harbor-style." This isn't the first time, nor will it be the last This isn't the first time, nor will it be the last time our industry is bombarded with negative time our industry is bombarded with negative proposals from a misguided or misinformed leg- proposals from aWe're misguided or misinformed legislative body. perceived as an industry islative body. We're perceived as an industry practically without morals! We're often included practically without morals!sometimes We're often included in a category legislators call "sin tax- ines" a category legislatorsofsometimes call comes "sin taxwhen discussions raising money up. es" when discussions of raising money comes up. I could say I'm outraged by the prospect of I could say I'm outraged by the prospect of having more preposterous laws stacked upon having more preposterous laws stacked upon the industry's already burgeoning list of irrathe industry's already burgeoning list of irrational laws because I am. But right now I'm tional laws because I am. But right now I'm conce rned about a lackadaisical attitude perconcerned about a lackadaisical attitudetoperindustry when it comes supmeating the meating the industry when it comes to supporting its associations. I've expressed disbeporting its associations. I've expressed disbelief towards operators who say they can't lief towards operators who say they can't afford to join their state or national associaafford to join or the national associaare their there state to reap benefits of eftion, yet tion, yet are there to reap the benefits of efforts put forth by those in the association. fortsI put forth those inone thetime association. why he didn't asked an by operator I asked an operator one time whyhis he answer didn't belong to his state association and belong to his state association and his answer went something like this: "They haven't done went something like this: "They haven't done anything for me so why should I give them my anything for me so why should I give them my hard-earned money?" hard-earned money?" When I reminded him that his association When I reminded him that his association had fought a barely-won battle over a proposed had fought a barely-won battle over a proposed gross receipts tax, which ultimately saved his gross receipts tax,thousands which ultimately business literally of dollars,saved he saidhis he business literally thousands of dollars, he didn't know anything about it. Pretty sadsaid isn'the it? didn't know anything about it. Pretty sad isn't it? I can say without hesitation that he would have I can say without hesitation that he would have been the first to scream bloody murder about been the first to scream bloody murder about paying thousands more in taxes, yet won't bothpaying thousands in taxes, yet won't bother to support the more association. the association. er toI support will b e the first in line to admit that the I will be the first in line to admit that the associations are not perfect; far from it someassociations are not perfect; far from it sometimes. My husband's not perfect (no, you 're times. My husband's not perfect (no, you're not, honey!) but I love him and support him. not, honey!) but I love him and support him. We have to do that with our associations. Get We have to do that with our associations. Get involved. Find out what committees need peoinvolved. Find out what committees need people and volunteer. How would my husband ple and volunteer. How would my husband know when he screws up if I'm not there to know when he screws up if I'm not there to rub it in ... er, let him know? How will the assorub it in ... er, let him know? How will the associations get any better if everyone sits back ciations get anyA better if everyoneassociation sits back complaining? less-than-perfect complaining? A less-than-perfect association is better than not having one at all.A.6. is better than not having one at all. JULY 1997 JULY 1997