Coast to Coast has a new redemption game called ‘Down The Drain’ where players use their timing skills to stop the spinning arms. Under the dome there are four paddles and one ball. The object is to push the ball with the paddles so that at the precise time the ball lands in the space with the most points. It is simple to understand but the ball bounces, spins, and rolls so the player has to master 3 dimensions at once. This is a very fast paced game.

TRR has not tested this game but reports from the New Jersey Shore have been positive. Down The Drain can be seen at IAAPA. For more information visit www.coastentertainment.com or call 800.224.1717.

Astrosystems introduces their GBA ST1-C bill acceptor with a fully illuminated front entry to make it easier for customers to get their bills into your machines. The blue note color can be set to an attractive continuous blue glow or to flash continuously. This new feature will surely help your games make more money, especially in a darkened environment or if the bill acceptor location is not located right in front of the customer (such as under an overhanging control panel).

The GBA ST1-C easily fits any type of game and is virtually impossible to defeat. Once a bill has been inserted into the note cassette, it cannot be pulled out. The track locks can be fitted to have the bill travel down or left or right into a secure cashbox. For more information go to www.gba-st1c.com or call 702 643 1600.

New UNIS Funfair Bash a Top Act  

Momentum is already building for the latest game from Universal Space (UNIS), Funfair Bash. The first machine to be launched in the new Carnival series is already showing great test results. Kashif Ahmad, General Manager at Playdium Mississauga and Playscape Markham is very pleased with Funfair Bash.

He said, “UNIS has produced a carnival-themed game for all ages. With an attractive cabinet, manageable footprint, and exciting game play, this game is sure to entertain all your customers. It requires skill and encourages repeat play. Funfair Bash creates a lasting experience for the consumer. In our facility of close to 100 redemption games, its earnings are continuing to improve each week. Consistently among the top 50 games, this game is working its way into the top 25.”  

He added, “This game has had zero service issues since it has arrived. UNIS staff have been readily available to respond to any questions regarding the unit.”

For more information, call (714)377-0508 or visit www.universal-space.com.

Andamiro-New Games with New Concepts

Here is a review of some of the new games that the company has in their product line-up:

‘Magic Shot’—Skill Version of I Cube. This dedicated game has the same selling price as I-Cube. If you have an I-Cube, the Magic Shot Kit (selling for $399.00) will convert your I-Cube to Magic Shot.

‘Color Blocks’-a redemption game where the build-up from one game continues to the next game. This is a new concept and TRR is looking forward to testing this game and evaluating how this new concept works.

‘Lobster Robot’-Many of us played this exciting redemption game at the trade shows and had some recommendations on how to improve the game.  Well, Andamiro has listened and has replaced the 4-way joystick with buttons, making the game much easier to play. Each game will come with a spare cordless lobster robot, which is player controlled to catch balls (one at a time) in the center space and drop the balls onto a revolving playfield with different value scoring holes as the time clock tickets down.

‘En Shoot’ Basketball is a full-sized basketball game (39.5” W, 91.9” D, 98.4” H) that offers up to 4 Quarters (30 seconds each) plus a qualifying Bonus Round. The basket is stationary for the 1^st Quarter and moves sideways from 2^nd Quarter to 4^th Quarter. The player receives 2 points for a basket where the ball first touches the rim, 3 points for a ‘swish’ and 6 points for sinking the blue or black colored ‘money ball’. All points are doubled during the bonus round. 2-16 units can be linked so players can compete simultaneously. Winner is announced upon completion of 4^th Quarter. Certainly worth $1.00/play or perhaps more.

For more information go to www.andamiro.com.

Bay Tek New Games and Innovations

Can you believe that Big Bass Wheel was introduced in 2008 and has been earning top revenues for 5 years?  Many FECs have two Big Bass Wheels and some have 3 or more. How can Bay Tek top that kind of success? Here is how:

‘Ticket Monster’—a new version of Big Bass Wheel, comes with progressive jackpot built in. Same size as Big Bass—Same price as Big Bass—Shipping in September. This internal jackpot improvement is now possible because a 3rd party patent ended 5 months ago.

‘Sink It’—this is the redemption version of Beer Pong for FECs. The competition experience of this 4 player game is extremely high.  Each player attempts to bounce or toss 30 balls within 30 seconds into each of the 10 cups arranged like bowling pins.

