Walker signs bill clearing way for Dave & Buster’s

JUNEAU — Gov. Bill Walker has signed into law legislation that would clear the way for the restaurant Dave & Buster’s to do business in Alaska.

The bill, from Sen. Lesil McGuire, makes clear that businesses with arcade-style games in which tokens can be redeemed for onsite toys and candy or claw machines used to grab goodies from a machine are not considered gambling operations.

McGuire, in her sponsor statement, said the bill was necessitated by vague state laws that made the legality of such operations unclear.

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The president and CEO of the Alaska Chamber said the bill would provide a measure of confidence to Dave & Buster’s, which is looking at doing business in Anchorage.

Walker, in a release, said any effort to diversify the state’s economy and put more Alaskans to work is a positive.

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