A newly formed group, CEMA (California Entertainment Merchants Association), launched itself and called for discussion at last months Amusement Expo 2013.
This association was formed in response to a lawsuit against Chuck E. Cheese two years ago, who claimed a number of traditional redemption games violated state gambling laws and lobbied for redemption prize limits.
"California has long been overdue for an association," said Ron Westphal, who is the driving force behind the formation of the group.
More than 50 industry professionals attended for an in-depth discussion on getting the new association up and running, rallying support, the need for effective representation in state legislature, and the importance of self-policing to avoid becoming the target of aggressive law enforcement or civil litigation.
"You can't do anything once something is about to be voted on by lawmakers. By that point, it may well be too late. We've got to be proactive, not reactive. We need to be ahead of these issues," continued Westphal.
David Peck, an operator from Los Angeles, has seen first hand illegal operations in his area, however attempts to involve law enforcement fell short or were completely ignored. He fully supports an independent association for purposes of self-regulation where the law enforcement may be inadequate.
"We need some kind for self-regulation. We have unscrupulous operators who are being greedy. This creates a potential monster," said Peck.
Indeed it does seem to be a case of the majority being punished for the actions of the minority. Richard Scherer of The Pelican Group noted a possible solution to assist in self-regulating operations, commenting that when he served as president of a previous operator association in the state in the 1980s, the group required members to adopt its code of ethics.
More news to follow. News via
RePlay Magazine.
