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Mega Play Internet Cafe in Richmond Heights reopens following court ruling
MegaPlay Internet Cafe, 5164 Wilson Mills Road, is back up and running thanks to a temporary restraining order granted June 13 by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Nancy Russo.  Internet Sweepstake Cafes6/17/2013
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Internet cafes provide easy access for Ohio’s problem gamblers
(Ohio) -- The Whitehall woman had been visiting her neighborhood Internet-sweepstakes cafe weekly for two years when it hit her.
6/16/2013
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Communities could lose funds if Internet cafes close
(Ohio) -- Skill games and Internet sweepstakes cafés pumped more than $300,000 into local government coffers during the last year in the form of licensing fees, which...
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OP/ED: Rethink Internet Cafes in Ohio
(Ohio) -- Though government too often competes with private-sector businesses, it should not do so. And government certainly should not set itself up as a monopoly.
6/14/2013
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Gentile Joins Fight Against Illegal Sweepstakes Cafes
(New York) -- Councilman Vincent Gentile joined in on the condemnation of so called “Internet Sweepstakes Cafes,” which are shady parlors that prey on low-...
6/6/2013
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Arcades Fail to Challenge Florida Gambling Law
(Florida) -- Two Florida arcades failed to persuade a federal judge that the state's new video gambling law is unconstitutionally vague and violates the rights of...
6/5/2013
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Judge denies injunction sought by senior arcades
(Florida) -- A federal judge refused Tuesday to block enforcement of Florida’s new video gambling law, rejecting arguments by the owners of two Broward senior...
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Judge won't block Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- From MH's Glenn Garvin: A federal judge refused Tuesday to block enforcement of Florida’s new video gambling law, rejecting arguments by the...
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Internet cafes look to ballot
(Ohio) -- Having been squeezed out of their spot at the legislative table, Internet cafes say they are prepared to roll the dice with the Ohio voters. Gov. John Kasich...
6/4/2013
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Authorities raid two alleged illegal casinos in Medina County
(Ohio) -- State and local authorities raided two storefront gambling operations Tuesday morning in Medina County and charged the owner with operating an illegal casino,...
6/2/2013
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Despite recent ban, Internet cafe reopens in Spring Hill
(Florida) -- Remember all those popular sweepstakes cafes that were shut down earlier this year after a state and federal investigation? Well, a Hernando County man...
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Matt Reed: State too harsh on mini-casinos?
(Florida) -- Lawmakers appeared to go nuclear after the state filed criminal charges against a chain of “Internet cafes” — businesses many had come to...
6/1/2013
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Long overdue ban on Internet cafes: Sun News editorial
(Ohio) -- The death knell has been rung for Internet cafes in the state of Ohio, and we are glad to see these storefront gambling operations come to an end.
5/31/2013
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State, arcades clash in court over video gambling machines
(Florida) -- Florida’s controversial new law on video gambling machines began what will undoubtedly be an epic voyage through the judicial system Friday, when...
5/29/2013
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Ohio Internet cafes to file new affidavits by June
(Ohio) -- Ohio's attorney general is telling more than 600 Internet cafes to file new affidavits with his office by next month.
5/28/2013
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Ohio moves to ban Internet sweepstakes cafes
(Ohio) -- Amid growing concerns over the proliferation of Internet sweepstakes cafes in Ohio, politicians in the American Midwestern state have passed legislation that...
5/27/2013
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North Ridgeville: Internet cafes prepare to go dark
(Ohio) -- Lucky Bezak isn't feeling very lucky this week. He is one of three co-owners of Aces Grille and Internet Cafe in North Ridgeville. The State Senate voted...
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Ohio Takes Aim at So-Called Internet Sweepstakes Cafes
(Ohio) -- Ohio is the latest state to seeks a legislative solution to the issue of Internet sweepstakes cafes. According to a report in the Columbus Dispatch, Ohio...
5/25/2013
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Editorial: Bill should not ban all gambling operations
(Ohio) -- Ohio legislators finally seem to be getting serious about shutting down "Internet cafes" throughout the state. They are absolutely right to be doing...
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Video sweepstakes operator found guilty
(North Carolina) -- A judge found a man guilty in what’s believed to be the first conviction under North Carolina’s video sweepstakes ban. District Court...
5/24/2013
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Internet gambling cafes shutting down
(Florida) -- The spinning wheels and flashing lights are quickly fading into memory along Manatee County's version of the Las Vegas strip.
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Internet cafe crackdown in Gov. Kasich's hands
(Ohio) -- The Ohio House approved the measure 76-14 on Wednesday and Gov. John Kasich is expected to sign it. The bill was championed by Republican Senate President...
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Ohio Senate delivers fatal blow to Internet cafes
(Ohio) -- Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday delivered a fatal blow to Internet cafes. The Senate voted in favor of House Bill 7, effectively banning Internet cafes in the...
5/23/2013
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Bill to shut down gambling cafes OK'd
(Ohio) -- The latest effort to strike down unauthorized gambling in Ohio got final legislative approval Wednesday, but discussions will continue regarding fraternal and...
5/22/2013
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FL Legislature's haste on casino-style gambling ban misfires
(Florida) -- The Legislature's rush to judgment on Internet cafes in the wake of a massive scandal has led to unintended consequences predictable when the bill...
