Some People's Fear of Coin-Op Never Dies

[Nz17]

So it looks like a small Massachusetts town is finally getting around to repealing a law against coin-op machines dating back to the fear and hysteria conjured by the arcade mania of the 1980's... and those that passed the law back then are still saying that revoking it could be the downfall of the town.

"The Boston Channel" has details (http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/27643141/detail.html) about this story and quotes from those looking to repeal and retain the law.

[Baloo]

"We are not talking about little video games that kids play or pinball machines. We are talking about slot machines, gambling machines," said Jean. "Coin-operated devices are one more thing your kids will be asking money for. What kind of town do we want Marshfield to be?"That's complete bullshit. No one in their right mind would even put slot machines in some little town east of Bumblefuck in Massachusetts. They want them in the big cities, where they actually make money. This was probably passed more to close arcades down and make sure they didn't become hang-outs for Riff raff.

[skaar]

Actually if they are gambling/video poker machines then they'll do plenty fine in the small towns in the middle of nowhere.

[old_skoolin_jim]

That's complete bullshit. No one in their right mind would even put slot machines in some little town east of Bumblefuck in Massachusetts. They want them in the big cities, where they actually make money. This was probably passed more to close arcades down and make sure they didn't become hang-outs for Riff raff.

Actually, that's just the opposite here in MA. Small towns such as "East Bumblefuck" (which, ironically, are mostly in the wesern half of the state) were fighting to get casino resorts in their small town(s) due to the influx of jobs such a place would create in areas that have become more or less professionally desolate. Unfortunately (at least depending on who you talk to), any casino bill has yet to pass through the congressional pissing contest that's been going on for the past 2 years.
*steps down from soapbox*
On topic, though, that IS complete BS. If I had lived in Marshfield growing up, I would have been a sad, deprived youth. Then again, people in the South Shore region tend to have superiority complexes and probably felt such things were beneath them; blaming them instead of their own lack of parental discipline!
/endrant. No, really. :)

[boatofcar]

That's complete bullshit. No one in their right mind would even put slot machines in some little town east of Bumblefuck in Massachusetts. They want them in the big cities, where they actually make money.

This is completely untrue. Slots do big business in small towns precisely because there are no big city entertainments to be had.