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INTERNATIONAL NEWS - USA www.euroslot-online.com
Pinball museums website
T
he National Pinball Museum launched a new website,
www.nationalpinballmuseum.org. The site offers unique pinball premiums
for gift ideas, plus information about a little-known pinball museum in Paris.
Viewers may sign up for the National Pinball Museum’s quarterly newsletter Tilt.
The curator, David Silverman, is aiming to open a venue that tells the history
of pinball’s contribution to American pop culture through a collection of 700
games. As a non-profit organization, he will accept tax deductible cash donations
and contributions of memorabilia, from ads to publications to games and parts.
Contact dsilverman@nationalpinballmuseum.org
Keeping VLT split at
50-50 in South Dakota
Judge overturns video
S
outh Dakota lawmakers have recommended that the state keep its split poker ban in North Carolina
with the video poker industry on a 50-50 basis. Currently, South
Dakota receives about $112 million annually from video poker.
After a special panel studied the possible change to a 70-30 split in favor
of the state, they determined that increasing the state’s share would have V
ideo poker operators got both good and bad news on February 19. A
Superior Court judge ruled on that North Carolina’s 2006 ban on
both positive and negative effects. The South Dakota Treasury may see an video poker machines was illegal. However, he also required that
additional $40 million in its coffers, but such a dramatic increase would also additional legal proceedings on the issue take place before any operators
drive many South Dakota amusement operators out of business. could revive the poker market.
However, Governor Mike Rounds did sign two bills into law on March 10. The rationale for the ruling was the constitutionality of barring
They are expected to reward the state government with an additional $1 operator-run pokers while permitting the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
million from raising the tax on adjusted gross revenue Deadwood gambling. to operate gambling equipment on tribal lands. State government officials
The laws were a compromise between Rounds and the Deadwood gaming questioned the ruling since several states have the same scenario, and are
industry. Rounds advocated the penny slots, but wanted it as part of a proposing legislation to specifically revise state law to retain the poker ban.
higher annual license fee on slot machines and poker and blackjack tables. North Carolina permitted amusement-only pokers from 1993 to 2006.
A second bill allows Deadwood to swap a number of city-owned nickel They were outlawed when police complained that it was impossible to
slot machines for penny slots, which some officials claim are more popular. stop rampant illegal payoffs. Multiple legislators and law enforcement
The move is expected to raise another $500,000 a year. individuals have gone to prison for criminal wrongdoings.
Move to Mexico
Touchtunes using wireless broadband
B
y late 2009, videogame manufacturer A
fter four months of testing, TouchTunes jukeboxes across the U.S. will be able to use wireless
broadband technology. The jukebox company will offer customers a two-year contract deal for $10.45
Merit Entertainment and jukebox make per week. Their focus was to offer a flexible and economical method for connecting the TouchTunes
Rowe International will assimilate their network to broadband wireless. One advantage is that while enjoying the benefits of hardwired connections,
production facilities and staffing. They will shift wireless services eliminate the time-consuming, complex processes. The speed also increases operator
production of Rowe jukeboxes, money changing revenues by 25% over dialup boxes.
machines and Merit terminals to Reynosa, Using a USB wireless modem, customers can access all TouchTunes’ products and hundreds of
Mexico, along the Texas-Mexico border. The thousands of songs. Operators can expedite their access to enhanced promotional capabilities,
move will result in the loss of 100 jobs. myTouchTunes.com and PlayPorTT services, cashless payments, real-time diagnostics and tech support.
Company officials claim that cost controls, This spring, compliant equipment from other coin-op machine makers will be able to share the
reduced overhead and increased efficiency will TouchTunes wireless solution.
allow the company to maintain a competitive
edge in the current global environment. A single
management team and sales force, led by
industry veteran John Margold, will lead the two
Poker and pressure for scholarships
firms. Marketing, customer service, and
software and hardware development, will also
consolidate
Reynosa is located across the Rio Grande P
ennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, who effectively legalized casino slot parlors in 14 venues state
wide, is looking to expand gaming to help the commonwealth. He has proposed legalizing video
from McAllen, Texas. It is a popular factory poker, awarding the proceeds to funding educational scholarships. His original target date of this fall
town for several U.S. companies who wanted has created a massive response from parents seeking help with next semester’s tuition costs.
satellite manufacturing facilities. In 2007, Lawmakers aimed for immediate legislative action to meet the fall deadline. Rendell projected as
Brunswick moved its production lines for Valley- high as $550 million annually from the proposed 50% share of legal poker earnings. The figure is
Dynamo pool tables from Dallas to Reynosa. based on calculations that 18,000 licensed bars and club would operate five licensed machines.
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APRIL 2009
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