TRENTON — Dave & Buster's — the sports bar and arcade that's equivalent to an adult Chuck E. Cheese's — wants to open four or five locations in New Jersey, an attorney for the company said Monday.

There's just one big problem: A 56-year-old state law bans allowing alcoholic beverages from being sold at establishments that house amusement games.

So on Monday, the state Assembly Regulatory Oversight committee voted 5-0 to approve a narrowly tailored bill (A4143) that would allow the chain to open up in the Garden State.

"What we're doing here essentially is we're eliminating an old, archaic law that was originally promulgated in 1959," said Assemblyman Joseph Lagana (D-Bergen), a sponsor.

The ban is not on casino games or video games, but games in which players can win a prize or tickets to redeem for one — games like balloon pop, skee ball or Whac-a-Mole.

Dave & Buster's in 2013 unsuccessfully sought a waiver from the ban with the New Jersey Games of Chance Control Commission so that it could open up in New Jersey. Since then, it's been pushing the legislation.

"The goal here in addition to creating an opportunity for Dave & Buster's is to bring in revenue, bring in jobs, bring in opportunities for the people of New Jersey to enjoy Dave & Buster's, work at Dave & Buster's," said Robert Mintz, the attorney representing the chain, which has locations near the New Jersey border in New York and Pennsylvania.

Mintz said each location would employ between 150 and 200 people and produce about $750,000 in sales tax revenue for the state.

The New Jersey Amusement Association, which represents shore game operators, opposed the bill, prompting lawmakers to amend it so that it would only apply to places that are at least 20,000 square feet and have at least 100 games.

"We're not talking about a small operation, like a bar that's going to have games of chance," Mintz said.

Ed McGlynn, a lobbyist for the Amusement Association, said the group doesn't oppose Dave & Buster's opening in New Jersey.

But McGlynn noted that voters n 1959 approved a constitutional amendment that restricted amusement games to amusements parks and the shore, along with carnivals and a few other locations.

"The manner in which they're going about this we think is incorrect. A constitutional amendment was done in 1959," McGlynn said. "We think they need to do that again at this time. So we are opposed to it for that reason."

The bill, which has also been approved by a state Senate committee, awaits votes in the full state Senate and Assembly.

NJ.com photos of the week June 5-11, 2015 36 Gallery: NJ.com photos of the week June 5-11, 2015

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