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NEWS BULLETIN ~ DOLLAR COIN UPDATE . .. On March 11. Rep. Esteban Torres (D-Calif.) and Rep. Jim Kolbe (A-Ariz.) introduced the One Dollar Coin Act of 1993. which replaces the paper dollar with a dollar coin. The number of the new House bill is H.R. 1322. Senate bill 549 was introduced at about the same time by Sen . Pete Domenici (R-N.M.): it's co-sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-lowa) and Sen. Dennis DeConc1n1 (D-Ariz.). chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. said that the state should profit from legalized video gaming because illegal video machines are widespread in taverns now. The casino bill that originated 1n the House was defeated in the Senate Finance Committee by a vote of 9-5. It began with a proposed casino for the city of Gary and was later amended to include gaming for resort areas 1n the southern part of the state and riverboat gambling . At a press conference announcing their legislation. Torres and Kolbe released a study by the U.S. General Accounting Office entitled. ·one Dollar Coin Could Save Millions If Properly Managed.·· The GAO report estimates that 5395 million in annual budget savings would be realized if a dollar coin were minted. Last year the Fede.al Reserve Board recommended adoption of a dollar coin. ~ Torres. chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Coinage and Currency 1n the last Congress. said. ··Everyone in Congress knows that spurring the economy and reducing the defecit is the number one priority of the American public. The dollar coin 1s a sensible response to help address this issue.·· He agreed with the GAO's assessment that ··in an environment of difficult and unpopular defecit-reduct1on measures. the alternatives of securing S395 million in annual budget savings through updating our coinage 1s likely to be a relatively painless sacrifice for most Americans." ~ ARACHNID BRINGING DARTS TO SPAIN ... Arachn id Inc. will launch BullShooter I. the first European Challenge of Champions dart tournament. on April 30-May 2 in Gerona. Spain. Dart players from Spain. Portugal. France. Denmark. Finland . Norway. Holland. Germany. Belgium. Switzerland. and Austria are expected to compete for $10.000 in U.S. prize money in four main events : Men's and Women's Singles and Men's and Women's Cricket Doubles. For more information. contact Einar Askvig. Arachnid's vice president of European operations, at 32-36-44-29-80. The dollar coin issue has been at the top of the AMOA/AA MA Government Affairs Conference agenda for many years. and these recent developments have buoyed the sp irits of Bob Wilbur. AMOAs government relations liaison . ·1think we have a better chance th is year than ever before ... he said . Having Torres aboard as a co-sponsor will likely have influence over Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.). the new chairman of that subcommittee . The new GAO report reiterates the savings issue and emphasizes the experience in Canada as being favorable. There was some unhappiness with the coin in the first year but it passed quickly." ~ ~ I ~ DUKE RETURNS TO INDUSTRY . .. Brian Duke, who left Capcom USA last October. resurfaced at ACME '93 with Visions of Reality, a new South San Francisco-based company that plans to bring virtual reality to this industry. His title is director of sales and marketing . The 1993 Government Affairs Conference takes place in Washington. D.C.. on May 16-18. There is no registration fee this year. but attendees must still register. For more information . call AMOA at (312) 644-6610. ext 3426. or AAMA at (703) 494-2758 f SHOW PICKS FROM THE CRANK ... Due to a tight deadline schedule. we weren't able to present Frank Sen1nsky's ACME show picks in their usual depth . Here's an abbreviated list of his choices. in order of preference): • Upright videos: NBA JAM. Midway Mfg.: Virtua Racing. Sega: The Punisher. Capcom: Title Fight. Sega. • Sit-down: Lucky & Wild. Namco. • Kit Fighter's History Data East (available as such in June) . • Redemption Wheel 'M In. Bromley : Orbiter 1. Coin Racer (handled by Amusement Source): OUT Coin Concepts: 3 Lil Pigs. Doyle: Pig Tails, International Vending Machines (handled by Leprechaun) . • Pinball: Twilight Zone. Bally. Visions of Reality didn't exhibit at the show. but Duke and president Dan Rice came anyway to meet with operators and view other manufacturers' product. "We were very encouraged by the response we got." Duke said. "I wanted Dan Rice to hear directly from operators what they needed and wanted. We're new. and Dan was willing to listen. That way. when our product is ready to market. we'll already know it's what they'll use in their locations." SOUTH DAKOTA UPS THE ANTE . .. Not content with 35 percent of net video lottery proceeds. South Dakota's Legislature voted on March 23 to change the law and increase the state's share to 36 percent. raise machine license fees from 5100 