Ticket and Redemption machines have hastened the death of arcades, they are not the solution to the problem. I view them as "kiddie poker machines" and hate them with a passion. I don't take my kids to arcades because of them...I don't want to train them in "gambling". Most redemption machines give you even less game-time for your dollar and involve even less thinking. Arcades like redemption machines for the same reason that pubs like pokies...they generate much more income. But eventually the kids will realise the $10 they've just put through the redemption machine, would have bought them 20 of whatever crap item they are now exchanging tickets for....and they will stop playing. To keep them playing you need new attractions. The bigger problem is that the industry here in Australia failed to keep up. I used to live in Tokyo and frequently bounced back and forth. I was always disappointed to note that the amazing new game/tech that was on show in Japan didn't make it out here. There were arcade games using "wii-like" and "Kinect-like" technology 10 years ago...while arcades in Australia were still giving pride of place to Virtua-Cop and Time Crisis. Give people new games,and new tech, and they will keep coming. (And that tech needs to be better than what they have at home.) Oh, and with the current nostalgic look at the 70s and 80s, now would be a good time to revive pinball and pool-halls.

I'm a small business owner and it is true that business costs are higher here in Australia. Wages, super, workcover, taxes, rent, all add up to increased prices. (Minimum wage in the US is ~$7.50-$8.00 per hour...while here in Oz +$15 per hour, add casual rates and that jumps to +$22 ph.) I'm not defending the rip-off prices, but there is some justification for higher prices. I do believe that we are all being ripped off, mostly by those who do the importation and distribution. Believe me, most retailers are doing it tough right now, squeezed between high costs and pressure for lower prices. I do object to paying such high prices for digital distribution - the costs of which are negligible.