Dave & Buster’s plans to allow real money betting between adults age 18 and over on their arcade attractions is causing lawmakers in multiple states to push back and derail those recreational gambling opportunities.
Wanna Make a Bet?
Along with pub-style food and a full bar, Dave & Buster’s features dozens of arcade and video games along with many other amusements. It has become a wildly popular destination for adults and children alike, but the company’s recent foray into the world of friendly betting has legislators pushing back on this new wrinkle to its corporate strategy.
Using the D&B Rewards mobile app, adults over the age of 18 would be able to make a bet with each other on designated arcade and billiard games. The friendly wagers would be facilitated through its tech partner, Lucra, a company specializing in real-money “gamification” software, and its peer-to-peer gambling platform.
Simon Murray, Dave & Buster’s Senior Vice President of Entertainment and Attractions, released a statement that said: “We’re thrilled to work with Lucra to bring this exciting new gaming platform to our customers. This new partnership gives our loyalty members real-time, unrivaled gaming experiences, and reinforces our commitment to continuing to elevate our customer experience through innovative, cutting-edge technology.”
“We’re creating a new form of kind of a digital experience for folks inside of these ecosystems,” said Michael Madding, Lucra’s chief operating officer. “We’re getting them to engage in a new way and spend more time and money,” he added.
Nevada Says No Dice
Despite the legality of such an app, an ethical issue has raised concerns that it could promote underage gambling. The latest governmental body to call Dave & Buster’s management on the carpet is Nevada’s gaming enforcement agents.
“The Nevada Gaming Control Board takes a hardline stance against any company that may be engaged in unlicensed gaming. Furthermore, the NGCB consistently opposes activities that could promote underage gambling,” said Kirk Hendrick, NGCB chair.
More States Oppose Initiative
And it wasn’t very long before Dave & Buster’s decided to nix the peer-to-peer betting proposal in their Nevada stores. However, the Silver State is not alone. The Ohio Casino Control Commission also has “serious concerns” regarding Dave & Buster’s betting rollout and added that it “appears to violate Ohio law.”
In Illinois, D&B’s peer-to-peer betting proposal has already spawned legislative action. State Representative and Chairperson of the Illinois House Gaming Committee, Dan Didech, has sponsored the Family Amusement Wagering Prohibition Act (HB 5832), saying, “It is inappropriate for family-friendly arcades to facilitate unregulated gambling on their premises. These businesses simply do not have the ability to oversee gambling activity in a safe and responsible manner.”
When Didech was asked what would happen should the company withdraw its plans, the legislator said, “If they were to announce that they’ve changed their mind and not going to do it, it would take some of the urgency off legislating the issue. But it’s probably something we should do anyway. They’re not the only business that would fall under this category.”
