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Gambling Takes Over Florida

FLORIDA – As reported by the Orlando Sentinel: "The unmistakable sights and sounds of a casino greet visitors entering 577 Deltona Blvd. Plush carpeting, flashing video screens, bells, beeps and free food and drink are part of the atmosphere at Gold Dust Casino.

"Instead of payouts in cold, hard cash, winners get gift cards, restaurant coupons and even discounts to the chiropractor next door.

"Yes, this is Florida, and these are slot machines. And they're apparently perfectly legal. Since the state rewrote gambling laws in the late 1990s, mini-casinos have been popping up from South Daytona to Port Charlotte.

"The sudden proliferation of these `adult arcades' has caught most cities by surprise. The stores aren't filled with video games and kids. They look more like a Bally's or Harrah's. And the idea of having a little of the Las Vegas strip in a strip mall has not gone over well.

"…While leery city officials search for ways to regulate the arcades, owners such as Jack Manning insist they run legitimate businesses.

"Manning, who owns Gold Dust Casino in Deltona, said his slot machines are legal because of one small but important feature: Patrons hit a button to stop the colorful spinning wheels on the video screens.

"`They're skill games,' he said. `That's how they're programmed in the factory.'

"…The loophole in the law allows arcade-type games to pay out credits that can be traded in for prizes instead of cash, as long as the games involve some degree of skill. Because it's not considered gambling, there is no state regulation of the arcades…"

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