Game Gallery Amusements

Military officials stationed at an air base in southern Pingdong County on Wednesday denied allegations by a Taiwan Solidarity Union lawmaker that the base's recreation center was a disguised gambling hub. A senior official at the Pingdong Air Base Command insisted that the arcade games installed in the recreation center were mind-challenging entertainment machines and did not involve any sort of gambling. According to Pingdong Air Base Command Political Combat Division Chief Kuo Wu-chang, all the entertainment facilities in the recreation centers at every military base in Taiwan are installed by legitimate manufacturers verified by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Pointing out that the air base conducted two unscheduled inspections per month, Kuo emphasized that there was no gambling activity going on at the camp. The military official was responding to allegations made by Legislator Tseng Tsahn-deng of the TSU on Wednesday. Tseng showed the local media photographs of the recreation center in Pingdong air base, which he claimed featured arcade gambling games, including slots and blackjack and mahjong tables, with female attendants posing as scorers. Tseng said the photographs were taken by his legislative assistants. Tseng questioned the purpose of the arcade machines in the recreation center, saying that the Taiwanese military has "consistently advocated that the definitive military experience was one aimed at developing troops into self-disciplined citizens who value duty and honor." However, based on the photographs, one of which showed soldiers playing games at the coin-operated arcade machines, the military was "promoting anything but duty and honor," Tseng said. Tseng demanded that the Ministry of National Defense conduct a thorough inspection of its camps and step up military discipline, so that ongoing efforts by the government to mop up gambling facilities in the country will not be negated by the military, which should be the most disciplined organization in Taiwan.