SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for Amusement Biz

October 20, 2010

The trade publication Vending Times has published an opinion piece about the upcoming Schwarzenegger vs. EMA Supreme Court case, saying that a win for the state of California could give politicians more power to eradicate the U.S. amusement industry.

The publication commended the Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA) for opposing the California law and signing on to an amicus brief (PDF) alongside the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE), the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and the National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM), among others.

Vending Times outlined how the case could impact its readers:

The high court's ruling will establish a vital precedent that could apply, by implication and extension, to anything and everything from music and advertising to arcade operations. (Some lawmaker decides it's bad for kids? Some psychologist conducts a study that "proves" it's emotionally harmful to children? Fine, it's illegal -- period.)

So it is no exaggeration to say that for the amusement industry, this ruling will be the most important verdict ever issued by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The editorial even went so far as to label SCOTUS’ ruling “more important than copyright rulings or legislation,” as the Schwarzenegger case deals with the government controlling content, and, if “you don't have content, then there is no copyright to dispute.”

The piece ends by asking “Will the U.S. Supreme Court give politicians even more power to kill this industry?”


Comments

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

The Supreme Court are all pretty old and might not know anything about games. Remember how comics were treated in the 50s by the Senate? They didn't see them as free speech and had them censored country wide.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

But thier clerk's May know about videogames very well to tell them that they are free speech(heck Scalia knows that they are free speech)

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

You all realize here that if the supreme court Allows CA to enforse it's law, They're playing into Al-qauda and the Taliban's Hand(remember the article about the Taliban burning down Game stores, or even the Islamic republic of afganistan trying to outlaw Videogames in general(With the possibility of the us doing it as part of the new christian Religous right))

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I can see the right coming up with laws that will have a total ban on video games in the name of family values, common decency and saying they are non Christian. Then the burnings will happen.

 

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

As much as I would like to bash the right, its mostly been the left that has been lookig to legislate game content.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

Yeah, it's all the Conservatives, right?  That's why Yee, a far-left Liberal Democrat, authored the law in question, right?  And why it passed in California, a very liberal state, right?

Use your head, Cheater.  Liberals hate video games just as much as conservatives, if not moreso.

---

With the first link, the chain is forged.

--- With the first link, the chain is forged.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

Enough already The Industy will most likely win here

I dont want anyone commiting Suicide over This war. Period

I'm sorry Cheater, I went too far that time

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

When you said that I thought of something like a re education camp to make gamers not like video games any more haha. :P 

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I still believe the videogame industry Will win the supreme court case anyway, because they took it up to put this hot button issue to rest(most likely in our favor) like a commenter on kotaku said

as godot said

Question for Michael Gallagher:

Why do you think the Supreme Court has actually bothered to hear this case?

Personally, I suspect that they've always agreed with lower court decisions against such laws and now hope that, by adding their ruling to all of theirs, the matter will finally be put to rest. After all, this hardly seems like the sort of grey issue that the highest court in the land is usually seen wrestling with


Next time I'll let cheater handle the disaster senarios

in addition, I "WILL NOT" fall into a Glenn Beck style spiel

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

I know for sure that politicians would LOVE to be able to pass a law outlawing violent games and making them illegal to possess to anyone of any age. They would have games classified like drugs.

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

“Will the U.S. Supreme Court give politicians even more power to kill this industry?”

Here is hoping they won't. I am worried as this decision will have ripples around the world when it comes to media. As I live in Canada, my country will be one of the first...

==============

James Fletcher, member of ECA Canada

Re: SCOTUS Case Could Cause “Supreme Jeopardy” for ...

This will affect Canada/Mexico as well since they get the same games the US do. So if games are censored for content I doubt there will be an uncensored canadan version made.

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