Florida Courts Looking to Determine Sweepstakes or Online Casinos
Internet cafes in Florida have tried to ride a fine line, saying they sell Internet time and offer customers free sweepstakes entries in return for purchases, which play out on desktop computers. But law enforcement says the practice is thinly-disguised online gambling, and a Jacksonville race track operator is suing to close the outlets.Jacksonville Greyhound Racing said in a complaint to Florida Circuit Court that cafes operated by Allied Veterans of the World are illegal online casinos. The company asked that Veterans and other such outfits be found to participate in racketeering activity and practice deceptive and unfair trade methods.
Judge Jean Johnson dismissed those charges, but allowed a third charge, that the Internet cafes are a public nuisance, to proceed.
“Customers purchase Internet time on the computers at the fair market value and receive additional services including beverages, snacks, printing, copying and faxing," Allied Veterans' attorney Kelly Mathis said in a statement. "As an incentive for the sale of Internet time, the customer receives free entries to participate in a sweepstakes and the results are revealed on the desktop computers.”
Law enforcement officials around Florida have been investigating and raiding the cafes. They say the rewards, which can run into thousands of dollars, along with consideration required from players disqualifies the businesses as sweepstakes operators, and the games acts as slot machines at online casinos.
Recent Comments
| Posted by: Faye | When: 04/25/2010 06:54:18 PM EST |
| Cyber cafes are violating Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and serving as a common nuisance in this writer's opion. I have been a witness to many people spending hundreds and thousands of dollars daily hoping to win a jack pot of one, two or three thousand dollars, but to go home empty handed with a light bill,groceris to buy, or rent,mortage they can't pay because they have spent all of thier money at these cyber cafe casions. There should be a law against these cyber cafes taking advantage of the people who think they can win monies as if they are at a real casion. What is even worse is most people who gamble in the cafes think if they double the amount they are betting they will possibly win more money.. Allied promotes if you double your bet each spin, you can win a bigger jack pot. I hope the city does away with this cyber cafes, becasue these cafes do promote gambling. | |
| Posted by: conchita gooden | When: 04/30/2010 11:01:02 AM EST |
| when i go into allied i see many people losing there money its a bad habit that probably the only way that will be broken is that they close them down before christmas 2009 a lady was outside crying said she was afraid to go home because she stop by allied before going to walmart to get her kids christmas and loss all the money which was $700 i have seen one of my coworkers lose $1000 in one day i check around just to see who maybe winning you may have one person when the jack pot on a month which could only be between $500 and $13000 but the more you win the more you have to play and you can lose $100 dollars in 10min are more it depend how much you playing for. | |
| Posted by: yeah right | When: 06/03/2010 01:45:16 AM EST |
| they are casinos, I am at the deland one right now! there was one person tonight that won over 2k and as soon as he cashed out, everyone else in the place started loosing. this crap is a scam and they should be shut down so we aren't wasting our money on people who will not give any of it back. you can spend thousands in here and be lucky to win 100 bucks back. the first year they baited us with wins, and now hardly ever do you see anyone win. when they do win, the same person will win 2 jackpots in one night! we had one lady who won over 28k, and was all hugged up with the management here. it seems that the really loud people who hug up to the manager at location #35 in Deland, Fl win....everyone else can just keep paying out and getting scraps. Thats a fact! So if you want to win in brandywine #35 you had better suck up to mgmt. or loose your hiney with the rest of us. Sick of this crap PS...and loosing to the veterans sweepstakes....who don't just give the money to veterans...its questionable why they even call themselves that....how much of the money played here actually goes to veterans? I bet way less than half. | |
| Posted by: lu | When: 06/13/2010 06:40:37 PM EST |
| I don't live in Florida but I do see these internet places in my city. I don't so call gamble, but I don't see anything wrong with people opening a business that provides an area that people can go to hang out. Who has the right to say what these people can or cannot do with their money. These places are not forcing anyone to come in, they come in willingly. I don't go to these places and one is near my house. I would rather live next to a place like this then massage parlors. I think people should stop playing the blame game. The state should tax these places like normal business and let them help with our taxes. The Police should go back and take care of the drugs and gangs and violent crimes. They should not play stakeout, they already do enough at convenient stores | |
| Posted by: R. Lawson | When: 06/17/2010 11:21:57 PM EST |
| If there is going to be gambling in Florida - which there is at casinos across the state and through the state lottery - I don't understand why we are reserving this business for the priviledged few. Any game based on averages is of course going to have more losers than winners. It's entertainment. And if you want to scoff at the sweekstakes establishments you should also scoff at the casinos and the state lottery - otherwise you are a hypocrite. If you really want to make these companies honest, regulate them. Collect "sin" taxes if you must. And verify that they are following the rules. This is a free country - if people want to waste their money they should be free to do that. Just because you witnessed a big payout and a bunch of people losing doesn't really mean a thing. That is exactly what happens every day in Vegas. | |
| Posted by: Jim | When: 06/26/2010 02:42:53 PM EST |
| I live in Jacksonville where the Dog Track is trying to close these businesses down. First of all it is not gambling. Most people know they are purchasing internet time. If they spend a thousand dollars on internet time then that is what they are getting. They get a pre determined opportunity to win cash. Just like you walking in Mcdonalds and purchasing that meal that gives you a pre determined chance with tickets on a cup to get Boardwalk and win a million dollars. In Jacksonville the Dog Track is only trying to shut these places down strictly for GREED. They want control of what they call gambling. Closing these places will shut down 143 small businesses, put over 1200 people on the unemployment line, open 143 commercial proprties and possibly put commercial property owners in bankruptcy, stop millions of dollars in charity donations each year to local and national charities, stop $16.50 in tax money for each machine in the city totaling hundreds of tousands of dollars to our city in tax money. and the Dog Track s not even in Jacksonville, they are in Clay ounty and St Johns Count. These places pay alot of money out to our community and give jobs to people that would otherwise be drawing unemployment. They offer a nice place to hang out with no alcohol so noone leaves drunk. If smeone overspends then theyneed to seek control. oone cares aboutthepeople that go sit in bars and spend hundreds of dollars getting drunk then ge behind the wheel of a car and kill someone. SHUT THOSE PLACES DOWN | |
| Posted by: no name | When: 08/29/2010 08:40:49 AM EST |
| At the Deland cyber center, the manager, Becky, is horrid. She takes the money, makes fun of customers behind their back, and loves up to their face. She mistreats our seniors when she should have respect for them. I have seen all types of mgmt. people but she is the first one to get me to type an opinion. | |
| Posted by: Edward | When: 09/18/2010 07:46:55 AM EST |
| It's not about being FAIR to the lesser of two evils. But it IS gambling. (If you choose to gamble. That is your choice. You purchase "INTERNET TIME" and you get all that which you pay for. The more internet time you purchase, the more internet time you have. If you go in there to just use the internet. So be it. They won't ask you to leave, and you still can have all the free Pepsi you can drink and all the free snacks you want. If you choose to waste more money than you need internet time to play the online sweepstakes, that is your choice. | |
| Posted by: 2morrow2day | When: 09/27/2010 12:20:24 PM EST |
| Does anyone know what gives the owner of the dog track the right to promote people gambling on dogs and poker. Correct me if I'm wrong but both are a game of chance. They also sell alcohol which impairs your judgement. I'm sure a many of person has lost there rent money,Christmas money etc at the dog track only to spend there last dollar in there pocket on a drink to help them forget about there problems before they got behind a wheel to drive home. Seems like a double edge sword to me. I agree with the people who say that the state and the officers out in the field need to spend our tax money on a more worthy cause like fighting the war on drugs and crime. GOD gives us free will and if this truly is a free country and these places pay there taxes and people enjoy going to them then let them stay! Show me something positive the Jacksonville kennel club has done for anybody other than show them a good time. Do not get me wrong i enjoy the dog tracks but I understand before i ever walk in that i am gambling and stand a greater chance of loosing than i do of winning. By the way the kennel club is no longer in Jacksonville so they should mind there own business. The internet cafes seem harmless and are conducted without serving alcohol to cloud your judgement. I heard a comedian say one time that high cholesterol kills more people than hand guns every year according to a survey. He said if that is true they should put a waiting period on cheeseburgers like they do handguns. My point people are smart enough to make a decision for there self, we do still live in a free country at this point in time and as are wrights are slowly taken away from us. We the people need to recognize that. If you don't like the internet cafes in Jacksonville move your butt to California where they have cafes that sell pot cooked in snacks and sell sacks of weed in the back corner of there establishment by a man known as a budtender not a bartender a budtender. All of this goes own in plan sight while there kids are given a area to hang out while their parents are given a chance to loosen up. MY OPINION IS LEAVE THESE PEOPLE ALONE WITH THERE INTERNET CAFES FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO WITH YOUR TIME. IF YOU ARE THAT WOUND UP AND AND WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING WITH THERE TIME AND MONEY MOVE TO CALIFORNIA AND UNDWIND. | |
| Posted by: 2morrow2day | When: 09/27/2010 12:21:28 PM EST |
| Does anyone know what gives the owner of the dog track the right to promote people gambling on dogs and poker. Correct me if I'm wrong but both are a game of chance. They also sell alcohol which impairs your judgement. I'm sure a many of person has lost there rent money,Christmas money etc at the dog track only to spend there last dollar in there pocket on a drink to help them forget about there problems before they got behind a wheel to drive home. Seems like a double edge sword to me. I agree with the people who say that the state and the officers out in the field need to spend our tax money on a more worthy cause like fighting the war on drugs and crime. GOD gives us free will and if this truly is a free country and these places pay there taxes and people enjoy going to them then let them stay! Show me something positive the Jacksonville kennel club has done for anybody other than show them a good time. Do not get me wrong i enjoy the dog tracks but I understand before i ever walk in that i am gambling and stand a greater chance of loosing than i do of winning. By the way the kennel club is no longer in Jacksonville so they should mind there own business. The internet cafes seem harmless and are conducted without serving alcohol to cloud your judgement. I heard a comedian say one time that high cholesterol kills more people than hand guns every year according to a survey. He said if that is true they should put a waiting period on cheeseburgers like they do handguns. My point people are smart enough to make a decision for there self, we do still live in a free country at this point in time and as are wrights are slowly taken away from us. We the people need to recognize that. If you don't like the internet cafes in Jacksonville move your butt to California where they have cafes that sell pot cooked in snacks and sell sacks of weed in the back corner of there establishment by a man known as a budtender not a bartender a budtender. All of this goes own in plan sight while there kids are given a area to hang out while their parents are given a chance to loosen up. MY OPINION IS LEAVE THESE PEOPLE ALONE WITH THERE INTERNET CAFES FIND SOMETHING BETTER TO DO WITH YOUR TIME. IF YOU ARE THAT WOUND UP AND AND WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE DOING WITH THERE TIME AND MONEY MOVE TO CALIFORNIA AND UNDWIND. | |
| Posted by: Be real-stop faiking | When: 10/12/2010 01:31:03 AM EST |
| People. Do not lessen to those who are saying that it's a good place to hang out , it's not true . People are losing the money they can't afford and yes it's an addiction and it's hard to get away from it. I go over there every single day and people lose hell of money and those ALLIED OWNERS use just the name , they care less about the VETERANS and when you got hooked up then you can't control how much money you spend because all you hope is to make it back and you never . here we go people are paying for their lawyers now and my prayers are big for them to close down . it's a rip off and all these people who want them to stay open either way they are part of owners or employees wich mean is a peace cake of job and there is plenty of jobs if you really want one . | |
| Posted by: 2morrow2day | When: 10/17/2010 03:25:09 PM EST |
| In response to be reals comment. If you are so against these places why do you go on a daily basis? My advise to you. If you do not like these places don't go everyday. These people probably don't want you there anyway if you don't enjoy socializing with other people. Some people do not have computers at home and like these places because it allows them time to enjoy the internet. Others enjoy being around fun people. Its your choice stay at home if you don't want to be a part of something that others enjoy. | |
| Posted by: angie smith | When: 11/15/2010 08:30:40 PM EST |
| The worst of these places in Deland Florida is the one located next to the RAM Imports on Woodland Blvd. They kept promising to give away a tv on July 4th. To get a ticket you had to play 20.00 Well come the 4th of July, after asking what time the drawing was it was always a different time. After I spent 120.00 in 4 hours waiting for this drawing, they informed everyone at 9pm that there was not going to be drawing because not enough people showed up!!! The manager, who is the rudest, most stuck up person I have ever met, is named Jodi. She sits and plays the machines while she is working also. As long as she is involved in this business I know at least 12 people that won't walk into the place and we are hoping they close it down. | |
| Posted by: Rob | When: 02/14/2011 12:19:05 PM EST |
| Who's f'n job is it to say that someone who busts their a** at work everyday can't spend their money where they want to. Last time I checked the USA is no communistic. We better shut down Chuck E Cheese. People go there and spend money to play games in hopes of winning tickets that are redeemable for prizes that have a cash value. The only difference is the you send a ton of money to get BS prizes that are worth pennies and you can't use them for anything. At least at a cafe you can leave with some money in your pocket...not a stuffed animal or yo-yo. The government needs to quit trying to control everything and let citizens make their own decisions. No one forces anyone to spend their money on something they do not want to...except the govt...TAXES! | |
