Play Meter
Issue: 1984 February 01 - Vol 10 Num 3 - Page 10
nEWS
percent annual interest-were leveled
against two defendants. Carmine
Lombardozzi. a reputed mob captain.
and Frank Balsamello. a supermarket
manager. They were charged with
criminal usury in the first degree and
promoting gambling in the second
degree. The usury count a felony.
could net each a maximum of 15
years in prison.
Some New York operators expressed
concern over the manner in which the
district attorney characterized the
video game industry there . Inherent in
Holtzman's statement is the suggestion
that it is impossible to operate a video
game center in New York without
becoming involved with o rganized
crime .
"The operation was set up to attrad
potential criminal influence." one
operator protested.
"They reached out to the criminals.
The criminals did not go to them,"
another accused.
The Rainbow Yogurt location used
in the sting operation was leased from
a realty company long suspected to
have ties with crime families. another
New York operator explained.
" It is unfortunate that the impression
given is that a video game parlor any-
where in New York is likely to be con-
trolled by organized crime, when the
truth is that any business in that neigh-
borhood is likely to be approached by
one of the crime families." he said.
Bartlett. DiCristafalo, and Phillip
Santelli of Santell Maintenance ap-
peared in Brooklyn Criminal Court
December 12. Their hearings were
adjourned until January 11 .
•
LICENSE FEES
'OPPRESSIVE,
JUDGE RULES
I
As coin-operators brace themselves
for 1984's first round of state and local
tax attempts. they can find some inspi-
ration in a recent decision by New
Jersey Superior Court Judge Donald
Coburn. Ruling on an operators' suit
against Union City. Coburn struck
down the city's licensing fees. calling
them " oppressive and prohibitive and
confiscatory."
f1L'f ~tlfYU;ICif19."''"'
· ~C.-bil"'btr...tf•t~do
manufacturer of the Mini Vegas video c ard game. gave away a vacation week for
two at the Club Baja in Baj a. Mexico. to a visi tor at th eir AMOA show booth. Play
Meter's David Pierson (right) draws the winner 's name while E. E. 's Jed Foreman
(left) and Games Galore's Ron Markis steady the b ox of en tries. The lucky winner
was Dock Ringo. wh o at the time of the drawing was getting used to his new job
as 1984 presiden t of AMOA.
10
PLAY METER. February 1. 1984
percent annual interest-were leveled
against two defendants. Carmine
Lombardozzi. a reputed mob captain.
and Frank Balsamello. a supermarket
manager. They were charged with
criminal usury in the first degree and
promoting gambling in the second
degree. The usury count a felony.
could net each a maximum of 15
years in prison.
Some New York operators expressed
concern over the manner in which the
district attorney characterized the
video game industry there . Inherent in
Holtzman's statement is the suggestion
that it is impossible to operate a video
game center in New York without
becoming involved with o rganized
crime .
"The operation was set up to attrad
potential criminal influence." one
operator protested.
"They reached out to the criminals.
The criminals did not go to them,"
another accused.
The Rainbow Yogurt location used
in the sting operation was leased from
a realty company long suspected to
have ties with crime families. another
New York operator explained.
" It is unfortunate that the impression
given is that a video game parlor any-
where in New York is likely to be con-
trolled by organized crime, when the
truth is that any business in that neigh-
borhood is likely to be approached by
one of the crime families." he said.
Bartlett. DiCristafalo, and Phillip
Santelli of Santell Maintenance ap-
peared in Brooklyn Criminal Court
December 12. Their hearings were
adjourned until January 11 .
•
LICENSE FEES
'OPPRESSIVE,
JUDGE RULES
I
As coin-operators brace themselves
for 1984's first round of state and local
tax attempts. they can find some inspi-
ration in a recent decision by New
Jersey Superior Court Judge Donald
Coburn. Ruling on an operators' suit
against Union City. Coburn struck
down the city's licensing fees. calling
them " oppressive and prohibitive and
confiscatory."
f1L'f ~tlfYU;ICif19."''"'
· ~C.-bil"'btr...tf•t~do
manufacturer of the Mini Vegas video c ard game. gave away a vacation week for
two at the Club Baja in Baj a. Mexico. to a visi tor at th eir AMOA show booth. Play
Meter's David Pierson (right) draws the winner 's name while E. E. 's Jed Foreman
(left) and Games Galore's Ron Markis steady the b ox of en tries. The lucky winner
was Dock Ringo. wh o at the time of the drawing was getting used to his new job
as 1984 presiden t of AMOA.
10
PLAY METER. February 1. 1984
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).