Thoughts on Emails Timely Replies, Concise Messages and Cautions About Autofills by Jack Guarnieri, Jersey Jack Pinball & PinballSales.com As I write this month’s column, the full force of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey is bearing down on Texas and is heavy on my mind. I have many friends who live there and are dealing with the aftermath of this life-changing event. Personally, while I feel very badly and helpless about what they’re going through, I’m also feeling grateful and fortunate. We’ve all heard that old saying: “Every­body talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it.” Thankfully,…

The Changing FEC Landscape Demographics, Consumer Habits Already Affecting the Future – Part One By Randy White, CEO/White Hutchison Leisure & Learning Group There are a number of trends affecting the CLV (community leisure venue) business, including FECs, Bowling Entertainment Centers and other out-of-home entertainment locations, readers need to be aware of so they can plan position themselves for the future. Everything from consumer habits to shifting demographics are already impacting the earnings and growth potential of amusement locations and readers should be looking closely at their own operations in order to chart a course through the rapidly changing landscape.…

Close Encounters of the 3rd Grade Kind Career Day at Daughter’s School Provides Fun and Insight by Adam Pratt, Game Grid Arcade & ArcadeHeroes.com I have a bit of a different column for you this month. You see, it was time for the “What do you for a living?” day in my daughter’s classroom and I want to talk about my interactions with the kids about games and how I run my mall arcade. I hope you enjoy this recap as much as I did being there. What a great opportunity to interact with my customers in this very different…

Attractions & Experiences Are Great… But Cultivating the Social Experience is Essential to Longterm Success by Howard McAuliffe, Partner, Pinnacle Entertainment Group The speed of information and technology innovation, as well as the options for consuming both, are growing exponentially. Social media options include Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Gab, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, Tumblr, Viber, VK, WeChat, Weibo, WhatsApp, Wikia, and YouTube, all accessible 24 hours a day for anyone with a smart phone. In arcades, there’s a lot of new stuff, too: VR options, games, debit card system features, attractions, and digital options for point of sale, as well…

Disaster Aid and More AAMA Topper Outlines Upcoming Annual Event, Encourages Greater Participation Q: The AAMA Charitable Foundation just donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross for Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. How did this plan come about? A: We wanted to do something and, unfortunately, we’ve got a history of disasters to look back on. After Hurricane Sandy, we donated the $25,000 to the American Red Cross so we felt that was the right thing to do this time as well. I would imagine we’ll do the same thing in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Something else we’ve done in…

Rock-Ola Celebrates 90th Birthday It’s WOW Time at Rock-Ola With Special Anniversary Jukebox When you think of all the beautiful jukeboxes Glenn Streeter has designed and produced over the years, from his Antique Apparatus days to Rock-Ola, it’s virtually impossible to think he could outdo himself. But just wait until you see his latest! To celebrate Rock-Ola’s 90th anniversary, Glenn combined some ideas he’d had rattling around in his head for a bit. He had been inspired by some metal work he’d seen in a magazine and had been exploring using clear plastic for about a year and a half,…

Ohio Over Regulation Their Next Move; Common Sense Continues To Be Elusive by Tom Fricke Editor’s note: In Tom Fricke’s Redemption & The Law column, he has been following the developing changes in Ohio law he feels are profoundly threatening to coin-op and its locations. Writes Tom, “In 2014, the Ohio General Assembly enacted a law that appointed the state’s Casino Control Commission as the statewide cop of all ticket redemption and merchandisers. The law required the Commission to make regulations to govern all forms of skill games for prizes.” In the July 2014 Redemption & the Law, we reported…

Making the Rounds LaFleur Chats About Issues Facing Operators and How AMOA is Helping Q: As you’ve traveled around the country to state meetings and other events, what are operators telling you are their biggest challenges? A:  The common theme has been that the industry remains viable and that there is opportunity, but that the biggest challenges continue to evolve around hot button issues like Operation Choke Point and other regulations and policies having a negative impact on business. Bank account closures continue to be a big concern for operators. AMOA receives communication daily of yet another operator being affected by this sweeping…

Back to School… Means Back to Work By George McAuliffe, Chief FEC Strategist, Redemption Plus Summer has come and gone and I hope yours was as good as mine. Having moved from the Midwest back to the New Jersey coast where I grew up, we caught up on our beach time. I also got to spend some quality time with my 5-year-old grandson –– lots of fun! The business side was productive as well. Howard (my son and business partner) and I successfully launched our new business unit –– the Pinnacle Insider, with which we intend to have a major…

Copy Retro Games in the News Why Aren’t More Copyright Holders Going After These Guys? by Jack Guarnieri, Jersey Jack Pinball & PinballSales.com Fake news, fake jewelry, fake Pac-Man games…seems like the whole world is fake sometimes. A recent article on the New York Post’s website (quickly making the social media and news rounds) reported that the owner and employees of CoinOpStore in Santa Clara, California, allegedly made and sold counterfeit video games. It specifically mentioned Galaga and at least five iterations of Pac-Man that were featured in multi-game cabinets, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office. I…