Online Casino Transfer: News - Internet Cafe Raids in Florida

04/26/2010		Online Casino Style: News Internet Cafe Raids in Florida
Home History Games News Dictionary		Though the Sunshine State has had a more friendly reputation for gambling than many of its northeastern neighbors, illegal online gambling was under attack this past week in the state of Florida, catching the attention of the internet casino community. Florida, not unlike a few other progressive provinces, has been considering a legalization option for intrastate online gambling services as a means to raise taxes. The raids conducted last week in Florida fall into a grey area for some online gambling experts, as the games being conducted in the internet cafes in question weren’t technically internet casino games. According to sources, gaming machines were located at the cafes, and used, and there was money exchanged for good performance on the machines, but no illegal access to online casinos offshore has yet to be confirmed. The raids were at three internet cafes in Marion County, closed by authorities last Wednesday following reports from local residents that illegal online gambling was taking place at the locations. The multi-agency drug enforcement team, which also has jurisdiction over gambling enforcement in Marion County, seized computer equipment as well as the gaming machines. "There was probable cause that gambling laws in the state of Florida were being violated," Sgt. Angy Scoble of the Ocala Police Department said. The owners of the internet cafes are being held on charges of possession of gambling devices, running an illegal gambling venue, and operating an illegal lottery. Authorities claimed that the ‘ring’ was set up to made as much as $17,000 in profits per day. Instead of winning money directly, phone cards were substituted for the tokens, with players able to sell back their unused ‘minutes’ to vendors, not dissimilar to a chip structure.

04/26/2010

Online Casino Style: News
Internet Cafe Raids in Florida

Though the Sunshine State has had a more friendly reputation for gambling than many of its northeastern neighbors, illegal online gambling was under attack this past week in the state of Florida, catching the attention of the internet casino community. Florida, not unlike a few other progressive provinces, has been considering a legalization option for intrastate online gambling services as a means to raise taxes.

The raids conducted last week in Florida fall into a grey area for some online gambling experts, as the games being conducted in the internet cafes in question weren’t technically internet casino games. According to sources, gaming machines were located at the cafes, and used, and there was money exchanged for good performance on the machines, but no illegal access to online casinos offshore has yet to be confirmed.

The raids were at three internet cafes in Marion County, closed by authorities last Wednesday following reports from local residents that illegal online gambling was taking place at the locations. The multi-agency drug enforcement team, which also has jurisdiction over gambling enforcement in Marion County, seized computer equipment as well as the gaming machines.

"There was probable cause that gambling laws in the state of Florida were being violated," Sgt. Angy Scoble of the Ocala Police Department said. The owners of the internet cafes are being held on charges of possession of gambling devices, running an illegal gambling venue, and operating an illegal lottery. Authorities claimed that the ‘ring’ was set up to made as much as $17,000 in profits per day. Instead of winning money directly, phone cards were substituted for the tokens, with players able to sell back their unused ‘minutes’ to vendors, not dissimilar to a chip structure.