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BULLETIN CHICAGO OPERATORS OPERATORS FIGHT FIGHTBACK BACK CHICAGO TOBACCO BILL BILL KILLED KILLED TOBACCO The McCain McCain bill, bill, named named after afterits its sponsor sponsorJohn John McCain McCain (R(RThe Arizona) and focusing on tobacco issues, was killed June 17 by Arizona) and focusing on tobacco issues, was killed June 17 by the Senate's Republican majority. Those behind the bill called the Senate's Republican majority. Those behind the bill called tragedy, while while others others said said that that the the $1.10 $1.10 per-pack per-pack increase increase itit aatragedy, for cigarettes cigarettes was was simply simply unacceptable unacceptable and and that that too too many many proprofor of committe making it povisions were added after it came out visions were added after it came out of committe making it politically impossible to pass. Both Democrats and Republicans litically impossible to pass. Both Democrats and Republicans are optimistic optimistic that that there there will will still still be be legislation legislation to to discourage discourage are but both sides agree thatfuture future young people from smoking, young people from smoking, but both sides agree that legislation probably won't be as comprehensive as this bill. An An legislation probably won't be as comprehensive as this bill. original deal signed over a year ago between 3 6 states and tooriginal deal signed over a year ago between 36 states and tobacco companies included penalties if tobacco companies bacco companies included penalties if tobacco companies don'treduce reduce teen teen smoking smoking and and authorized authorized the the Federal Federal Drug Drug don't Administration to toregulate regulate nicotine nicotine as as aa drug. drug. It It also also banned banned Administration marketing tobacco tobacco products products to to youngsters. youngsters. marketing of Melo-Tone Vending and and co-chairco-chairWe asked Mark Levine We asked Mark Levine of Melo-Tone Vending man of AMOA's tobacco committee, how this affects operators man of AMOA's tobacco committee, how this affects operators ofcigarette cigarette vending vending machines. machines. He He stressed stressed that that itit is is far far from from of dead. "We are confident that Congress will pass some form of dead. "We are confident that Congress will pass some form of legislation. I'd like to tell operators not to get down. We've legislation. I'd like to tell operators not to get down. We've been successful successfulin in protecting protecting our ourposition position and and we we must must press press been forward We'll We'll be be contacting contacting vendors vendors in in the the near near future future as as soon soon forward as we we get get aa better better picture picture of ofwhere where the the leadership leadership in in Congress Congress as is headed." headed." is vending operators operators were were favorably favorably written written into into Cigarette vending Cigarette the legislation when it was passed by the Commerce Committhe legislation when it was passed by the Commerce Committee. It It called called for for cigarette cigarette vending vending machine machine operators operators to to be be tee. compensated for the loss of their businesses; the vote was compensated for the loss of their businesses; the vote was 19-1 by bythe the committee committee in in favor favor of ofthis this language. language. This Thi~ provi19-1 proviofthe the Senate Senate floor floor debates. debates. Mark Mark added, added, sion survived survived all all of sion "We believe believe that that there there were were too too many many amendments amendments added added to to "We the original original legislation legislation for foritittotopass. pass.We'll We'll await await the the next nextleglegthe islative bill bill to to follow." follow." islative Chicago operators operators are are embattled embattled against against aarepressive repressive ordiordiChicago Chicago. Purportedly nance enacted on April 2 9 by the city of nance enacted on April 29 by the city of Chicago. Purportedly effective on onMay May 9, 9,the the ordinance ordinance would would have have rendered rendered illegal illegal effective within the the city city any any device device that thatincludes includes aa knock-off knock-offcircuit, circuit, alalwithin lows more than 10 replays, maintains a count of payoffs or the lows more than 10 replays, maintains a count of payoffs or the number of times a person has won a game played on the denumber of times a person has won a game played on the device, or or maintains maintains aa tally tally of ofplayers' players' scores scores other other than than the the tally tally vice, displayed to players. displayed to players. The ordinance ordinance did did make make exceptions exceptions for for cranes cranes and and redempredempThe tion machines machines as as defined defined under under state state law. law. A A 70-strong 70-strong associaassociation ofoperators, operators, the the Independent Independent Amusement Amusement Operators Operators AsAstion of tion sociation, resorted to the courts soon after the ordinance was sociation, resorted to the courts soon after the ordinance was published, and and was was successful successful in in obtaining obtaining an an injunction injunction published, city. The association expects the city will modify modify its its against the against the city. The association expects the city will ordinance to get around the injunction if possible, and that a ordinance to get around the injunction if possible, and that a oflitigation litigation is is imminent. imminent. newround round of new SEGA CONFIRMS CONFIRMS MOVE MOVE TO TO SAN SAN FRANCISCO FRANCISCO SEGA Three divisions divisions of ofSega's Sega's consumer consumerbusiness business will will be be moving moving Three to San San Francisco, Francisco, Calif., Calif., by byJan. Jan. 4, 4, 1999. 