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INTERNATIONAL NEWS - USA www.euroslot-online.com
No potential Nevada taxes
AMOA show badges
L
ocated in Nevada’s capital city, veteran Carson City operator Doug Minter
learned of a proposed tax increase on operators, and alerted Nevada
not going out by mail
amusement association executives in time to squash it. Behind closed doors, the
Nevada Senate had designed legislation to levy a $200 tax- a change from the one-
time $200 standard annual business tax- for each location operated by a Nevada T
his year, the AMOA will eliminate the admission badges sent by mail
for its September 24-26 AMOA Expo in Las Vegas. All advance
company. The total taxes due on $200 per location over the one-time fee could be registrants will receive an email registration confirmation, which will
staggering, putting some operators out of business. contain a bar code to be scanned at an on-site express registration
counter. Attendees must bring a copy of the confirmation to secure a
badge for show entry. AMOA officials believe the new system will save
No more smoking for the
money on paper and postage, plus provide a more accurate process for
registrant verification.
U.S. Armed Forces
T
Ohio licences VLTs
he U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is considering a phased-in five-to-10 year
plan to halt all tobacco sales on military bases. This ban would outlaw smoking by
anyone in uniform, including battlefield soldiers.
The Pentagon, which aims for a tobacco-free military, officially banned smoking on O
hio Governor Ted Strickland has granted 10-year licenses to
legalize up to 17,500 slot machines, or video lottery terminals
military bases several years ago. (VLTs), to be installed in Ohio’s seven racetracks. The state lottery will
The policy resulted from a government report claiming that the U.S. military loses nearly regulate the machines. Ohio has confronted severe economic
$850 million annually from smoking-related illness and reduced productivity. The DOD’s downturns. The last minute deal between the governor and the state
Institute of Medicine and the Department of Veterans Affairs has endorsed the plan. legislature included legal definitions and regulations for the permitted
Statistically, the report claims that one-third (33%) of active duty U.S. military slots within the state’s budget bill. The slots are projected to raise
personnel are smokers, compared with 20% of civilians. Each year, the sales of tobacco $933 million in tax revenues over Ohio’s next two-year budget cycle.
products on U.S. military bases generate up to $90 million. These revenues help fund Strickland’s executive order may face a court challenge.
recreation and family support activities for military families. There is no word on how to The Ohio Coin Machine Operators Association (OCMA) pushed for
compensate for the shortfall. an expanded slots bill that would include legalized operator-run video
poker in liquor-licensed locations. OCMA now supports an expected bill
that will allow VLTs in 10,000 liquor-licensed establishments statewide.
OCMA leaders believe the racetrack slots are the beginning of
negotiations for Ohio’s future VLT market.
Also in Ohio, an appeals court determined in mid-July that some
provisions of the 2007 skill game law were unconstitutional.
Specifically, the court ruled that a $10 limitation on redemption prizes
is illegal under the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.  
The law, deemed hastily written, was passed, signed and enacted by
emergency provision in October 2007. Minimal opportunity for public
comment and questionable issues within the legislation contributed to
the court’s ruling. Operators feel this court decision creates an
immediate opportunity for them and their struggling tavern customers
by attracting new customers to their expanded rewards within their
redemption equipment.
Pennsylvania governor to
Law enforcement’s
sign video poker bill
strange idea of legal
P
ennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell plans to sign a video poker legalization bill as
a fundraising measure to help erase a projected $3.25 billion shortfall. The T
exas law enforcement agencies throughout the state are reselling
seized eight-liner machines. Confiscated from allegedly illegal game
original plan was to fund college scholarships, but economic emergencies burdening rooms, these machines are then sold back to the original operators in
the state may change the scope. Despite being legally required to pass a budget by those same game rooms or other venues. Houston’s local Channel 11 news
June 30, as of press time, Pennsylvania did not have an approved budget. reports that some of the confiscated machines are auctioned on eBay for
Revising the original bill from a single-provider system, the current bill will $250 and up.
establish separate roles for operators and manufacturers. The Pennsylvania Eight liners are slot-type videogames. Their operation is legal as long as
House Gaming Oversight Committee passed the bill in July, but some local press small noncash prizes are awarded. However, the Texas attorney general,
outlets say there is opposition to authorizing pokers in liquor-licensed plus individual county district attorneys and police chiefs, charge that
establishments, so challenges may arise in the future. thousands of illegal game rooms across Texas offer illegal cash payoffs or
award excessively generous merchandise vouchers.
18
SEPTEMBER 2009
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