‘Prize Hub’—this exciting modular expandable self-contained automatic prize center is designed to make it faster and easier for customers to redeem their points. The ticket eater has been replaced with a printed coupon scanner that reads QR code coupons. The Evolve system’s QR codes are specifically coded to each Prize Hub. The QR coded coupons cannot be scanned more than once. Redemption tickets would first be fed into a Detronic Labs Ticket Eater equipped with the Evolve printer that prints the QR coded coupon. For facilities that have a debit card system, the Prize Hub can read the points on the debit card. Another option for locations with a limited number of redemption games is to install an Evolve receipt printer into each redemption game. The Evolve box plugs into the existing ticket dispenser cables and needs no additional connections. Prize Hub also has a 22” touch screen monitor, USB prize image uploading, customized advertisement capability and even built-in space for surplus prize storage.

For more information go to www.baytekgames.com.

DFX Sound Vision integrates with Casio at 3 Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurants

DFX has been keeping busy hooking up Buffalo Wild Wings with Casio’s LampFree Dual Projectors. These projectors run on a new technology combination hybrid of laser and LED light sources which eliminates the need to replace lamps every 2-3 months. The old style mercury lamps of the past cost of replacement over a year often cost more than the cost of an original projector.  The new Casio projectors have a life span of 20,000 hours or 5.5 years operating at 10 hours per day.

“Without the use of mercury lamps, Buffalo Wild Wings no longer has to worry about downtime from lamp failures or the costly maintenance associated with bulbs,” said Gennaro Esposito, vice president of DFX. “As an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, I have found Casio’s projectors to be the ideal solution for establishments like Buffalo Wild Wings.”

“The total cost of ownership, ability to withstand extended daily use and retain brightness were the major components in choosing projection technology,” said Robert Corde, director of operations for AMPAL Restaurant Group, Buffalo Wild Wings. “Casio’s Dual Projection System and Pro Series XJ-H2600 go above and beyond our expectations and have made a significant technological difference in our restaurant locations by cutting down costs and maintenance, and ultimately brightening the atmosphere. Our customers now have the opportunity to watch crisp, vivid imagery unmatched by competitors.”

According to the press release:  “The Dual Projection System, designed with two Casio projectors stacked on top of one another, projects two sharp, high-quality images, which the Convex System control box then merges into one screen. It is available in two different models; the XJ-SK650 and the XJ-SK600. The XJ-SK650 features double stacked Pro Series XJ-H2600 projectors and provides users with up to 6,500 lumens, while the XJ-SK600 features double stacked Signature Series XJ-M250 projectors and provides up to 6,000 lumens. Both of these models provide roughly twice the lumen output provided by a single projector.

The Dual Projection System includes two (2) projectors, ceiling mount housing and the Convex System control box, which corrects and merges screen images. The system features high-precision correction and an interface that allows easy modifications using a remote control.”

DFX specializes in audio, video, lighting, and automation solutions. Their services include sales, installation, system design and integration, rental, theater and event production, service, and repair. They work with bowling and entertainment centers, houses of worship, schools and universities, theaters, as well as corporate and special events. For more information go to www.dfxsoundvision.com or call 800-555-5280.

Party Center Software – Online Waiver Center 

Party Center Software is set to release their ‘Online Waiver Center’ module this month at IAAPA. This new feature will provide FECs with the ability to have their customers sign liability waivers online and store any signed waivers with easy access for future use by the FEC staff. The electronic waivers will save both time and space and they can also be sent via email along with birthday party invitations. That way guests can fill out the waiver ‘before’ they ever step foot in the facility.

In addition, Party Center Software is completely redesigning the customer-facing online booking site, which will allow customers to have a quick and easy booking process on any device with any screen resolution. To learn more about the software and the upcoming features, visit www.PartyCenterSoftware.com or call Danny Gruerning direct at 888.804.1166 x15.

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GameAlert Ready to Roll Out! – [40 games + 2 Changer Modules for $10,200]

GameAlert is an inexpensive business information tracking system for Family Entertainment Centers, offering managers and game route operators real-time data without losing the FUN value of the tokens and tickets kids and adults know and love. GameAlert is about real-time knowledge. It lets you know at any minute of the day how your business is doing, which games are being played and where any problems are. It even alerts you by email if there is a suspected token or ticket jam or a game is running low on tickets or a bill changer has a stuck bill or is running low on tokens.