5/19/2013
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AARP cancels Florida sweepstakes, blames new state gambling law
(Florida) -- Sorry, grandma and grandpa. The AARP is blocking Florida residents from participating in its Perfect Path to Retirement $50,000 Giveaway and its forthcoming...
5/17/2013
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AARP cancels Florida sweepstakes, blames new state gambling law
(Florida) -- Sorry, grandma and grandpa. The AARP is blocking Florida residents from participating in its Perfect Path to Retirement $50,000 Giveaway and its forthcoming...
5/16/2013
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Internet cafe law may have unintended targets
(Florida) -- House Bill 155 was designed to sweep the state of illegal gambling cafes, and it worked. Internet cafes from Jacksonville to Key West have closed.
5/15/2013
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Chuck E. Cheese gambling: Casino comparison has Chuck E. Cheese in news
(USA) -- Is Chuck E. Cheese a gambling ground for kids? On May 14, Time reported that some feel as though the popular kid-hang-out is a breeding ground for bad habits....
5/14/2013
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Chuck E. Cheese: Where a Kid Can Gamble Like an Adult
(USA) -- What with all the flashing screens, dinging bells, and glazed-over customers absorbed in the games at hand, a Chuck E. Cheese arcade bears quite a resemblance...
5/13/2013
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Skill games registry could go into Internet cafe bill
(Ohio) -- As lawmakers move to eliminate Internet cafes in Ohio, concerns that café owners may try to call themselves something new prompted the Ohio Casino Control...
5/12/2013
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Internet gambling cafes, other groups hope to survive bill
(Ohio) -- While Internet cafes are trying to save themselves by attempting to block a bill drawn up to shut them down, fraternal and veterans organizations hope to use...
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Despite law, cities quiet on kids’ gaming machines
(Florida) -- Since Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation outlawing video gambling machines last month, South Florida cops have rolled through their cities like the...
5/10/2013
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Currituck bolsters online gaming laws
(North Carolina) -- Currituck County has passed an ordinance governing Internet gaming sites to account for new software that might bypass existing law.
5/5/2013
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Wayne T. Price: Gambling talks will get more serious this summer
(Florida) -- A few weeks ago, a man probably in his mid- to late-60s peered in the window of a now-closed Internet cafe in Suntree. He jerked the door a couple times,...
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Will a new gaming study offer hope for internet cafes? Probably not
(Florida) -- The doors to those Internet cafes have been locked tight since the governor signed a bill making them illegal but there is some news out of Tallahassee...
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Editorial: Cafés’ closing time
(Ohio) -- Last week, the Ohio Senate voted to extend the moratorium on the opening and expansion of Internet sweepstakes cafés. Now it’s past time for lawmakers to...
5/1/2013
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Ohio attorney general takes aim at Van Wert Internet cafe
(Ohio) -- A Van Wert Internet café is one of three the Ohio Attorney General filed a lawsuit against to close.
4/30/2013
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Internet cafe in Van Wert targeted by Ohio AG
(Ohio) -- A business in Van Wert is in the crosshairs of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. On Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed against AJ's Sweepstakes, 1150 S. Shannon...
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Lid to tighten on Internet cafes in Ohio
(Ohio) -- The Ohio Senate is expected to vote today to expand the moratorium on opening new Internet cafes in Ohio, while the attorney general filed lawsuits against...
4/29/2013
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Ohio Lawmakers Plot Move To Abolish Sweepstakes Cafes [sub. req'd]
(Ohio) -- Ohio lawmakers now want to eradicate, not regulate, the hundreds of sweepstakes cafes that are believed to be siphoning hundreds of millions from the state...
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OP/ED: ‘Internet Cafe’ Ban Overdue
(Ohio) -- Surely Ohio state senators finally have heard enough about so-called "Internet cafes" to agree with a ban on them already approved by the House of...
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State pushes ‘sweepstakes’ cafes bill
(Ohio) -- The Ohio Senate plans to rush a new moratorium on the opening and expansion of so-called Internet “sweepstakes” cafes to the floor this week as...
4/28/2013
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Back to bingo: Former cafe players try luck at old game
(Florida) -- Peg Kane is back after a two-year hiatus. But playing bingo isn't her first choice. "I'm an Internet cafe player," said Kane, 72, as she...
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Former sweepstakes cafes struggle after ban
(Florida) -- One Internet sweepstakes café is now a bingo hall. Another became a beer bar that the owner is trying to sell. Three weeks after Gov. Rick Scott signed a...
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Internet cafe fallout's 'personal side'
(Florida) -- The 62 computer screens are dark and the plush chairs are empty. Lucky Lady Sweepstakes on North Dixie Freeway is closed — one of more than 1,000...
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Prosecuting Internet cafés difficult / One shut down in Chillicothe has potential to reopen
(Ohio) -- Although the Ohio Attorney General’s Office has issued a call for prosecutors to go after Internet café, the local one shut down by police slightly more...
4/27/2013
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Senate Republicans suddenly ditch Internet cafes: Thomas Suddes
(Ohio) -- Senate Republicans demonstrated last week how things really work in Columbus, and it's not a chapter in that book of light fiction known as "How a...
