On Saturday, March 30, 2024, the Dave & Buster branch in the Gateway Center shopping mall in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Guan Bing | Bloomberg | Getty Images
arcade chain Dave and Buster’s Plans to allow customers to place bets did not win over everyone.
Software company Lucra Sports announced Tuesday that it is partnering with the entertainment chain to allow customers to Bet on their arcade games Through the Dave & Buster’s app.
But some lawmakers thought that was foul play.
Illinois Rep. Daniel Didech, a Democrat from Buffalo Grove, File a bill The bill on Thursday seeks to ban family entertainment venues from facilitating wagering on recreational games. He also wants to criminalize such activity through changes to Illinois penal code.His bill has bipartisan support supported It was introduced by more than two dozen other state lawmakers.
“It is inappropriate for family-friendly amusement parks to promote unregulated gambling on their premises. These businesses simply do not have the capacity to oversee gambling activities in a safe and responsible manner,” Diedge said in a statement.
Diedchi, who also chairs the Illinois House Gaming Committee, said he will advance legislation this session to clarify that the practice is illegal under Illinois law.
Didtchi told CNBC he thinks there are many problems with the idea, from a lack of protections for problem gamblers to exposing young people to gambling. He said that while Illinois requires people to be 21 or older to gamble, Lukla’s services are for those 18 and older.
“Neither Dave nor Buster’s location had these protective measures in place. They didn’t even remotely complete their due diligence,” Diedge said.
Customers play racing arcade games at Dave & Buster’s Entertainment.
Timothy Fadek | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The Ohio Gaming Control Board has taken notice, too.
“The Commission does have serious concerns about this proposal, including that it appears to violate Ohio law regarding offering illegal prizes for skill-based entertainment machines,” an Ohio Casino Control Commission spokesperson told CNBC. “We are contacting Dave and Bass Click here for more information.”
Both Lucra Sports, the company that will provide betting support for Dave & Buster’s app, and Dave & Buster’s declined to comment on the opposition.
Sports betting has exploded since it was legalized in much of the country, with companies looking to cash in on the betting boom. The idea at Dave & Buster’s is to provide customers with a new way to be entertained that keeps them engaged longer and ultimately spending more money.
Lucra said most bets on its software platform, which allows users to compete for real money in friendly tournaments, average about $10. But the company has yet to determine the maximum bet amount for Dave & Buster’s.
Lukla said the arrangement with Dave and Buster’s is not subject to the same gambling regulations or taxes as sports betting because peer-to-peer betting is considered skill-based. Lucra also says it has extensive responsible gaming Establish policies such as self-exclusion or self-limitation options on the platform.
Brett Abarbanel, executive director of the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, said she is interested in learning what safeguards, if any, Dave & Buster’s will implement.
“Regardless of the legal classification of the activity as ‘non-gambling’ versus ‘gambling’, it is an activity in which participants take valuable risks on uncertain outcomes. Therefore, consumer protection measures should be in place for players, particularly when the target When the audience skews towards younger participants,” she said.
Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the correct date when Illinois Rep. Daniel Didech’s bill was filed.
