(NewsNation) — Dave & Buster’s is hoping to cash in on the sports betting craze and announced last week it will allow customers to bet on arcade games, but lawmakers in some states are pushing back on the plan.
Customers seem happy about the opportunity to bet real money on arcade games. However, lawmakers in Ohio and Illinois are less than enthused about the idea of introducing betting into a family-friendly establishment.
In a statement, the Ohio Casino Control Commission said it has “serious concerns about the proposal, including that it appears to violate Ohio law.”
In Illinois, lawmakers have already introduced a bill in the legislature to stop the plan. Democratic state Rep. Daniel Didech is the one who filed the bill.
“It is inappropriate for family-friendly arcades to facilitate unregulated gambling on their premises,” he said in a statement. “These businesses simply do not have the ability to oversee gambling activity in a safe and responsible manner.”
Dave & Buster’s said that customers 18 and up would be allowed to bet real money but there would be a limit on how much; however, the company has not said what that limit would be.
Betting was initially set to start in a few months, but pushback from lawmakers could delay implementation.
Dave & Buster’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.