Speaking of problems, cash control is always on an Entertainment Center owners mind. Last week I was at a location and watched a mom walk up to the counter and hand a manager $5 to buy tokens. The manager set the $5 bill on the counter behind him, grabbed a coffee can full of tokens, counted out 20, then handed them to the mom. Transaction complete, good customer service right. Now that $5 bill, that’s another story. Hard to say what happened to it. Didn’t see the sale rung up on the register, the bill sat on the counter for a while, and then it was gone. Probably put into the bank deposit envelope, but hard to say.

So how do you really know where your cash is? Treat tokens like money. Keep them locked up and only sell them from bill changers. GameAlert monitors and reports all tokens sold by bill changers, and, the coins played in games. Then it calculates and reports the difference. If more tokens are played than sold, there’s a problem and it’s time to take a closer look at when and why. With GameAlert there’s finally a tool to tell where the money goes.

There’s More!

GameAlert is designed with Promotional Marketing in mind and features built-in analytics to measure campaign effectiveness. Let’s say you want to attract stay-at-home Moms and their young children on weekday afternoons by running an ad offering a mid-day discount token special. Using GameAlert’s Promotion Manager, simply select the days of the week, length of the campaign and the promotional prices. For example, choose to dispense 25 tokens for $5 and 55 tokens for $10 from Mon through Fri between 1:15 and 3:00pm. GameAlert’s changer integration automatically adjusts all token prices on the right day and time, returning them back to normal once the campaign is over. No need to individually program and then re-program each changer. After the campaign ends, run the Sales Comparison Report and check week over week sales, or run a Game Performance by Time of Day Report to see which games are getting more play. GameAlert’s easy to read graphs show hour to hour game play by game category and how much impact the ad and promotion created. Use the promotion and measuring features to increase revenue during specific days and times of day.

GameAlert is ready for sale after being fully tested at 5 different FECs ranging from 20 games to over 100 games. The goal was to keep the cost down and this has been accomplished. Here are the costs for different size game centers:

20 Games with 2 Changer Modules          $  7,200.
30 Games with 2 Changer Modules          $  7,950.
40 Games with 2 Changer Modules          $10,200.
50 Games with 4 Changer Modules          $14,000.
60 Games with 4 Changer Modules          $15,500.

Monthly monitoring and alert monitoring fee ranges from $220-$300 depending on the actual number of games and bill changers.

For information, visit www.game-alert.com or contact Alpha Omega Sales at 732-254-3773 directly or click on GameAlert ad.
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Foundations Entertainment University Celebrates 10 Years
Foundations Entertainment University (FEU) celebrates its 10th year anniversary with its last class of 2013 held September 16-19 in Kansas City, Missouri. The 30th FEU class attracted 26 attendees representing bowling, laser tag, indoor and indoor/outdoor FEC’s, waterparks, a play café and more. The locations represented are both new and existing centers. This class brought the number of graduates from Foundations Entertainment University to over 900, representing more than 130 operating sites. 

“I searched for the best and most experienced consultants and found that most of them were at Foundations University / Birthday University.” – Jason Behm, Advanced Laser Tag

The next Foundations Entertainment University will be held, for the first time, in Phoenix, Arizona at the Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel February 25-27, 2014 . Attendees will have the opportunity to visit and have behind the scene tours of a family entertainment center and a bowling lounge. Early Bird Registration of $349 ends December 31, 2013. After Decembr 31st, fees increase to $489 (includes lunches and dinners). Attendees can also attend the half-day Remarkable Parties & Groups: Past, Present & Future seminar immediately following Foundations for only an addition $10. Registration is now open. Visit www.foundationsuniversity.com for information.

Pictured below are attendees of Foundations Entertainment University #30, Kansas City and a “10-Year” anniversary celebration cake for Foundations.

1st Annual Meeting and Trade Show for Trampoline Park Industry a Huge Success

The International Association of Trampoline Parks held its first annual conference and trade show in Scottsdale, Ariz., October 23-24, 2013. With only 3 1/2 months for planning, the conference brought together 140 park and entertainment facility owners/operators and an additional 35 exhibitors and speakers. These numbers far exceeded expectations for the first event planned by the newly formed association.

Workshops were often ‘standing room only’ and attendees were pleased with the overall content and educational take-aways. Safety, operations, insurance, and litigation were hot topics This time was also used to hold working committee meetings where members could participate and share their interests and thoughts on the direction of the association. Information shared at these committee meetings and feedback from the conference will be used in a strategic planning meeting to be held next month in Orlando.

