Play Meter

Letters to the editor. • • Of finks and men Being fairly new in this business (since July 1981), I have been visiting as many arq1des/ street locations as I could, to try and understand the rest of the business. During these visits I have noticed several machines which do not display the required State license stamp. Further, I have bumped into several machines which were obviously knock-offs. These operators are hurting the business, in my opinion . Is there a hot-line that we could write or call to become dirty little rat-finks and turn in the offenders? Or should I continue to ignore these people? They don't actually hurt me physicallydo they? E.M . Amarillo, Texas [Ed. Reply: The writer, who wishes to remain anonymous, states a problem that goes beyond "becoming a rat-fink ." It is of legitimate concern to operators everywhere when there are operators anywhere skirting the law. To prevent the "one bad apple" syndrome is the concern of E.M. and all others who want to maintain a hard-won respectable image for amusement coin-ops. Play Meter has called editorially for the coin industry to police itself before Big Brother does the necessary policing for it. And, E.M. and the other straight-arrow operators who may not be hurt physically- are apt to be hurt fiscally. In any given area, one bad operator can cause all kinds of problems for the remaining straight operators. For example, if the non-taxpaid machines are noticed by one amusement operator, they will also be noticed by other business peoplesuch as merchandise vendors, ice cream shop owners, and everyone else who complies, albeit grudgingly, with the burden of taxation. To whom will those other merchants complain? To their elected officials. And into the minds of the elected officials will rise the notion tha t all amusement machines are not carryPLAY METER , April 15, 1982 ing their weight in taxes. OJ the copy game "knock-off" problem, we could say that the cornercutting operator is only hurting him self in making the copy games he owns, liable for seizure under a court order that may be obtained by the legitimate producer of the original game. The question is a wide one, which has been explored in depth in this magazine in recent issues, but the operation of the "copies " does at least create yet another doubt as to who is operating legitimately. Finally: writer E.M. in a follow-up conversation with us noted his concern with the "blue suede," fly-bynight sales of dubious coin-op games . To him as to other readers we point out that each state and many U.S. counties have consumer protection agencies and law departments which are open to aid the would-be operator who has been caught in this type of rip-off. The list of agencies, addresses and personnel is too length y to publish, but any operator who feels he has been caught in a "blue-sky" games fraud may contact Play Meter for referral to the appropriate action office.] Audio Visual Amusem-ents Offering the finest new and used equipment REPRESENTING LEADING FACTORIES • SALES, PARTS, SERVICE • ARCADE PLANNING SPECIALISTS Over 50 beautifully reconditioned solid state pinballs available YOU'VE TRIED THE REST, NOW TRY THE BEST WE'RE EAGER TO SERVE 1809 Olive Street St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (314) 421-5100 For further information, call Pete Entringer (collect) 7