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Ohio Senate Republicans see the light about Internet cafes
(Ohio) -- In a quick and welcome turnabout, Ohio Senate President Keith Faber said Wednesday that the Senate would move swiftly to shut down illegal Internet cafes in...
4/25/2013
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Internet Cafes Could Be Out of Luck
(Ohio) -- A shift in course by the Ohio Senate could mean Internet cafes are doomed. During the past few weeks, majority Republicans had indicated that they favored...
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Ohio Internet cafe ban moving forward, but Senate won't consider Medicaid expansion in budget
(Ohio) -- Leaders in the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate said Wednesday that they will move swiftly to ban Internet cafes. But they won't consider Gov. John Kasich...
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Oildale businesses worry 'sweepstakes cafe' will set up shop
(California) -- Some Oildale shop owners are worried about what will open up in a now-closed medical marijuana dispensary. One merchant has heard it will house a so-...
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Opinion: Is Freedom PCS a retailer? Don't bet on it
(California) -- The legal issue at the core of the controversy surrounding Freedom PCS, American Canyon’s self-described “telecommunications retailer,...
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Board wants sweepstakes cash probed
(North Carolina) -- A majority of members on the North Carolina Board of Elections say they support opening a campaign finance investigation into 2012 political...
4/21/2013
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Seniors say they suffer after Florida closes Internet cafes
(Florida) -- Amanda Geter sits on her red sofa, fumbling through her purse. She thumbs through a fistful of credit cards until she locates what had proved so elusive.
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Could Stark crack down on Internet cafés?
(Ohio) -- With guidance from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, local law enforcement officials could begin a crackdown on Internet sweepstakes cafés operating in...
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Keep the heat on Ohio's Internet cafes: editorial
(Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is right to knit together a coalition of federal, state and local law enforcement authorities to investigate and shut down...
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Probe Attempt To Influence Bill
(Ohio) -- Many local law enforcement officials in Ohio, along with Attorney General Mike DeWine and a substantial number of legislators, want to crack down on "...
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To make Internet cafes legal in Ohio, amend the constitution
(Ohio) -- As we wrote some time ago in urg- ing the Ohio General Assembly to pass legislation to control storefront gambling in the state, there is no exception in Ohio...
4/20/2013
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Arcade suit seeks to block part of Fla. gaming law
(Florida) -- The operators of two Broward County arcades have filed a lawsuit seeking to block enforcement of part of new law banning simulated slot machines or other...
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Report: vendor money targeted Ohio lawmakers
(Ohio) -- A supplier for Ohio's embattled Internet cafe industry apparently targeted state lawmakers with campaign contributions before a key vote, according to a...
4/19/2013
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Indictments issued after Ohio Internet cafe raids
(Ohio) -- A push by authorities to prosecute what they say are illegal gambling operations involving Internet cafes has led to indictments against 11 people and eight...
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Ohio casinos fund effort to wipe out Internet cafes
(Ohio) -- While Attorney General Mike DeWine rallies prosecutors to take on Internet cafes, a casino-funded group that perceives the businesses as rivals is trying to...
4/18/2013
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Key figures in Fla. charity gambling probe pumped over $100,000 to politicians before arrests
(Florida) -- In the weeks before an alleged gambling ring came crashing down with nearly 60 arrests, those linked to the ring showered Florida politicians with campaign...
4/17/2013
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Gov. Scott’s casino ban bill closes Lehigh gaming parlor
(Florida) -- Michelle Grant, who oversees the daily operations of Vegas Games on Lee Blvd., says she was afraid she would lose her job if Gov. Rick Scott signed...
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Ohio AG unit raids Internet cafes, search warrants executed
(Ohio) -- Early Wednesday afternoon, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty were in Euclid and announced the execution of...
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AmCan council backs off closing sweepstakes phone store
(California) -- Citing a desire to avoid a lawsuit, the American Canyon City Council gave Freedom PCS, a self-described telecommunications retailer, a second chance to...
4/16/2013
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State shuts down internet café gambling
(Florida) -- Pinellas County Commissioners agreed April 9 that there probably would be no need for a countywide ban on internet cafes, as it seemed that state action was...
4/15/2013
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State shuts down internet café gambling
(Florida) -- Pinellas County Commissioners agreed April 9 that there probably would be no need for a countywide ban on internet cafes, as it seemed that state action was...
4/14/2013
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Backroom politics key in Internet-cafe bill fight
(Ohio) -- Little more than an hour after winning a victory in an Ohio Senate committee on Tuesday afternoon, lobbyists for an Internet-cafe vendor had the table ready...
4/13/2013
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Column: The real story on Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- You can find the historical record for a new bill banning Internet cafes on the state House’s website. Look up HB 155 and you will find the bill...
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Opinion: Internet Café Ban Good; 14,000 Lost Jobs Bad
(Florida) -- Good government demands that you have clear laws, which are either uniformly enforced or taken off the books. Though the law should provide enough...
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Adult arcades re-open
(Florida) -- We have uncovered those internet gambling cafes the Governor shut down just two days are are re-opening. For Estrecia Brace, playing casino games isn't...
