XN000022-1992-10-14 — Page 20

18

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1992

TOUGHER LICENSING CONDITIONS FOR AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES

*****

A NEW LICENSING SCHEME FOR AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR MICHAEL SUEN, IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS (WEDNESDAY) AFTERNOON.

MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES BILL, MR SUEN SAID THIS WOULD ENABLE THE AUTHORITIES TO HAVE BETTER CONTROL OVER THEM.

THE NEED FOR THE NEW LEGISLATION, MR SUEN SAID, WAS BECAUSE THESE GAME CENTRES HAVE INCREASINGLY BEEN OPERATED IN A MANNER WHICH CONFLICTED WITH THE FORMER LICENSING CONDITIONS UNDER THE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES ORDINANCE.

"CONSEQUENTLY, UNAPPROVED

MACHINES AND GAMES OF INDECENT NATURE CAN BE FOUND IN MANY CENTRES, AGE LIMITS ARE ALSO IGNORED, HE NOTED.

THEREFORE, MR SUEN SAID, THERE WAS A NEED FOR MORE EFFECTIVE AND STRICTER CONTROL OVER AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES, COUPLED WITH MUCH TIGHTER SUPERVISION OF LICENSEES OCCASIONED BY THE RAPID CHANGES IN GAMES MACHINE TECHNOLOGY AND THE INCREASING COMPLEXITY OF THE INDUSTRY.

FOR THIS REASON, IT WAS ALSO DECIDED TO SEPARATE THE AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES LICENCES FROM THE MISCELLANEOUS LICENCES ORDINANCE, HE SAID.

MR SUEN SAID THE BILL WOULD EMPOWER THE COMMISSIONER FOR TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING (CTEL) то IMPOSE LICENCE CONDITIONS.

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONDITIONS IS THAT IT WILL BE AN OFFENCE TO INSTALL ANY GAMES WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED BY CTEL.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT STIPULATION IS THAT ENTRY TO ADULT CENTRES BE RESTRICTED TO PEOPLE AGED 16 AND ABOVE WHILE ENTRY TO CHILDREN CENTRES BE CONFINED TO THOSE UP TO THE AGE OF 16 ONLY.

"TO ENSURE THAT OPERATORS OBSERVE THE LICENCE CONDITIONS CONSCIENTIOUSLY, THE CTEL WILL BE EMPOWERED TO SUSPEND, REVOKE OR REFUSE TO RENEW A LICENCE UNDER SPECIFIED CIRCUMSTANCES IF LICENCE CONDITIONS ARE BREACHED, MR SUEN SAID.

17

BOARD,

AND, IN THIS CONNECTION, HE SAID, AN INDEPENDENT APPEAL TO BE CHAIRED BY A PERSON QUALIFIED FOR APPOINTMENT AS A DISTRICT JUDGE, WILL BE SET UP TO CONSIDER APPEALS ARISING FROM ENFORCEMENT THE LEGISLATION.

OF

MEANWHILE, THE TELEVISION AND ENTERTAINMENT LICENSING AUTHORITY WILL BE EXPANDED BY THE CREATION OF AN INSPECTION TEAM WHICH IS TASKED TO MONITOR AMUSEMENT GAME CENTRES.

MR SUEN SAID THE NEW STANDARDS WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED то PROTECT PATRONS, LEGITIMATE OPERATORS AND THE PUBLIC ALIKE.

0

/19

Page 20Page 21