1999. The The three three divisions divisions ininto clude Sega Entertainment (computer games), SegaSoft (softclude Sega Entertainment (computer games), SegaSoft (software), and and Sega Sega of ofAmerica America (game (game consoles). consoles). Also, Also, reliable reliable ware), sources tell us that Sega Enterprises Inc. will buy back the sources tell us that Sega Enterprises Inc. will buy back the game sales division from Sega Game Works in a mutually amigame sales division from Sega GameWorks in a mutually amicable arrangement. cable arrangement. City,while whileSega Sega Sega Enterprises Enterpriseswill willremain remainin inRedwood Redwood City, Sega Pinball will will remain remain in in Chicago. Chicago. Pinball Hayao Nakayama Nakayama will will be bein in charge charge of ofall all coin-op coin-op activities activities Hayao outside ofJapan. outside of Japan. Pinball employee employee told told Play PlayMeter, Meter, "There "There isis not not aa A Sega Sega Pinball A chance we'll be moving. You can't build a pinball machine in chance we'll be moving. You can't build a pinball machine in California." California." Sega of ofAmerica America recently recently laid laid off offall all but but about about 100 100 of ofits its Sega employees, but but Bernie Bernie Stoler, Stoler, president president and and chief chief operating operating ofofemployees, ficer said saidin in aanewspaper newspaper article article that that the the companies companies expect expect the the ficer work force force to to grow grow to to aa total total of of 800 800 employees employees during during the the work next several years. Sega of America plans to launch a new sysnext several years. Sega of America plans to launch a new system in the near future. tem in the near future. PHILADELPHIA AVOIDS AVOIDS CIGARETTE CIGARETTE MACHINE MACHINE BAN BAN PHILADELPHIA proposed ordinance ordinance totoban ban cigarette cigarettevending vendingmachines machinesin in AAproposed Philadelphia was amended by the city council to allow maPhiladelphia was amended by the city council to allow machines to to operate operate with with lockout lockout devices devices that that permit permit one one vend vend at at chines a time. The new ordinance went into effect June 1; operators a time. The new ordinance went into effect June 1; operators have six six months months to to install install the the lockout lockout devices. devices. Penalties Penalties for for disdishave pensing cigarettes to minors are a $100 fine the first time, pensing cigarettes to minors are a $100 fine the first time, $200 the the second second time, time, and and $300 $300 plus plus confiscation confiscation of ofthe the mama$200 chine the the third third time. time. chine Key to to avoiding avoidingthe the ban ban was was aamachine machine and and lockout lockout device device Key demonstration in council chambers. According to Arnie demonstration in council chambers. According to Arnie Aronovitz of ofApple Apple Vending, Vending, "Council "Council members members had had no no idea idea Aronovitz what a lockout device meant. The demonstration impressed what a lockout device meant. The demonstration impressed them, and and they they liked liked the the fact fact that that operators operators told told them them we we wantwantthem, ed to part of the solution to help minors stop smoking." ed to part of the solution to help minors stop smoking." PLAY METER GAMEWORKS OPENS OPENS SUMMER SUMMER GAMES GAMES GAMEWORKS A series series of ofworld-class world-class competitions competitions on on the the hottest hottestsports sports A and simulation games kicked off at Sega Game Works locations and simulation games kicked off at Sega Game Works locations 20. Titled Game Works Summer Games, the eight-week June June 20. Titled Game Works Summer Games, the eight-week event(through (through Aug. Aug. 23) 23) involves involves head-to-head head-to-head battles battles on on aa vavaevent riety of challenging games at Game Works facilities in Seattle, riety of challenging games at Game Works facilities in Seattle, Wash.; Ontario, Calif Calif.; Grapevine, Texas; Texas; Tempe, Ariz.; and Las Las Wash .; Ontario, .; Grapevine, Tempe, Ariz .; and Vegas, Nev. Nev. Top Top weekly weekly scorers scorers will will be be invited invited to to Game GameWorks Works Vegas, at the the end end of ofeach each weekly weekly competition. competition. ConConforthe the local local finals finals at for testants of all ages are invited to participate. testants of all ages are invited to participate. Each location location will will honor honor one one gold, gold, silver, silver, and and bronze bronze medal medal Each 3 JULY 1998