Amazon.com, Kmart, Sears, Walmart and California-based ACTA have reached an agreement with New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman to halt illegal sales of realistic-looking toy guns in the state. All those named in the deal also agreed to pay collectively a fine of over US$300,000.

Walmart was hit with the biggest fine, US$225,000 since it had violated a deal in 2003 for selling realistic-looking toy guns in the State.

According to the Attorney General, 6,429 of the realistic-looking toy guns were sold in New York by the five retailers from 2012 to 2014. While the big box retailers have removed such toy guns from their shelves in their stores located throughout the state, they still sold these products to residents in  the state via their online stores. Amazon.com is also directed to stop its third party sellers using its platform to stop selling such toy guns to New York residents.

In the highlights of the press statement released by the Attorney General's office, their investigation from 2012 to 2014 revealed the following:

• The five retailers and their third-party sellers sold 6,429 prohibited toy guns to New York consumers.
• Third-party sales through Amazon made up the bulk of the sales, totaling 5,017 prohibited toy guns sold in New York.
• ACTA sold 895 imitation weapons to New York consumers, including 171 that were shipped to New York City. The company operates websites including 411Toys.com, Moretoyguns.com, and ToyArsenal.com, and also as a third-party seller on Amazon.com.
• Walmart sold 149 prohibited toy guns to New York consumers, including 20 shipped to New York City.
• Amazon.com sold 145 imitation weapons to New York consumers, including 59 shipped to New York City.
• Kmart, a subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corp., sold 211 realistic-looking toy guns in stores across New York, from Buffalo to Long Island; and 91 via Kmart.com. Nine of those toys were shipped into New York City.
• Sears operates a third-party sales marketplace at Sears.com where third-party sellers made 12 prohibited sales, including three into New York City.

Federal Law requires that toy guns should have a non-removable bright colored tip while the City of New York goes even further requiring that toy guns must be brightly colored and also have a visible log to distinguish them from a real firearm. In the deal, all the companies will have to sell their toy guns following the requirements of New York City to all residents in the state.

Since 1993, 63 shooting incidents involving toy guns or imitation firearms occurred in New York state, 8 of these incidents were fatal.

For information on New York State and New York City laws on airsoft guns and realistic-looking guns, the best resource for airsoft players will be NYCAirsoft.com.