Play Meter

NEWS BULLETIN .,. LOUISIANA POKER STATISTICS ... Early numbers are coming out of Louisiana as the state gradually enrolls the new legal video poker machines. According to the La. State Police, 13 manufacturers have been licensed (29 applied), 26 distributors (32 applied) , and 165 device owners (165 applied) as of July 16. Applications are still being processed and new ones are coming in daily. On the location side, 993 have been licensed and approximately 2,100 games have been enabled (3,675 have been enrolled into the computer system). Twenty-seven state troopers are traveling the state enabling games and doing background investigations for pending applications. The process could be quicker for locations with patrons staring at games not yet operational. It's too soon for any solid income figures. Look for more on the first series of game installations in the "News." .,. RHODE ISLAND PASSES VIDEO LOTTERY... Don't get too excited . Video lottery passed in the Rhode Island House and Senate and was signed into law by the governor in mid-July, but the games will only appear in the one jai alai and one dog track. The program , which calls for acentral system and multi-vendors, will be under the umbrella of the lottery commission . At present, a committee is being formed to formulate the rules and regulations. .,. KRAMER MAKES DEAL... Kramer Manufacturing has developed a legally approved 8-line redemption game, in conjunction with Wing/Eagle Co. of Tokyo. The Fruits and Bells game is the only legally approved 8-line game for the state of Iowa through Iowa Code #99B.10. Kramer has given the exclusive distribution rights for sales in Iowa to H-Z Sales of Omaha, Neb. .,. FLORIDA HANDED LEGISLATIVE DEFEAT .. . A bill that would 've eased the tax burden for the Florida coin-op community failed in the final special session of the Florida Legislature, according to Manley Lawson, chairman of the Florida Amusement and Vending Association (FAVA) legislative committee. The bill, which called for reducing the 7.81 percent gross receipts tax to three percent while adding a $10 per machine fee, passed in the Senate but failed in the House. "There was so much politics flying around before the end of the session , and time became a factor,'' Lawson said. "We just came up a little short. There wasn't any real opposition to it, so I'm hopeful that when the Legislature convenes again in '93, we can get the 7.81 tax repealed ." Lawson says FAVA will stage seminars in the following cities to apprise members of their obligations regarding the tax, how to minimize the effects of the tax on their businesses, etc.: Orlando (Birmingham Vending), Aug. 8; Ft. Lauderdale (site undetermined), Aug. 15; Jacksonville (site undetermined), Aug . 22; and Tampa (site undetermined), Aug . 29. All seminars start at 10 a.m.; call FAVA at (407) 898-3451 for site information . .,. JACOBS TO DATA EAST .. . Paul Jacobs has accepted the position of vice president of sales and marketing with Data East. He will oversee the sales of all coin-op and consumer video games. Jacobs was most recently with SNK, opting to leave the company rather than make a move to northern California when SNK moved its offices. Jacobs has 25 years in the industry, serving in various positions with Capcom, Exidy, Chicago Coin , and Wurlitzer. .,. COMPANIES, PEOPLE ON THE MOVE ... Romstarwill make a move from Torrance, Ca., to Sunnyvale sometime in September. We will have the new address and phone numbers when available. At American Sammy, Norm Evangelista has left to pursue other interests. The company is also planning other changes, though all the details have not been finalized . .,. KAHLER TO TECMO ... Joyce Kahler has left Romstar to take a position with Tecmo. She has been named the national sales manager for the consumer division. She told us how excited she is to be working in the consumer division of a company with strong coin-op roots, since that is where she started her career. Tecmo will be moving into larger facilities in Torrance from its present location in Carson , Calif. .,. JORDON LOPEZ WELCOMES SISTER ... Romstar's Rene Lopez and his wife Linda are the proud new parents of a daughter, Dana Marie. Dana Marie was born on July 11 and welcomed by older brother Jordon. .,. P.M. I. NOW PLAY BY PLAY ... PM.I. Toys and Novelties is one of five subsidiary companies of Texas-based Pizza Management Co. recently purchased from owner Arturo Torres by four company executives. The principals of the new company, TM.I. International, include Jon Dennison (CEO), Mark Gawlik (president), Jay Foreman (vice president) , and Fransico Saez Moya (executive vice president). In conjunction with the purchase, PM.I. will be renamed Play By Play Toys and Novelties. In addition, there will be an aggressive expansion plan that will include adding new distribution centers and regional sales representatives, acquiring more hot licensed products, and adding a retail market division . Included in the five subsidiaries are Val Verde Vending and Restaurants Universal. Val Verde Vending is a growing video and crane