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Massachusetts Town Reverses 32-Year Ban On Arcade Games

by Matt Helgeson on May 01, 2014 at 03:55 PM

It's a little late, but arcade video games are finally coming back to Marshfield, Massachusetts.

The town banned coin-operated arcade video games 32 years ago, based on concerns regarding children spending too much money on them and the so-called "undesirable elements" who arcades attracted.

The law was legally challenged in 1983, and almost made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately refused to hear the case. Since then, the ban was upheld again in 1994 and 2011.

This time, the law was overturned by a town-wide vote of 203-175, paving the way for arcade games to make their way back to Marshfield.

Source: Patriot Ledger via GamePolitics

 

Our Take:
Well, better late than never. It's a shame that this vote came about 20 years after arcades pretty much died off in the U.S. Oh well, let's hope a few enterprising pizza restaurants and bowling alleys bring in some vintage Galaga and Ms. Pac-Man machines.