For more information about the association, visit www.indoortrampolineparks.org.

Below: Educational Sessions had attendees filling the rooms and committee roundtables were standing room only.

Foundations Entertainment University
Foundations Entertainment University (FEU), held March 18-19 in Kansas City, Missouri, attracted 63 attendees from all over the world who obtained knowledge from seven of the industry’s top consultants, designers and operators.

The next Foundations Entertainment University will be held, for the first time, in Phoenix, Arizona at the Sheraton Phoenix Airport Hotel February 25-27, 2014 . Attendees will  have the opportunity to visit and have behind the scene tours of a family entertainment center, a bowling lounge and an outdoor family fun center. Attendees can also attend the half-day Remarkable Parties & Groups: Past, Present & Future seminar immediately following Foundations for only an addition $10. Registration is now open. Visit www.foundationsuniversity.com for information.

Pictured below are attendees of Foundations Entertainment University #30, Kansas City.

World’s Most Popular Laser Tag
Zone Laser Tag is the oldest manufacturer of laser tag and the world’s largest equipment provider. Our range of products include NexusPRO,  NexusFEC and RIFT Blaster. The leading fun centers and laser tag facilities all use Zone Laser Tag because of its durability, reliability and playability.  Call 866-966-3797 to learn more.

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Florida is Now the Center of Attention – continuted…

Here’s the Ticket!

In response to my TRR #19 Breaking News story “Florida is Now the Center of Attention”, Tom Fricke, well-known amusement and gaming attorney, has submitted his response. Tom has some great advice. This is a must read. I learned some new information.

Tom Fricke Response to Frank

“You and I are private U.S. Attorneys General, thanks to federal RICO.  Most states have their own RICO statutes. That makes private attorneys general out of residents of those states.  These laws allow us to sue businesses that are harming our business through conducting as a business any one of several predicate offenses.  Illegal gambling is one of those predicate offenses.  The successful plaintiff in a civil RICO statute can obtain (1) a closure order, (2) attorney fees, and (3) 3 X actual damages proved.  For those who are serious, there is the option of suing the Internet cafe that conducts an illegal sweepstakes.  So, let’s see who is serious, other than us editorial writers.

I’ve said to you that whether an Internet cafe that offers a sweepstakes which mimics the slot machine experience is lawful or unlawful in most states is not determined by the slot machine experience or the subjective response to it by the public.  Rather, the lawfulness of the promotional game must be established by:

   (1) a legitimate product offered for legitimate sale and actually sold and used, +
   (2) an alternative method of free participation that is not illusory under the circumstances, +
   (3)  a clear purpose of the business to sell the product, rather than have the product be an excuse for the game.

These are fact questions for juries.  In the case of abuses that I have seen, these facts can be readily proved.  But you have to be careful.  Some Internet cafe sweepstakes operations are very lucrative.  They can and do buy a lot of representation.

The abusive Internet sweepstakes cafe is one which sells “thin air” which nobody actually uses, and says that the game is free when in fact it isn’t free at all.  Such businesses are vulnerable to both prosecution and civil RICO.  A suit by a FEC could close one down on the testimony of experts in products and markets and on promotional marketing.  More to the point, many abusive Internet cafe sweepstakes operators would likely close their doors upon being served with a civil RICO complaint, and Law Enforcement would love the plaintiff in such a case.  The only hitch is that people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

It’s clear that the proliferation of abuses of the no-consideration compliance theory has been extremely profitable for some people and at the same time, has caused excessive responses by state legislatures.  But who is to blame?  It’s the abusers, to be sure, but not only them.  It’s also:

   (1)    Law Enforcement for tolerating the abuses rather than bringing cases effectively against them,
   (2)    Manufacturers of coin-op games who must make products that operators will actually buy, and
   (3)    Operators who will buy and use anything which Law Enforcement seems to tolerate.

You will find that the loftiest executive talent will endorse the sale and operation of illegal equipment so long as the competition is doing it and law enforcement doesn’t seem to care.  So where do we go from here?

You’re wrong on the law in stating that a competition, in which the most-skilled participant almost always wins, makes the competition skill-predominant.  I’ve attached a precedent from your state that says so, and could offer many others. [Click here to read New Jersey Case-Is Backgamnon a game of skill or chance?]