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Florida Expected to Pass Law to Combat Illegal Gambling
(Florida) -- The Florida governor is expected to sign a bill which would ban strip-mall parlours from operating slot machines. The bill comes after investigators have...
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Florida “Adult Game Arcade” Still Defying Recently-Passed Ban
(Florida) -- Earlier this week, the governor of Florida signed a bill into law which banned casino gaming options that were recently available at establishments across...
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Illegal Gambling Room Still Open For Business
(Florida) -- Despite Florida Governor Rick Scott signing into law Wednesday the banning of casino style gambling devices at "internet cafes" and "adult...
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CMPD seize machines, arrest 2 at Charlotte sweepstakes parlor
(North Carolina) -- Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have seized several machines and more than $6,700 in cash from a sweepstakes parlor in north Charlotte.
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Report: 2 arrested in connection to illegal sweepstakes parlor
(North Carolina) -- Two people were arrested and gaming machines were seized after a search of an illegal sweepstakes parlor in northeast Charlotte, according to...
4/12/2013
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Huffman, panel on Internet cafes take 'fact-finding' trip to casino
(Ohio) -- Bells, loud music and flashing lights set the scene for the first meeting of the Permanent Joint Committee on Gaming and Wagering of the Ohio General Assembly...
4/11/2013
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Letter: Coincidence?
(Florida) -- Coincidence? The Daily News reported on the people who received political contributions from senior arcade owners. Closing the “Internet cafes”...
4/10/2013
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Fla. gov signs ban on parlors with slot-like games
(Florida) -- Up to 1,000 strip-mall parlors where people can play slot-like computer games became illegal Wednesday in Florida, with the governor signing a ban on the...
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Florida governor signs law to close storefront gambling
(Florida) -- Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a law on Wednesday aimed at closing hundreds of storefront online gambling operations known as "Internet cafes...
4/9/2013
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Gambling parlors gave to several Fla. candidates; gov. expected to sign bill banning them
(Florida) -- The number of strip-mall parlors with slot-like computer games such as those targeted in a racketeering investigation could shrink if the Florida governor,...
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Governor Rick Scott to sign Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- The Internet cafe ban will become law. Gov. Rick Scott will quietly sign the ban on Wednesday, without a signing ceremony.
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iGaming prohibition passes Florida Senate
(Florida) -- Florida's so-called "strip mall casinos" - the 1,000 or so Internet cafes, senior arcades and Miami-area maquinitas - are about to be shut...
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With ban on Internet cafes, gambling operators scramble to hang on
(Florida) -- For Rick Scott, the “jobs” governor, the bill he will sign Wednesday to ban Internet cafes is as awkward as it gets. The measure is guaranteed...
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Casinos, Anti-Gambling Groups United In Opposition To Internet Cafes [sub req'd]
(USA) -- The casino industry and its critics are united in support of moves to eradicate Internet sweepstakes cafes, the storefront gaming operations now seemingly on...
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Gambling parlors spent widely on Fla. officials
(Florida) -- Strip-mall parlors with slot-like computer games such as those targeted in a state racketeering and conspiracy investigation have given about $100,000 in...
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Owner abandons Internet cafes across Basin: Three sites shut down; another sits vacant
(California) -- Four local Internet cafes have shut their doors in the wake of a statewide crackdown on illegal gaming facilities.
4/6/2013
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A swift demise for Florida's Internet cafes
(Florida) -- A month ago, Internet cafes were like countless other issues floating around the Capitol. They were important to some people, but hardly a top priority.
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Internet cafe customers brace for gambling shutdown
(Florida) -- Wilson Glass is a gambling man, but he knows a losing bet when he sees one. That's why Glass, a 71-year-old Army combat veteran, anticipates his time is...
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Legislature sends Internet cafe ban to governor
(Florida) -- Slot machine look-alike games operated by Internet cafes, amusement arcades and Miami’s maquinitas will be officially outlawed under a bill passed...
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Ex-Fla. Lieutenant Governor Discusses Resignation
(Florida) -- Former Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll said Thursday she had no idea law enforcement was investigating a veterans charity accused of running illegal slot...
4/5/2013
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Indian Casino Lobby Big Winner In Internet Cafe Ban, Pushed Through In The Wake Of Scandal
(Florida) -- Florida legislators voted overwhelmingly Thursday to ban storefront gaming operations, a quick response to a scandal that led to dozens of arrests and the...
4/4/2013
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Hayward: Internet sweepstakes moratorium extended
(California) -- The City Council has extended a moratorium banning new and existing Internet sweepstakes cafes in the city, yet two remain open after a judge issued a...
4/3/2013
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Florida’s Sweepstakes Scandal
(Florida) -- The resignation of the Florida’s Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll is sure to affect the already contentious debate about the growing number of...
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Senate committee unanimously approves Internet cafe ban, closing loopholes
(Florida) -- Despite aggressive pleas from senior citizens and veterans groups, the Florida Senate moved closer to outlawing all slot machine-like games at Internet...
4/2/2013
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Bill To Define Which Games Are "Gambling" Moves To Senate Floor
(Florida) -- When is a game won on skill? When is a game won by chance? The Florida Senate Rules Committee Tuesday furthered the gambling debate, passing a bill defining...
