Disney Finally Squashes Illegal Kiddie Gambling

[doctornick]

The real target was gaming setups aimed at exploiting seniors - hence the "Internet cafe" references.?

Can someone explain how "internet cafes" are gambling? The term to me sounds like a place where you go and pay a certain amount to have time on a computer to access the internet? They are useful for tourist or people without computers (or internet enabled devices) to access the internet. Now, that might be less valuable nowadays with wifi so prevalent, but how do these places have gambling?

 

[flynnibus]

Can someone explain how "internet cafes" are gambling? The term to me sounds like a place where you go and pay a certain amount to have time on a computer to access the internet? They are useful for tourist or people without computers (or internet enabled devices) to access the internet. Now, that might be less valuable nowadays with wifi so prevalent, but how do these places have gambling?

Don't get hung up on the name. These places were not your simple 'rent computer by the hour' thing you'd expect from the name. They offered online gambling an pd other gaming things that were skirting the gambling definitions

 

[Mr Bill]

Can someone explain how "internet cafes" are gambling? The term to me sounds like a place where you go and pay a certain amount to have time on a computer to access the internet? They are useful for tourist or people without computers (or internet enabled devices) to access the internet. Now, that might be less valuable nowadays with wifi so prevalent, but how do these places have gambling?

In many places, these cafes offer "sweepstakes" software on the computers where you can bet the "internet time" you paid for on a virtual slot machine. When you're done you can redeem the "internet time" you won on the machine for cash.

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

I see. So its the old video slots booted on a discrete looking computer.

 

[flynnibus]

Can someone explain how "internet cafes" are gambling? The term to me sounds like a place where you go and pay a certain amount to have time on a computer to access the internet? They are useful for tourist or people without computers (or internet enabled devices) to access the internet. Now, that might be less valuable nowadays with wifi so prevalent, but how do these places have gambling?

Here is an example news story that highlights what they were doing (even in the revised form)
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/Custom...nnings-Home-At-Senior-Arcades-216912111.html#

It's the classic end around for gambling... Instead of directly taking money and paying out... They would have people buy cards loaded with time/etc and they'd play gambling games on the terminals... And then exchange their winnings in the games for payouts in gift cards, merchandise, etc. it was a market especially aimed at seniors.

It went big time when Florida busted one big group who was operating these and were busted for racketeering and more. Lookup 'allied veterans of the world'

 

[Texas84]

Knott's Berry Farm in California had ticket games way before video games were invented.

 

[Bairstow]

I*m actually quite impressed there are people here who remember The Rock-aFire Explosion.

Creative Engineering did some great work back in the 80s with this animatronic show, and i am glad to see it being remembered here.

CEI is still active, but mostly now in the private sector producing Rock-aFire segments for films, music videos, and live stage shows across the US.
Shows have not been sold outwardly for several years now, and those few public locations that used to have it present are now either closed or have had the Show decay into a state of non-impression.
Very sad, as the quality of the engineering of the figures and the musical material was excellent.
The Show was a figurehead for *Showbiz Pizza Place* in the 1980s, *Chuck E. Cheese*s* #1 competitor during that time pre-buyout.

Seeing a Rock-aFire Explosion show in a public place today, is now almost next to impossible.
Those few Shows still *out there* in public places are in horrendously poor condition.
When fully operational with all movements working, these figures moved with a quality comparative to Disney*s.

Several people tried to revive the Show by opening semi-themed restaurants, such as *Showbiz Pizza Zone* in Phenix, AL, *Rock-aFire Pizza* in Indio, CA, and the chain of *Looney Birds* locations spread around the Southern US.
All of these places ( and more ) are now closed, with the exception being a place called *Billy Bob*s Wonderland* in Barboursville, WV.
This family fun center is still operational, but the Show inside is in absolutely terrible condition and a very poor example of it*s potential.

All fully operational shows are now owned privately by longtime dedicated fans, and of course by Aaron Fechter himself who owns the original animation programming stage at CEI headquarters shown in the video clip posted earlier.

