Law Barring Minors Takes Effect in Indianapolis

Law Barring Minors Takes Effect in Indianapolis

A federal judge ruled on October 11 that an Indianapolis city ordinance banning minors from playing violent and sexually explicit videogames without parental permission can take effect immediately. In the 74-page ruling, US District Judge David Hamilton wrote, "It would be an odd conception of the First Amendment and 'variable obscenity' that would allow a state to prevent a boy from purchasing a magazine containing pictures of topless women in provocative poses, but give that same boy a constitutional right to train to become a sniper at the local arcade without his parent's permission.

The law requires coin-operated games featuring graphic violence or strong sexual content to have warning labels, be kept at least 10 feet from nonviolent game machines and for a wall or screen to be erected to prevent minors from peeking at the offending games. The law bars people under age 18 from such games unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Businesses would be fined $200 per day for a violation; three violations in a year could lead to the revocation of a business's amusement location license. The ruling also affects pizza parlors and other venues that keep a few games on hand. The city was to send information to all 70 licensed arcades and other affected businesses in the district on October 12 with city inspectors to begin random checks on October 13.

The American Amusement Machine Association (AAMA), who sued to declare the law unconstitutional, looks set for a hectic time. Similar regulations have already appeared in Chicago, St. Louis and San Diego. Chicago has even refused permission for the "Mars 2112" them restaurant to included an arcade. GameWorks recently decided to voluntarily restrict access to kids 16 and older. A lawsuit over the Indianapolis ordinance is still pending in federal court.

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John Ryan

Manjiro Works

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