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Florida Legislature To Vote On Internet Sweepstakes Ban
(Florida) -- Hammering another nail into the coffin of Internet sweepstakes cafes, a Florida Senate committee on Tuesday voted unanimously for a ban that would also...
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Senate moves closer to outlawing slots-like cafe and arcade games
(Florida) -- Despite pleas from senior citizens and veterans groups, the Florida Senate moved closer to outlawing all slot machine-like games at Internet cafes, Miami...
3/31/2013
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House votes for prohibition of Internet cafes
(Florida) -- With little opposition, the Florida House on Friday approved a measure to outlaw the electronic games played in strip malls across Florida at Internet cafes...
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Ohio warms to gambling revenue but wrestles with decision on Internet cafes
(Ohio) -- For a state long perceived as averse to gambling, Ohio sure has developed a taste for the taxes gaming can produce. So is the Ohio Senate's delay in...
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2 Modesto Store Fronts Charged with Illegal Gambling
(California) -- The say my say “Computer Love,” but what was going on inside closed doors many weren’t fond of. It looks like a business center, a...
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Police shutter video arcade
(Massachusetts) -- Everett police are seeking criminal charges against the operators of the closed Ferry Cyber Skill Arcade after 12 video gambling machines were seized...
3/30/2013
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Scott noncommittal on Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- As the Florida House prepares to vote on its bill to ban Internet cafes in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott told the Miami Herald editorial board Thursday that he...
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Undercover slot machines expert to be key witness in Allied Vets probe
(Florida) -- Working undercover as just another aging patron, D. Robert Sertell watched as customers streamed into Internet cafes in strip malls across Florida to buy...
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No delay on cafés
(Ohio) -- Internet cafés have friends in the Ohio Senate. Last year, a Senate committee allowed a bill to die that would have regulated the gambling sites. This year,...
3/29/2013
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SC sweepstakes owner arrested on gambling charge
(South Carolina) -- A former law enforcement investigator who created a sweepstakes company has been arrested for illegal gambling.
3/28/2013
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NC sweepstakes cafes still open, despite 2010 ba
(North Carolina) -- At Goodtimes Internet Cafe, a handful of patrons wiled away the afternoon playing Wheel O' Treasure, a fast-moving computer game with spinning...
3/25/2013
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Fla. to probe 2nd sweepstakes chain
(Florida) -- Fresh off a nearly $300 million racketeering case involving a veterans' charity that benefited from simulated gambling at Internet cafes, Florida...
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Feasibility of regulating Internet cafes questioned
(Ohio) -- The high-octane debate over Internet sweepstakes cafes in Ohio appears to be coming down to this: elimination versus regulation.
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North Texas "Sweepstakes Gaming" Company Guilty of Running Illegal Gambling Operation
(Texas) -- Over the past several years, in shopping malls and storefronts across the country, entrepreneurs have begun operating what are called sweepstakes parlors.
3/24/2013
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Banning Internet Cafes While Gambling on Guns
(Florida) -- It’s a tale of two triggers. It didn’t take long, after the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, for the Legislature to get busy banning...
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Collier, Lee storefront gaming centers betting the game's not over yet
(Florida) -- There is no stream of coins clanging into a plastic cup, no creek of a slot machine arm being lowered. Instead, a woman approaches the owner-manager of a...
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Fla. House passes bill banning Internet cafes, adult arcades
(Florida) -- Internet cafes across the state could soon be forced to close their doors. The Florida House on Friday overwhelming approved a ban on the gambling...
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Quick action on Internet cafes has become a Senate priority
(Florida) -- One of my priorities for the 2013 legislative session is, undoubtedly, putting an end to the Internet cafes that have spread throughout Florida.
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Sheriff: Lancaster Internet Cafés are Fronts for Illegal Casinos
(California) -- Three suspects were arrested by Lancaster Sheriff’s Station deputies assisted by personnel from the City of Lancaster‘s Public Safety Offices...
3/23/2013
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Children's cancer charity linked to internet gambling cafes
(Florida) -- Florida regulators are launching an investigation into a South Carolina children's cancer group possibly connected to a string of Internet cafes that...
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House votes to ban Internet cafes
(Florida) -- Stung by a criminal investigation into an online gambling ring that poured $1.4 million into legislative campaigns, the Florida House on Friday voted 110 to...
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Internet cafe bill casting wider net than originally intended
(Florida) -- Bingo is safe. So are old-school arcade games and charity raffles. But while the intention is to crack down on storefront gaming centers, there are some...
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Allied Veterans experienced massive growth as it entered gaming center business
(Florida) -- When it all began, Allied Veterans of the World was about socks, soap and candy. In those days, Harold Grossman, who founded the group in Fort Walton Beach...
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Another arrest in commercial gambling
(Ohio) -- A week after Columbus police raided six businesses and seized 46 gambling machines, another suspect has been arrested on a commercial gambling charge.
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Our View: State Should Regulate Storefront Gambling
(Ohio) -- The Ohio House of Representatives is making another attempt at regulating the storefront gambling parlors that call themselves Internet cafes.
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2 Yuba City internet cafes shut down in welfare gambling bust
(California) -- Two Yuba City internet cafes have been shut down because they are suspected of allowing customers to use welfare money to gamble.
