Play Meter

UP FRONT
(Poi nt/Cou nterpoi nt)
Point: The problem is the forest
Members of our industry who are constantly dis-
cussing the problems we have are, maybe, as the
saying goes, " too close to the forest to see the trees."
It would take a small book to list all the supposed
problems we have, or possibly could have. This is not
the reason for this article, but rather to consider one
specific subject that seems to be causing quite a stir in
the amusement industry-i .e. the question of
operating the amusement poker machines.
The term " gray area machines" would appear to
have been coined by those who either have a poor
working knowledge of our language, or those who,
by design , wish to cast a subtle slur on a successful
competitor. There are, by definition, only two types
of poker machines manufactured and sold on today' s
market-i .e. amusement only or gaming only. The
gaming type machines are legally sold and used in
only two areas of this country and that only with
special licensing requirements. The amusement
machines are legal in all other areas of this country, as
manufactured . There is no statute or licensing author-
ity in this country that identifies any machine as a
" gray area machine" either in amusement or gaming
statutes.
What should be recognized is that all manufac-
turers of amusement poker machines build and sell
them with the intent that these machines be used for
amusement only. Intent is the word that should be
understood . No one with any business sense would
knowingly build or sell a product with the intent to
break the law.
It seems that some people are upset with the
amusement poker machines because they could be
gambled on. In some cases I am sure they are. But this
same truth applies to almost anything you can name,
and here truly is where the witch hunt begins . Do you
8
outlaw all television sets in local pubs because on
Super Bowl Sunday people sit, drink their beers, and
bet on the game? Do YOLl outlaw all pool tables
because occasionally the players bet on the outcome
of the game? Do you outlaw the sale of decks of
pla ying cards because someone might gamble with
them? Silly, isn ' t it? Again , the secret word is intent ;
the television set, the pool table, the deck of cards, all
are intended to entertain, not to do anything illegal.
Can the manufacturer of any game on the market
today say that no one will ever wager on their game or
its outcome from playing it? People are by nature
competitive; they love a winner. When two people
get together to play any game and they say, " I bet I
can qeat you " ; that's gambling, mister.
Again , as I first indicated , let us, as an industry, step
back and take a good look at the trees; the forest is
really getting in the wa y.
We as an industry and as individual businessmen
get very upset when innuendos are cast upon us by
communities, trade publications, or members of our
own industry. Honest, law abiding operators and
arcades are having problems in some areas. Slander,
half truths, slurs, innuendos-we are experiencing
these by the bucketfulls. But then we do the same
things to our own-is it any wonder we have pro-
blems???
Bill Stanard
General Sales Man ager
Bend Ele ctronics Co. Inc.
Oregon
PLAY METER , June 15, 1982