to 5250 per machine per year. and hike the manufacturer's license fee from 55,000 to 520.000 per year. Both fees kick in on July 1 In addition. the Legislature has directed the Lottery Commission to conduct a study of the relationship between u-,e private and public sectors. to begin in July and be completed by January 1994. Nickel play. approved by the Lottery Commission several months ago. will commence as soon as machine manufacturers can meet all the requirements . Visions of Reality has signed an exclusive agreement with Kaiser ElectroOptics Inc. and Senses Corp .. both leaders in mil itary technology. to develop virtual reality for the amusement industry. Rice said his company would borrow technology currently used only by fighter pilots to make virtual reality systems for coin-op. The address for Visions of Reality is 395 Oyster Point Blvd . South San Francisco. CA 94080: the phone number is (415) 615-9595. ~ VIOLATIONS IN LOUISIANA . . . On March 30. the La. State Police notified Louisiana Gaming Management of Metairie that it intends to revoke its license. due to a number of irregularities. LGM owns 800 machines in the state. An unauthorized modification was found on 29 Bally machines owned by IGM in LaFourche and Caddo Parishes. The modification was a device designed to allow a player to reset any coin tilts. 1n effect using the coin return improperly for the customer's benefit ~ WMS GAMING MOVES . .. WMS Gaming. the gaming product division of Wil liams, has moved into its own office building as it prepares for future growth. "We ant icipate the gaming industry to be a very viable business for Williams in the years to come . and we must be able to expand as the industry grows." said WMS Gaming president Rick Currie. "Our new facility wiJI enable us accommodate more resources in marketing. engineering. field service. and sales as we continue our expansion in the gaming industry." LGM was cited with other alleged misconduct. including placing video gaming devices at unlicensed establishments, failure to notify the State Police of device transfers within five working days. failure to keep maintenance logs inside devices. failure to maintain written maintenance logs on a current basis. permitting devices to be accessed by unauthorized personnel. and failure to provide copies of written contracts with Wells Fargo and Baton Rouge Cigarette Service. The company faces fines of S51.000 and the loss of its license to operate in Louisiana for five years . LGM maintains that the alleged violations are innocent errors and plans to file an appeal. At press time. no date had been set for a hearing on the matter. The building is located next to Williams· corporate headquarters in Chicago: it houses the corporate staff and the R&D department. A large engineering laboratory has been designed to facilitate the development of the company's product line. ~ ~ INDIANA LOOKS AT GAMING ... House Bill 1868, enabling legislation for video lottery. passed the House of Representatives 1n February but is stuck in the Senate. Sen . Larry Borst (R). chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. said he would not hold a hearing on a b1ll legaliz1ng slot machines and other electronic video gaming devices unless the governor requested one. Rep. Patrick Bauer (D). NSM ENTICES OPERATORS ... Beginning April 1. jukebox operators can take advantage of a new program by NSM-America called the "PayBack Plan:· Those who purchase a new NSM jukebox on or after April 1 will receive a 5100 PayBack Certificate, which can be used as cash toward the purchase of parts and accessories: amplifiers. service kits. laser players, and even an entire HideAway system. "We're really just trying to encourage operators to try an NSM jukebox." said NSM-America president Flus Strahan. "The product has to do its own selling from there on out. We don 't expect operators to just up and switch to our product because we tell them it's the best." Operators should call their nearest NSM distributor for a full listing of parts available under the plan. PLAY METER MAGAZINE. Aprll 1993. Volume 19. No 5. Copyright 1993 by Skybird Publishing Company. PLAY METER MAGAZINE (UPS 358-350) 1s publ ished 'T'Onthly. except for the two issues 1n January. Publ ishing office : 6600 Fleur de Lis. New Orleans. LA 70124 . MAILING ADDRESS : PO Box 24970. New Orleans . LA 70184 . USA Phone · 504/488-7003 : FAX 504/488-7083 Subscription rates : US. and Canada-$60. Advertising rates are available upon request NO PART OF THE MAGAZINE MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT EXPRESS PERMISSION The editors are not responsible for unsol1c.ted manu scri pts PLAY METER MAGAZINE buys ALL RIGHTS. unless otherw ise spec1f1ed. to accepted manuscripts. cartoons. art work . and photographs Second -class postage pa id at New Orleans. LA 70113 and add1t1onal ma1l1ng offices POSTMASTER Send Form 3579 to Play Meter. PO Box 24970. New Orleans. LA 70184 PLAY METER 3 APRIL 1993