After suing the state for excluding coin-op machines in its reopening process, the Ohio Coin Machine Assn. was pleased to report late last week that the order was changed to allow the games to be turned on and for people to play.
The new order says, in part, “The open congregate areas in restaurants, bars, banquet and catering facilities (billiards, card playing, pinball games, video games, arcade games, dancing, entertainment) are permitted to open but businesses must follow all social distancing guidelines as well as sanitation guidelines.” Previously, the state had allowed its state lottery machines to be operational, but denied amusements in the same locations to be turned on.
Andy Shaffer of Shaffer Entertainment said, “Thanks to the Herculean efforts of the OCMA, I am very proud to announce that bars and taverns and bowling centers and family entertainment centers can turn our games back on right away.” Shaffer Entertainment has a link to the order on its website at www.shafferentertainment.com/a-message-from-andy-shaffer-president-shaffer-entertainment/?fbclid=IwAR2anByaA-NrdMb1RwdpPfIYVFd_x_1xK6RIJipfK7uLSQ4vDVskoJWRAuo. Further, Andy Shaffer noted: “Additionally, we have been assured by the Attorney General’s Office that the sentence ‘customers must be seated’ does not apply while playing any of our equipment, including pool tables.”