You’re wrong also in suggesting that independent testing laboratories are a solution.  I can show you some examples of their skill opinions that (1) found as a no-chance game machine a device that was clearly a game of chance and had been found to be so by appellate courts in twenty states, (2) developed a skill standard for crane machines that assured that the machine would operate at a loss, and (3) authored an opinion on a purported skill game that an appellate court relied on in its finding that the machine in question was a game of chance. 

Independent testing laboratories describe the function of electronic equipment and software.  They compare the result of their analysis to detailed compliance specifications.  But in the case of concept-based prohibition of chance, there are no detailed compliance specifications about the line between chance and skill.  And let’s not forget that the services of ITLs are very expensive.

What then is the solution?  I say the solution starts with a white-paper position statement by our two national trade associations.  The American Gaming Association can do that sort of thing.  (The AGA has published a twenty-page white paper about video sweepstakes in Ohio.)  Why can’t the amusement associations?  I’m not suggesting platitudes, such as “we should all obey the law.”  I’m suggesting a substantial document that is specific on many points.  Yes we can, even when we are dealing with a gray area that too few seem to understand.

The next step would be approval of model legislation and some tools for reference by state lobbyists; but we’d better be careful.  An industry defined as businesses of all sizes that deploy machines to public space that people use for fun, is pretty diverse.  I don’t think there is a route business anywhere that would not welcome the chance to offer unregulated video poker. ($100 daily net win is pretty attractive.) Larger businesses are no different.  Many have succeeded in accomplishing just that.  Those who haven’t done so, I’m sure, envy those who have.

We will not effectively respond to the threat of unenlightened, repressive new laws unless substantial resources are deployed to:

   (1)    achieve a broad consensus among the many parts of our diverse industry,
   (2)    achieve effective lobbying in states where now there is none, and
   (3)    develop amusement games played for prizes that are compliant and that people like to play.

In the coin-op/LBE industries, there are vested interests opposed to all of these measures.

Tom Fricke, (314)322-9526, [email protected].

Frank’s Response
Tom, you make several good points. Yes, we are a diverse industry but there are enough FECs and game operators who want to operate games that are legal. We are in agreement that ‘legal’ is a term that cannot be precisely defined, so there will always be challenges. For example, even a football game has an element of chance, especially if one considers a coin toss at the start to determine which team kicks off and which team receives.  I understand that, but it can’t hurt to be able to show that an amusement game is predominantly skill and that a respected testing lab has done an analysis and states that the game is predominantly skill.

My first 15 years in this business were spent (along with other operators and associations) convincing legal authorities that pinball machines were games of skill and winning a free game was not gambling. And we as an industry were very successful. We then tackled redemption games and cranes and were also successful. This took another 20 years to accomplish.  Hopefully all of the time, energy, and money spent have been worthwhile.

I believe this is a good foundation to start with and then we can proceed with each of the steps you have outlined.  Your last sentence stating that there are vested interests within the industry that are opposed to each the solutions also needs to be solved. Every industry has those that will always push the envelope. I have gone on record stating that a line has to be drawn between amusement and gaming.  Yes, the line moves left and right and even up and down over time, its position in space sometimes moved by public perception and other times by technology or just plain creativity. This is the nature of our industry.

All comments are welcome.  Send directly to me at [email protected]

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Reader Comments

Frank,
Thank you for providing me your periodic Redemption & FEC Report. I was particularly pleased you provided such great insight into the plight of Florida FECs. I suspect a majority of Florida FECs are either unaware of the law or “burying their heads in the sand” hoping the problem resolves itself. Hopefully your articles will act as a catalyst to move Florida FECs to be proactive in developing a workable solution to correct the unintended consequences of the Florida Legislature’s gaming bill.

Kind regards,
Bill Lupfer, President & CEO
Florida Attractions Association, 1114 N Gadsden Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32303

Frank’s Response

Bill, Thank you for your comments. AMOA is working closely with the New Amusement Machine Owners Association of Florida (AMOAF) to try and amend Florida’s existing laws that apply to game prize limits, which currently requires a 50-game minimum for FECs and does not allow for amusement games to be operated by any other means than coins, tokens and bills. I am hopeful that many of Florida’s FECs and bowling centers will join the association and supoort their efforts.    

For more information or to join the AMOAF, contact Phil Juckem at (813) 259-9495 or [email protected]. Visit their website at www.amoaf.com.

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