The US state of Georgia approved a measure last week that was largely reported as authorising video poker, but a closer look reveals instead a plan to heavily regulate and tax redemption games that allow for carry-over credits.
The bill passed the House of Representatives overwhelmingly on a vote of 169-1 and will now be taken up by the state senate, reports US industry magazine RePlay.
The measure would extend regulatory power over "coin-operated amusement machines," including both games and jukeboxes, but not vending machines, to the Georgia Lottery Corp.
Under the law, machines would be broken down into two categories, Class A and Class B. The former class includes most current amusement games including those that award both tickets and prizes. However, Class A games differ from Class B games by not allowing players to carry over points won on one play to a subsequent play. Local governments are granted the authority, under this law, to limit specific locations to no more than nine Class B games.
