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FRIDAY, MAY 1, 1981
NEW LICENSING POLICY FOR TV GAMES MACHINES
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A MORE LIBERAL POLICY WILL BE INTRODUCED ON JUNE 1 WHICH WILL ALLOW SOME COIN-OPERATED TELEVISION GAMES AND SIMILAR ENTERTAINMENT MACHINES TO BE LICENSED WITHOUT BEING TIED TO OTHER RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.
THIS WAS STATED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING, MR NIGEL WATT.
THE INTENTION OF INTRODUCING A REVISED POLICY WAS ANNOUNCED LAST DECEMBER. SINCE THAT TIME GOVERNMENT APPROVAL TO THE NEW PROCEDURES HAS BEEN OBTAINED, AND THE NECESSARY ADMINISTRATIVE COCUMENTS HAVE BEEN PREPARED.
+UNDER THE EXISTING POLICY, HE SAID, +AUTOMATIC_MACHINES ARE GENERALLY LICENSED AS AN ANCILLARY ENTERTAINMENT TO OTHER ESTABLISHED RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN PRIVATE CLUBS, SPORTING
STITUTIONS, HOTELS AND OPEN-AIR AMUSEMENT PARKS. THE NUMBER OF CINES PERMITTED IN EACH LICENSED ESTABLISHMENT IS RESTRICTED,
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+WITH THE ADVANCEMENT OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES, MANY TELEVISION GAMES MACHINES HAVE BEEN INVENTED IN RECENT YEARS. THESE MACHINES --E POPULAR AND PROVIDE HEALTHY ENTERTAINMENT FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN ALIKE. IT WILL NOW BE POSSIBLE FOR SUITABLE TELEVISION GAMES MACHINES, SUCH AS SPACE INVADERS, DRIVING MACHINES OR HOCKEY TABLES, TO BE LICENSED FOR PUBLIC ENTERTAINMENT WITHOUT UNNECESSARILY BEING TIED TO OTHER RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
+THE LICENSING OF FRUIT MACHINES AND OTHER GAMBLING MACHINES WILL CONTINUE TO BE TOTALLY PROHIBITED. ALSO PIN-BALL MACHINES AND FLIPPER-OPERATED MACHINES WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE NEW CENTRES, THESE TYPES OF MACHINES WILL ALSO IN FUTURE BE EXCLUDED FROM EXISTING AUTOMATIC MACHINE PREMISES SUCH AS PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOONS AND BOWLING CENTRES. BUT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE ALLOWED ON A RESTRICTED BASIS IN HOTELS, PRIVATE CLUBS AND IN OPEN-AIR AMUSEMENT PARKS.
→THESE RESTRICTIONS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE BELIEVE PIN-BALL MACHINES ARE CONDUCIVE TO GAMBLING, AND THE EXCLUSION OF THESE MACHINES FROM THE PROPOSED CENTRES WILL ENABLE PEOPLE TO ENJOY TELEVISION GAMES WITHOUT THE DISTRACTION WHICH MIGHT BE CAUSED BY THE PROXIMITY OF PEOPLE PLAYING PIN-BALL GAMES.+
THE ENTERTAINMENT MACHINE CENTRES WILL ONLY BE LICENSED IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS OR IN THE COMMERCIAL PORTIONS OF MIXED-USER BUILDINGS PROVIDED THEY HAVE THEIR OWN ENTRANCES AND EXITS, AND ARE TOTALLY SEPARATED FROM ANY RESIDENTIAL PARTS OF THE BUILDINGS. ONLY ONE CENTRE WILL BE PERMITTED IN ANY ONE BUILDING AND THEY WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM BUILDINGS ADJACENT TO EDUCATIONAL OR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.
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