operation , running over 2,000 machines in more than 300 locations. Restaurants Universal is a restaurant franchise concept opening its first two locations in Spain this summer. Gawlik and Foreman , former general managers of the toys and novelties division , will continue to head Play By Play; Denn ison will head Val Verde Vending; and Saez Moya will head Restaurants Universal. .,. BETSON PLUS STELLA EQUALS BETSTAR ... Stella International and Betson Enterprises have formed a partnership known as Betstar Ltd. The new company will concentrate on the limited gaming jurisdictions throughout the Western Hemisphere, as well as vi deo lottery jurisdictions. Betstar is developing new product for the Americas and awaiting license approvals. Peter Betti and Bernd Donalies are Betstar's executive directors. Andrea Schatz and Bill Treger will run the day-to-day operations, with assistance from Dave Tucker. For more information on Betstar Ltd ., call (800) 864-7670. .,. ROSENTHAL LAUNCHES ADVOCACY GROUP ... This could be the most exciting news to operators to date. New York businessman Jeff Rosenthal has launched The Amusement and Vending Advocate, an organization capable of giving America's vending and amusement industry the financial and legislative clout it needs to become a national voice. Rosenthal said the Advocate will provide the industry with financial services ranging from helping set up payroll services, employee pensions, and medical plans to helping find the right health care providers. Another valuable service will be helping with marketing strategies and lobbying. "The industry is starving for these services," said Rosenthal , a CPA and former operator who has written tax articles for Play Meter for nearly 10 years. "This is the first and best opportunity to unite it under a common cause:' As a division of the American Small Business Association, the Advocate will pull some of its support directly from that 150,000-member organization. Additional support will come from H.D. Vest Inc., an Irving, Texas, firm that specializes in a wide range of financial services. .,. WILLIAMS TO DISTRIBUTE IN ARGENTINA ... Williams Electronics will distribute direct to Argentina through Juegos SACOA, managed by Jorge Mochkovsky. Williams' Lenore Sayers said, "SACOA's many years of distri buting experience in Argentina will be a tremendous benefit in the expansion of this most important market." Williams will ship Baily's pinball line as well as Williams' products through SACOA, which is located in Mar del Plata, with a branch office in Buenos Aires. .,. BAD NEWS IN MASSACHUSETTS ... On June 25, the state Senate added an amendment to the budget that would legalize video poker through a sole-source contract. This language is totally unacceptable to the members of Massachusetts Gaming Association (MAGA) , which sent the following memo to its members: "Three members of the House and three members of the Senate will meet to resolve the differences between the House budget and the Senate budget. We urge you to call or write the representatives and state senator from your residence and your business. Tell them of your interest in the legalization of video poker with local vendor involvement, which is direct involvement, local jobs for local people-not a giant out-of-state manufacturer. Ask them to press for this with Sen. Patricia MacGovern, chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, and Rep. Thomas Finneran , chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means. "This is the major critical issue for your business on this issue to date. If this is adopted , your chance of being involved as a coin operator in video poker is over." .,. ATLAS ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENTS ... Atlas Distributing, whose main office is in Chicago, has appointed Jim McNally as the branch manager of the Indianapolis office. Jim has spent 23 years in the coin-op business, including nine with Empire/Bally, two with Modern Vending , and two with Bertsch Food Service. The Indianapolis branch has a full line of amusement and vending machines with a complete service and parts department. Robert Scott is the new parts manager. PLAY METER MAGAZINE , August 1992, Volume 18, No. 9. Copyright 1992 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE (UPS 358-350) is publ is hed monthly, except for the two issues in January. Publishing office: 6600 Fleur de Lis, New Orleans, LA 70124. MAILING ADDRESS : P.O. Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184, USA . Phone : 504/488-7003 ; FAX 504/488-7083. Subscription rates : U.S. and Canada-$60. Advertising rates are available upon requ est. NO PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION . The editors are not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts . PLAY METER MAGAZINE bu ys ALL RIGHTS, unless otherwise specified , to accepted manuscripts, cartoons, art work , and photographs. Second-class postage paid at New Orleans, LA 70113 and additio nal mailing office s. POSTMASTER Send Form 3579 to Play Meter, P.O. Box 24970, New Orleans, LA 70184. PLAY METER 3 AUGUST1992