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Yuba City Internet cafes raided in online gambling investigation
(California) -- Yuba City police raided two Internet cafes on Wednesday suspected of letting customers use welfare benefits to gamble online.
3/22/2013
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Florida House OKs ban on billion-dollar cafe-gaming industry
(Florida) -- This time Lady Luck went against the “house,” at least for those Florida gambling venues that run virtual games.
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Florida regulators to probe another charity tied to alleged illegal gambling at Internet cafes
(Florida) -- Fresh off a nearly $300 million racketeering case involving a veterans' charity that benefited from simulated gambling at Internet cafes, Florida...
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Half an hour after the bill passes, Plakon takes Internet cafe ban onto the campaign circuit
(Florida) -- Former Rep. Scott Plakon, a Longwood Republican who lost a nasty race to Democrat Karen Castor Dentel last fall, has been in the Capitol this week watching...
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Scott noncommittal on Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- As the Florida House prepares to vote on its bill to ban Internet cafes in Florida, Gov. Rick Scott told the Miami Herald editorial board Thursday that he...
3/21/2013
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Last Internet café 'casino' suspects arrested
(Florida) -- The last four suspects in the Allied Veterans of the World Internet casino case have been arrested.
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Lawyer accused of masterminding $300M gambling scheme says he did nothing wrong
(Florida) -- A prominent Florida lawyer accused of masterminding a $300 million gambling scheme under the guise of a veterans charity says he has done nothing wrong and...
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Weathersbee: Gambling bust damages strip centers
(Florida) -- When law enforcement officials recently shut down gaming centers amid charges they were fronts for illegal gambling, they did more than cast a shadow on the...
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Cleveland Internet cafes were illegal, appellate court says
(Ohio) -- A state appellate court has ruled that three Cleveland Internet cafes were illegal businesses that operated like casinos.
3/20/2013
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Fla. lawyer accused of heading charity scam talks
(Florida) -- A prominent Jacksonville attorney accused of masterminding a $300 million gambling ring disguised as a veterans charity says he simply advised his clients...
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Former Lt. Gov. Carroll says she was duped by Allied Veterans
(Florida) -- Former Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigned last week after investigators questioned her about her business relationship with Allied Veterans of the World....
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Alleged head of charity scam talks
(Florida) -- Kelly Mathis is accused by prosecutors of being the "mastermind" behind a $300 million gambling ring and purported veterans charity, but he said...
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Anthony Westbury: Arcade patrons alarmed by new gambling bill
(Florida) -- Helen Donlin, 77, stops in every day at Jackpot Fever in the St. Lucie Square shopping center on U.S. 1 in Port St. Lucie. “But I never spend more...
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Legality of Internet cafes is 'a gray area'
(Florida) -- Two women whiled away their time — and money — in front of glowing computer screens this week in a darkened Internet gaming cafe in Gainesville.
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Miami Mayor Regalado says all video-gaming machines in city are illegal
(Florida) -- Across Miami, every video-gaming machine — more popularly known as “ maquinitas’’ in the Little Havana cafeterias and Flagler Avenue...
3/19/2013
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Florida Senate committe is unanimous: Ban gaming centers
(Florida) -- Over the opposition of some who say a ban would impact local communities, a Senate panel unanimously passed a bill Monday aimed at outlawing gaming centers...
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Legislators rushing to unload tainted gambling cash
(Florida) -- Shamed by the notion that they may have filled their political coffers with more than $1.4 million in campaign cash from a phony veterans group facing...
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Support expressed for Internet cafes
(Florida) -- As state lawmakers move quickly to banish Internet gambling cafes, they are beginning to hear from seniors, veterans and gaming center owners who are...
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Chan Lowe: Internet cafes and gambling arcades
(Florida) -- We ran a story today about South Florida seniors complaining that the Legislature is scheming to take all their fun away, even though Internet cafes and...
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County suspends web cafe openings
(Florida) -- Brevard County commissioners Tuesday put a temporary halt to the opening of new Internet cafes in unincorporated parts of the county. Commissioners said...
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How far will $20 go at a gaming center? A reporter finds out
(Florida) -- Twenty bucks got me 3½ hours on the Internet, but what appeal could the World Wide Web be compared to bright flashing lights tempting me with...
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Barborak opposes bill to regulate Internet cafes, says too restrictive
(Ohio) -- State Rep. Nick Barborak found himself in the minority by voting against a bill that would place significant restrictions on Internet cafes.
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Ohio Senate should go ahead with restrictions on ‘cafes’
(Ohio) -- Paying money to play "games" in which there is a chance of winning more money is gambling. Calling it something else - like "Internet cafes...
3/18/2013
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Internet cafe ban passes hurdle
(Florida) -- After hearing two hours of Internet cafe owners pleading for regulation rather than a ban, the Senate Gaming Committee unanimously passed a bill on Monday...
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Senate gambling panel bans Internet cafe, maquintas, adult arcades
(Florida) -- Protests from Internet cafe operators, South Florida adult arcade owners, veterans and even a Catholic priest over a proposed ban on Internet cafes,...
