Mame in Arcades or Bar?

[Macros]

What is the legality of using Mame in a commercial setting like an Arcade or a Bar. If you actually owned the boardset or boardsets that were loading on the machine, would this be legal?

I ask this because I'm selling my Bartop Arcade and most of the enquires are from people wanting me to put a coindoor in it and set it up in a Bar. These people are telling me it's legal because they own the boardsets, but I though it would go against the Mame license. I think these guys want a cheap alternative to the MERIT countertop games that are pretty expensive compared to what I'm asking.

Anybody have any ideas on this subject?

[Lilwolf]

I brought this up to the mame developers since I had a friend who owned a huge chain of arcades, and man, he owns the rights to 1000's of arcade machines that are dead, or have been converted!  He was going to just add a place at the bottom of each mame machine with the original board for everything it played (in case anyone came a lookin)

anyway, it is against the mame license to make money using it.  It's kinda too bad because it is the only legal use that the arcade companies could make money on (that would help them support the emulation community).

It's, btw, not illegal to williams, or nintendo.  But you would be breaking the mame license.  So who would be suing is different.  But trust me, if nintendo found out, they would sue.  Wouldn't have a case, but they would sue anyway

[StephenH]

Well, it is against the MAME license, but it is NOT illegal to use the ROMs, if you own the board they are originally for.   If you do not own the board, then it is copyright infringement.  

If it is for free play, you may have a little bit different case against the MAME programmers, however the ROM images are the same as above.

I have heard some cases of MAME being used in resturants, bars, and arcades.    There was one machine labeled "Players Choice Arcade" that someone reported being taken from a bar, and it was running MAME, and had a menu to select from up to 83 games.

I do not suggest trying it, although your decisions are up to you.    If in any event you do decide to do it, consider the PartyOn frontend at www.aburt.com/partyon.

What is the legality of using Mame in a commercial setting like an Arcade or a Bar. If you actually owned the boardset or boardsets that were loading on the machine, would this be legal?

I ask this because I'm selling my Bartop Arcade and most of the enquires are from people wanting me to put a coindoor in it and set it up in a Bar. These people are telling me it's legal because they own the boardsets, but I though it would go against the Mame license. I think these guys want a cheap alternative to the MERIT countertop games that are pretty expensive compared to what I'm asking.

Anybody have any ideas on this subject?

[SHane]

i wouldnt do it, wrong person see's it and bye bye machine or worse bye bye financial income  

[1UP]

...Or, bye bye Mame?