Gambling:
Washington Gambling Commission reconsiders new “skill” games: If an appearance similar to slot machines is what matters, then just look at arcade games geared toward kids, said Joan Mell, attorney for the Amusement Device Operators.
“People love to push buttons and to hear bells and whistles and to see flashing lights,” she said. “The brilliance of it is, they finally figured out how to capture the entertainment value and eliminate the risk of addiction,” Mell said. She said it’s inappropriate for the Legislature to order the independent commission to take action. Mell and Eickmeyer, who represents the Washington Amusement and Music Operators Association, say Indian tribes are behind the opposition. “The tribes … have a competitive advantage and are maintaining it by pouring money into these legislative races and then demanding whatever they want,” Mell said.