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Senate gaming committee OKs Internet cafe ban
(Florida) -- A Senate panel has cleared its version of a ban on the Florida gambling establishments commonly known as Internet cafes. The Senate committee on gaming...
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Senate panel moves to ban Internet cafes amid vigorous protests from operators
(Florida) -- A Florida Senate committee followed the House lead on Monday and passed legislation to effectively ban electronic sweepstakes games operated at Internet...
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Senate panel votes to ban Internet cafes
(Florida) -- Over the objections of Internet café operators, the American Legion and even a priest, a Florida Senate panel unanimously passed legislation Monday to ban...
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Accused Oklahoma company owner made more than $500,000 in political donations in Florida, North Carolina
(Oklahoma) -- An Oklahoma software company owner who is facing illegal gambling charges made more than $500,000 in political donations in Florida and North Carolina,...
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OP/ED: Another scandal in Tallahassee? You bet!
(Florida) -- In Florida, not much is asked of the lieutenant governor. It’s a sham job, devoid of responsibility. Your typical day is spent attending dull...
3/17/2013
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Florida’s Sweepstakes Scandal
(Florida) -- Most experts in the regulated gaming industry believed it was only a matter of time before a scandal brought down the “internet sweepstakes”...
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Former local store operators indicted in Florida probe
(Florida) -- Five former Bedford County residents have been indicted in a probe into alleged Internet gambling which has led to the resignation of Florida's...
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Fred Grimm: An Internet cafe epiphany for cash-collecting legislators
(Florida) -- It was a stampede of the disingenuous last week, as our astonished state legislators discovered what was at the crux of Internet cafes. Suddenly, like...
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House Gaming committee votes to ban Internet cafes
(Florida) -- A special House panel has cleared a bill that would ban Florida gambling establishments commonly known as Internet cafes. The House Select committee on...
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Multi-state gambling raids expanding
(Florida) -- Patrons who entered a Tavernier business described by state law-enforcement officers as "an illegal Internet casino" were assured that some of...
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Allied Veterans leadership has history with gambling, charity
(Florida) -- The current and past leaders of Allied Veterans have a long history of working in the gray area between legal and illegal gambling, with their activities...
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Florida gambling arrests may close veterans shelter
(Florida) -- A former Army cook who fell on hard times, Debbie Bowman has been living at the Allied Veterans Center, a shelter for homeless veterans, since August.
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Push to ban Internet cafés riles those who play
(Florida) -- Inside the arcade at the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 84 in Holly Hill, Eileen Fetzke sat at a row of computer screens flashing with spinning images...
3/16/2013
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Florida Legislature moves fast on Internet cafes
(Florida) -- Marco Island’s Brian Moore spent Friday afternoon playing video-like slot machines at a small Naples casino tucked in a strip mall along U.S. 41 East.
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Small businesses fear backlash from anti-gaming center legislation
(Florida) -- The Roadhouse in Orange Park offers patrons cold beer, hot wings and a chance to relax, whether it’s playing one of the tavern’s five...
3/15/2013
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Arrestees in Seminole County Internet casino case bond out of jail
(Florida) -- A state house committee votes for a bill to ban all Internet casino cafes in Florida, as dozens of those charged in a gambling charity operation bond out on...
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House committee votes to ban Internet cafes, game rooms
(Florida) -- The House Gaming Committee, spurred by this week's news of a federal probe into Allied Veterans, voted to shut down Internet cafes, maquinitas and adult...
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Lawmakers finally moving to ban storefront casinos
(Florida) -- If it looks like gambling, acts like gambling and feels like gambling, we don't need a pit boss to tell us what's going on. Seminole County knows it...
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Officials: Despite ‘casino on a corner’ arrests, it’s tricky to regulate gambling
(Florida) -- Thanks to Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger, the IRS and the Secret Service, a proposal to close Internet cafes throughout the state may be headed to...
3/14/2013
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Bradenton cafe among those in racketeering bust
(Florida) -- A Bradenton Internet cafe was among those busted in Operation Reveal the Deal, an investigation exposing illegal gambling activity.
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Dirty Money?: Trail from allegedly illegal casinos to Florida politicians
(Florida) -- A Local 6 investigation has uncovered more than $1.3 million in Internet casino money flowing from the accused racketeers and money launderers to Florida...
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Hillsborough commission booted troubled sweepstakes cafe
(Florida) -- Hillsborough County commissioners were wary of Allied Veterans of the World & Affiliates long before its owners were arrested Wednesday on charges of...
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New documents in Internet gambling sting
(Florida) -- Action News is pouring through hundreds of new documents related to the arrest of dozens of people in an Internet gambling sting.
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Fla. politician resigns, 57 charged in scandal
(Florida) -- Florida's lieutenant governor resigned and nearly 60 other people were charged in a scandal involving a purported veterans charity that authorities said...
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Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigns amid federal investigation into casino cafe's (Video)
(Florida) -- Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll's resignation was announced Wednesday in the wake of a federal probe into a company she represented with ties to...
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Three Grand Strand residents charged in multi-state racketeering investigation
(South Carolina) -- Nine South Carolina residents, including three from the Grand Strand, face charges in a multi-state illegal internet casino probe, according to the...
