OTTUMWA — He’s reached a settlement with the state, but Ottumwa businessman Alan Cramer remains unhappy over the TouchPlay ban that he said cost him a lot of money.

“Before they had started to outlaw the machines I bought over $1.1 million worth of equipment,” said Cramer, owner of Cramer Music and Video Games Inc.

But when the Iowa Lottery’s TouchPlay machines were banned in March 2006, Cramer said he and many other operators were stuck holding the bill and have been fighting the state through a number of court challenges.

Attorney General Tom Miller “came to us with a low-ball number; but when it got closer to the summary judgment they decided to make the offer a little higher,” he said.

Cramer and other operators were part of the same lawsuit that was recently settled with the state.

He believes he will be receive about $813,000 in the settlement, about $300,000 short of what he owes.

The ban came after legislators said the machines were too similar to casino-style video games and the machines were removed from all bars, restaurants, grocery and convenience stores.

Along with legislators, Cramer isn’t shy about pointing a finger at another entity.

“That is who is behind all this,” Cramer said. “The casinos. They are the ones who wanted the TouchPlays gone and they are the ones who wanted the smoking ban. They have their hands in the state’s pockets.”

On top of the money owed for the machines, Cramer said attorney fees have also taken a bite out of his wallet.

“My attorney bills are probably close to around $100,000,” he said. “The settlement will help keep me out of bankruptcy, but I will still have about $6,000 a month payments for the next five years.

“I couldn’t afford to pay the lawyers anymore; I had to get out.”

Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.