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AAMA meets with legislators on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC

CARY, Ill. — On Wednesday, March 4, AAMA members met with 10 congressional offices as well as representatives from the House Ways and Means Committee to share and seek solutions to several challenges facing the Amusement Industry.

The AAMA members in attendance represented a cross section from the industry and included:

  • Manufacturers
    • Raw Thrills Vice President and COO, Andy Eloff
    • LAI Vice President of Sales, Chris Brady
  • Suppliers
    • Rhode Island Novelty Corporate Sales Manager, Denise Secia
  • Professional Service Providers
    • Pinnacle Entertainment Group President and CEO, Howard McAuliffe
    • Trainertainment Training Specialist, Denise Killian
    • Co-Owner Parkway Lanes, Howard McAuliffe
    • Co-Owner Parkway Lanes, Reem Abeidoh

They met with five House of Representatives offices, four Senate offices and a representative of the House Ways and Means Committee including:

  • Congresswomen/men:
    • Ron Estes, KS 4th District
    • Claudia Tenney, TN 24th District
    • Jan Shankowsky, IL9th District
    • Jimmy Gomez, CA 34th District
    • Nicole Malliotakis, NY 11th District
  • Senators:
    • Cory Booker, NY
    • Tammy Duckworth, IL
    • Maggie Hassan, NH
    • John Cornyn, TX
    • Elisabeth Warren, MA
  • House Ways and Means Committee:
    • Nick Paster, Trade Counsel

The meetings focused on several areas of concern including:

  • Tariffs. The whipsaw effect of fluctuating tariffs results in the inability for our factories to forecast future production. Tariffs also impact our US based suppliers and location owner/operators. Large retailers can absorb or negotiate tariff costs; our small-business members cannot.
  • IP Violations. Our members invest millions in original hardware and software. Without robust IP enforcement, counterfeit games and “knock-off” components from overseas undermine the value of American-engineered and manufactured products.
  • Pass the Credit Card Competition Act. In the low-margin amusement industry, credit card swipe fees are a Top 10 operating cost. Current “duopoly” pricing by major networks is a direct drain on local small businesses.
  • Pass SB 504. The proposed reforms to SBA 504 – particularly the reduction in the required downpayment from 15% to 10% for “single use venues” – could save our members hundreds of thousands in upfront costs when building or expanding.
  • Rising Costs of Health Care. Our members want to provide quality benefits to retain talent, but small group market premiums are projected to rise significantly again in 2026. In a competitive hospitality labor market, the inability of small amusement operators to afford high-quality health plans is a primary barrier to filling open managerial positions.
  • Aggressive ICE Enforcement. While we support the rule of law, aggressive and highly visible ICE enforcement in hospitality zones is frightening even legal employees and authorized visa holders from showing up to work. We urge a shift toward administrative compliance (like I-9 audits) rather than disruptive workplace raids that penalize legal business owners and create community-wide panic.

“Something as seemingly simple as the value of prizes at a redemption counter can be a cause of unexpected and disruptive labor costs,” said AAMA Government Relations Chairman and owner of Parkway Lanes, Howard McAuliffe. “If the cost of prizes rise by 20%+ due to tariffs, a location owner must adjust the displayed ticket value on as many as 350 + items taking a team member’s time away from providing the customer-friendly service our member locations are known for.

“We were able to gain valuable insight on how best our members can combat IP violations as a result of this fly in,” continued McAuliffe.                                                 “Since then, we’ve had meetings with representatives from the US Patent and Trade Office, the US Trade Representative’s Office, the US IP Enforcement Office and are now scheduling meetings with US Customs and Border Patrol. These meetings have provided actionable information to help our members take action to combat the growing problem with IP violations. We’re in the process now of organizing a way to communicate this important information to all our members.” AAMA is heading back to DC for a joint fly-in with members from AMOA June 8 through June 10. The June Fly-In will include meetings with congressional offices, a product showcase on Capitol Hill, and for fun, a trip to the home of the Washington Nationals for the annual Congressional Baseball Game.