There is a very serious fan community dedicated to the Rock-Fire, who have spent insane amounts of money and time to fully restore used Shows into pristine working condition.
I was quite involved in that community some years ago, and still keep in touch periodically.
Many of them have excellent Shows ...and a passion for the characters and material to go with it.
I*m surprised and delighted to see some folks here who remember this Show, too.

I am friendly with Aaron, and have done some animation programming at CEI and figure sculpting work for him some years ago on a couple of projects.
A great honor and pleasure working with him.
He will be delighted to hear people in the Disney fan community still remember his company*s work!

I'd really like to have a go at driving one of these things.

 

[xdan0920]

Finally!!! Glad to see TDO stepping up to the plate here. These games are gateway drugs. How many homes have been lost, families ripped apart, legs broken, as a DIRECT result of Disney(and others) poisoning the minds of kids. These kids grow up into gambling ADDICTS. Quite frankly I'd expect some form of class action lawsuit to start to form. These poor kids that grew up into addicts DESERVE reparations.

 

[docandsix]

You know, it really isn't worth being a kid anymore. We are going to deprive them of anything that is fun. Perhaps, we need a vigilante group to make sure that kids no longer eat spaghetti-Os, or watch cartoons. Maybe they should all get jobs because as we all know, the idle brain is the devils playground.

I'm really glad I'm getting older because I don't think that I can deal with much more stupidity from the alleged adult portion of our world population.

It's basically becoming illegal to be a child in the classic sense anymore--too risky, too much liability for your community.

http://www.slate.com/articles/doubl...ey_cities_are_outlawing_sledding_in_city.html

In twenty years, kids will look at Calvin and Hobbes and wonder what planet they were from.

 

[unkadug]

It's basically becoming illegal to be a child in the classic sense anymore--too risky, to much liability for your community.

http://www.slate.com/articles/doubl...ey_cities_are_outlawing_sledding_in_city.html

In twenty years, kids will look at Calvin and Hobbes and wonder what planet they were from.

I read that as:

"In twenty years, kids will look like Calvin and Hobbes..."

 

[SnarkyMonkey]

There goes my small child's skee ball addiction. Sigh. Guess I'll have to get him a new addiction that doesn't involve paper tickets....like crack or love.

 

[Figments Friend]

I'd really like to have a go at driving one of these things.

Very fun programming the figures but it takes hours, sometimes days, to finish a complete skit seen in a actual Show segment.
This *interactive* version of Showbiz*s mascot was used in-Store, installed at a few Showbiz PIzza Place locations in the late 1980s.
A operator, usually a employee at the location, would sit in a one-way mirrored side room near the stage and move the figure to talk directly to the audience.
BIlly Bob could have ongoing conversations with people and kids were convinced he was real.
Astonishing for most people who witnessed it back then as it was a new experience for most of them.

The control system shown to operate this figure in the above video is not the system used to program the actual Rock-aFire Explosion Show however.
The system shown was the simplified version specifically made to distribute and be used at a Store level.

The actual in-house programming setup used at CEI is a marvel of ingenuity and cleverness, especially considering this Show was created in 1979!
Although probably considered *outdated* by today*s tech standards, the system is incredibly user friendly and the end results are right on the mark.

It still holds up amazingly well considering it*s age...as does the Show itself.

 

[Donald Razorduck]

Here is an electronic game of "skill" in Arkansas.

Now how is that different from actual poker. It's about as fried up as the liquor laws.
A spent loads of quarters on Pole Position, Pac man, Galaga and so on and didn't get tickets in return for prizes. It all got paid the same and yes I had birthday parties at Showbiz and Chuck E Cheese as a kid. Love that stuff as a kid.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Okay now I'm confused.. maybe somebody's sarcasm went clear over my head.

Is Disney stupid/greedy/etc for waiting this long before putting a stop to an immoral practice?
Or is Disney stupid/greedy/etc for bowing to a stupid law and taking away something that was fun for kids and harmless?