3/13/2013
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In light of federal probe lawmakers push for Internet sweepstakes café ban
(Florida) -- The blockbuster news of a federal investigation into Internet sweepstakes café nonprofit Allied Veterans of the World and the arrests of its executives,...
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Internet cafes described as $300 million conspiracy
(Florida) -- Calling their actions "callous" and "despicable," authorities on Wednesday said the nonprofit Allied Veterans of the World — which...
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Key lawmaker calls for shutdown of Internet cafes
(Florida) -- An influential senator who has sought to place a moratorium on new Internet cafes said Wednesday that criminal allegations of racketeering and other...
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Legal analyst: internet cafes are the new bingo halls
(Florida) -- WOKV's legal analyst tells us anybody who's affiliated with Allied Veterans of the World in anyway is reaching out for their attorney today.
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Pinellas considering ban on Internet cafés
(Florida) -- Pinellas County commissioners are considering a ban on so-called Internet or sweepstakes cafés and are looking for input from leaders in the county's 24...
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Fla Lt Gov Quits; Tied to Charity in Probe
(Florida) -- An investigation of a purported veterans' charity in Florida led to the resignation of the state's lieutenant governor, who once did public...
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Florida lieutenant governor quits over firm's links to illegal gambling
(Florida) -- Florida lieutenant governor Jennifer Carroll abruptly resigned because an internet cafe company she once consulted for has been linked to illegal gambling,...
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Florida Lt. Governor resigns amid Internet gambling probe
(Florida) -- Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll announced her resignation Wednesday, a day after she was questioned by authorities investigating possible illegal gambling...
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Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll resigns amid state, federal probe of non-profit veterans group
(Florida) -- Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll abruptly resigned Tuesday after law enforcement officials questioned her about ties to a purported veterans charity organization...
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Putnam calls for Internet casino ban in wake of Lt. Gov. Carroll’s resignation
(Florida) -- Following the resignation of Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, speculation looms as to her involvement with one of the state’s largest internet...
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57 charged in Florida gambling scandal
(Florida) -- A sweeping multistate investigation of a purported veterans' charity based in Florida has led to arrest warrants against nearly 60 people and the...
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Brevard 'Internet casino' managers arrested
(Florida) -- Three managers at Brevard County “Internet casinos,” which were searched as part of a national illegal gambling investigation that has also...
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Internet cafe probe snags dozens, could doom industry in Florida
(Florida) -- Owners of dozens of Internet gambling centers in Florida were arrested Wednesday as part of a three-year investigation into Jacksonville-based Allied...
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Internet cafe bill passes in Ohio House
(Ohio) -- The Ohio House passed legislation Wednesday that would all but eliminate Internet sweepstakes cafes.
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Internet cafe regulations go into effect
(Ohio) -- Strict regulations of Internet Sweepstakes Cafés would protect consumers if the bill passes through the Ohio Senate, according to Attorney General Mike DeWine.
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Ohio House OKs bill targeting Internet cafes
(Ohio) -- The Ohio House approved a bill today that would effectively shut down Internet cafes in Ohio by limiting their prize payouts to $10.
3/12/2013
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West Palm Beach to weigh banning new Internet “casinos on a corner”
(Florida) -- The city wants to stop new Internet cafes from opening, after more than 1,000 of the so-called casinos on the corner have popped up across Florida.
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Internet gambling probe of Allied Vets grows, arrests now in Florida
(Florida) -- Jacksonville television is reportiong that the sweep has reached Florida and the head of a local gambling non-profit was arrested there this morning.
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Bond set for Anadarko businessman accused in gambling scheme
(Oklahoma) -- Bond was set at $500,000 for an Anadarko businessman accused in a multistate illegal gambling scheme.
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Federal investigators say Anadarko man involved in illegal gambling
(Oklahoma) -- Federal investigators allege that the owner of an Anadarko company is involved in an illegal gambling operation that made more than $290 million
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Internet cafes act like casinos, so Ohio lawmakers should treat them like casinos: Mark Naymik
(Ohio) -- Ohio legislators need to take a field trip to an Internet cafe. Hands-on experience will be worth a lot more than any lobbyist's words in helping them...
3/11/2013
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West Palm Beach to weigh banning new Internet “casinos on a corner”
(Florida) -- The city wants to stop new Internet cafes from opening, after more than 1,000 of the so-called casinos on the corner have popped up across Florida.
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Rancho Cordova tries to thwart Internet cafe casinos
(California) -- Rancho Cordova leaders are moving swiftly to quash what they say are mini-casinos disguised as Internet cafes.
3/10/2013
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Huffman: Does Ohio want to be the next Nevada?
(Ohio) -- To state Rep. Matt Huffman, Ohio House Bill 7 is more than just about regulating Internet cafés; it is about shutting them down. “Regulation is really...
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Slotlike gaming machines fall in gray area of the law
(Ohio) -- Bill Seagraves, executive director, Veterans of Foreign Wars of Ohio Charities, plays a charitable video-raffle game at the VFW. In a corner of Gahanna’s...
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Greensboro owners, players to be cited for sweepstakes
(North Carolina) -- Kenneth Odom goes to W & W Sweepstakes on Summit Avenue every day. Some days he’ll stay for just a few hours, if he has to pick up his...
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