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COIN-OP NEWS Video poker and the law dominate state convention Aubrey Brooks !ll of Tommie 's Novelt y with Bob Nims cl of A.M.A. Distributors and Bill Atkins of Four Rivers Gaming. Members of the Louisiana Amusement and Music Operators Association met in New Orleans during the first week in October, and the subject of video poker and the law topped their agenda. At their first annual convention, state operators heard many of the same themes sounded at a seminar on video gaming at the AMOA Expo in San Antonio , Texas, two weeks previously-namely that those in the industry need to fashion a unified front if they are to successfully fend off their ever-present opposition. "This thing needs to start today," said outgoing LAMOA president Kevin Craighead of Craighead Amusements in West Monroe. "Get involved. We 've got to unify. " "I urge you to think PLAY METER LAMOA's Charles Stoma !ll with Rep. J. Raymond Lalonde cl and Kevin Craighead of Craighead Amusements. about what makes you different from other forms of gaming," state Senator Larry Bankston told operators. "They (the opponents of gaming) will start with you and work their way up. On the feeding chain you're the number one target ." Bankston and state Representative Raymond Lalonde, both of whom spoke at the convention, helped spearhead video poker law reforms in a state legislative session this year that is credited by some with saving legalized video gaming. The two legislators urged operators to make the case for video poker by clearly illustrating the number of jobs created and the amount of money thatgoestolocalgovernments and law enforcement agencies from the business. "Your businesses are From left: John Georges of Delta Gaming, Lt. Kendall Fellon and Tammy Pruet of the La . State Police, Sen. Larry Bankston, and Bud Viator of southern Trading corp. local businesses and that could prove to be your strength in the long run," Lalond e said. In the face of such a tenuous picture, members of the state association present preached about the need to 14 strengthen the organization and discussed the possibility of funding an updated impact study on video gaming in Louisiana. Making her first official call as president of the national AMOA, Tami NOVEMBER 1994