Dave and Busters, Beer And Arcade Games Coming To N.J.? It's Up To Christie

Soon, you may be able to hold a beer in left hand while you a roll a “skee ball” with your right.

The state Legislature has paved the way permitting Dave & Busters and other amusement game operators to sell beer with their skee ball and video games.

The Senate voted 27-6 in favor of the proposed legislation this week. The state Assembly passed the bill 71-5 about a month ago, meaning that it’s up to Gov. Chris Christie to sign the bill.

The bill would allow holders of certain alcoholic beverage licenses to be issued amusement game licenses.

If passed, the bill would allow Dave & Busters, which operates as a combination of TGI Friday’s and Chuck E. Cheese, to open as many as four locations in New Jersey. The chain operates franchises in New York and Pennsylvania.

One of those potential New Jersey locations mentioned was Wayne, possibly on Route 23.

“Any kind of amusement family-oriented kind of business would be great and bring in ratables,” First Ward Councilman Richard Jasterzbski said last month after the Assembly approved the legislation.

>>Related: Dave And Buster’s Is One Step Closer To Wayne: Report

It also raises the question if amusement game operators at the Jersey Shore would be able sell alcoholic beverages in their arcades.

This bill provides that the holder of a plenary retail consumption license, which permits the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the licensed premises, would be eligible to be issued an amusement game license for that premises, provided that all other requirements for licensure to conduct amusement games are met.

The bill would supersede a law passed in 1959 that currently prohibits the issuance of an amusement game license for a premises that is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages.

State Sen. Peter Barnes III, a primary sponsor of the bil, told nj.com that the ban was antiquated.

“I think D&B is a great concept. It’s a great setup. It’s family-oriented. And this creates one more opportunity for an established business to come to New Jersey.”

The 56-year-old ban does not apply to casino or video games. It does apply to games like skee-ball, in which players win a prize or tickets to redeem for a prize, and other games that Dave & Busters specializes in, according to the report.

Jay Tobin, senior vice president and general counsel for the chain, said in a statement the company is pleased to be one step closer to be bringing Dave & Buster’s to New Jersey, according to the report.

Photo: “9.23.06ManasquanByLuigiNovi1” by Nightscream - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons