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Florida Targets Mini-Casinos

TALLAHASSEE, Florida – As reported by the Miami Herald: "It's called the ''Chuck E. Cheese's'' loophole, and small-time gambling operators have exploited it to open strip-mall casinos across the state, especially in South Florida.

"Lawmakers have introduced legislation to crack down on the gambling halls, which fall under Florida laws addressing adult amusement arcades. Players sit before slot machine-like terminals, pressing buttons to stop the whirling icons. Winnings can be exchanged for trinkets like coffee cups and lamps, or gift cards to gas stations, grocery stores and pharmacies.

"The proposed law also would force arcade owners to go to a city board for approval if they want to operate more than 50 machines.

"…There are more than 60 such arcades in South Florida now, said Ken Bank, a member of the board of directors of the Florida Arcade Association.

"…The devices are similar to slot machines, but instead of stopping on their own, the player hits a bar to end the game. That makes the machines legal games of skill, not illegal games of chance, operators claim…"

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