I have zero respect for either opinion, but it's hard to keep up with what we on this board are supposed to be outraged about next.

 

[flynnibus]

Here is an electronic game of "skill" in Arkansas.

Now how is that different from actual poker. It's about as fried up as the liquor laws.

Yup another great example of poorly written laws.. And in that case backed by shades politics that protects activity because it's self serving

 

[Bairstow]

Very fun programming the figures but it takes hours, sometimes days, to finish a complete skit seen in a actual Show segment.
This *interactive* version of Showbiz*s mascot was used in-Store, installed at a few Showbiz PIzza Place locations in the late 1980s.
A operator, usually a employee at the location, would sit in a one-way mirrored side room near the stage and move the figure to talk directly to the audience.
BIlly Bob could have ongoing conversations with people and kids were convinced he was real.
Astonishing for most people who witnessed it back then as it was a new experience for most of them.

The control system shown to operate this figure in the above video is not the system used to program the actual Rock-aFire Explosion Show however.
The system shown was the simplified version specifically made to distribute and be used at a Store level.

The actual in-house programming setup used at CEI is a marvel of ingenuity and cleverness, especially considering this Show was created in 1979!
Although probably considered *outdated* by today*s tech standards, the system is incredibly user friendly and the end results are right on the mark.

It still holds up amazingly well considering it*s age...as does the Show itself.

The live-controlled Billy Bob figure interests me the most because it's an area where Disney lagged behind considerably.
In fact, I'm not aware of any live-controlled figures in the parks currently, and certainly none that talk. Perhaps it's because Disney has a strong policy against multiple actors attempting recognizable voices. The only examples of this I'm aware of are Crush and Stitch, and both of those use screen-based, rather than physical figures.
The living character initiative never really lead to any meaningful outcome.

Unless we count "Push", which is arguably not even an animatronic, the only one I've ever seen is this animatronic Buzzard at Dollywood, though every time I've seen him it's been set to an automatic show mode.
I'm not sure if they ever attempt manual control these days.

 

[GrumpyFan]

I feel like I'm missing something. What was the big deal? Seems like more of a cost cutting decision than a legal one.

 

[Slowjack]

I'm not in favor of making these games illegal. That said, I wouldn't be sad to see them go. Disney arcades used to be stocked with pinball and video games, and were great places to wile away a couple of rainy hours away from a park. Then gradually the prize games took over. I don't let my daughter play them, as they are just lottery scratch-off cars with blinking lights. And to be clear, I don't have a problem with gambling in moderation, but I prefer games with a high skill content like poker, as opposed to something that does nothing but scratch a gambler itch.

 

[unkadug]

Okay now I'm confused.. maybe somebody's sarcasm went clear over my head.

Is Disney stupid/greedy/etc for waiting this long for putting a stop to an immoral practice?
Or is Disney stupid/greedy/etc for bowing to a stupid law and taking away something that was fun for kids and harmless?

I have zero respect for either opinion, but it's hard to keep up with what we on this board or supposed to be outraged about next.

You should really make your own mind up about what you should be outraged over.

Please don't depend upon this forum for your own personal beliefs.

And, yes, the title was meant to be sarcastic/tongue in cheek and provoke discussion.

I feel like I'm missing something. What was the big deal? Seems like more of a cost cutting decision than a legal one.

And if it is a cost cutting measure then I am truly disappointed in TDO for once again Walmarting the parks for personal gain.

 

[unkadug]

I'm not in favor of making these games illegal. That said, I wouldn't be sad to see them go. Disney arcades used to be stocked with pinball and video games, and were great places to wile away a couple of rainy hours away from a park. Then gradually the prize games took over. I don't let my daughter play them, as they are just lottery scratch-off cars with blinking lights. And to be clear, I don't have a problem with gambling in moderation, but I prefer games with a high skill content like poker, as opposed to something that does nothing but scratch a gambler itch.

What about SkeeBall? There is definitely a skill level needed to excel at that game.