- Arcade Public Hall With Gambling Machines Jackpots
- Arcade Gambling Machines
- Arcade Public Hall With Gambling Machines Free Play
The Marion County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to prohibit the use of simulated gambling devices for commercial purposes.
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The county sheriff’s office recommended the action because of what it said was an increase in violent crimes because of simulated gambling devices at internet cafés.
According to the ordinance, simulated gambling devices include any computer-operated games – particularly slot machines – that may deliver the person playing a payoff.
Internet cafés are considered hotspots for crime because of practices like keeping cash on hand and lacking properly trained security, Sgt. Paul Bloom, the public information officer for the sheriff’s office, told WUFT News.
Bloom said four robberies had occurred at the cafés within the last month. The most recent one involved a gunman pointing a firearm at a pregnant clerk and her 9-year-old child, he said.
“The crimes are escalating at internet cafés,” Bloom said. “Eventually, robbery escalates into homicide.”
The ordinance won’t shut down the internet cafés all together. However, any store manager or employee risks being issued a $250 fine per device in operation.
Any employee operating five or more devices could also face arrest, said Tim McCourt, the sheriff’s office’s general counsel, who prepared a draft ordinance for the commission.
“The employee who would be there, if they have 40 devices, could be issued 40 civil citations,” McCourt told the commission Tuesday. “They would also be committing 40 second-degree misdemeanors for which they could go to jail.”
The sheriff’s office district commanders will deliver notices Wednesday to about 40 internet cafés countywide, warning them about the new penalties, McCourt said.
The commission had discussed the ordinance at its last meeting, Jan. 19, but agreed to table the matter for two weeks to consider revisions suggested by Kelly Mathis, an attorney representing a coalition of game room owners. Mathis had argued for more regulation instead of prohibition.
Mathis compared the gambling devices to adult video games, and said removing them would drive internet cafés out of business. He urged the commission to insist that the troubled cafés improve their security systems instead of harming all such stores.
“The reason people go to these game rooms are the video games for adults,” Mathis said. “Saying you’re not closing the business is like telling a pizza restaurant, ‘You can stay in business, but you can’t sell pizzas.’”
It wasn’t the first time Mathis had failed to keep a city or county from impacting internet cafés.
In 2019, Jacksonville enacted similar ordinances prohibiting simulated gambling devices that Mathis challenged as unconstitutional. A federal judge of the Middle District Court of Florida found that the ordinances did not violate the U.S. Constitution.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office also complained about a lack of cooperation between law enforcement and the management at internet cafés when a crime happens. McCourt said it’s routine for store owners to deny security footage upon request or simply not report a crime.
“It’s sad to say – that in the face of an armed robbery where someone has a firearm pointed at them and a small child – that law enforcement would be met with anything other than complete cooperation,” he said.
McCourt also argued that no state regulation exists covering the fairness of simulated gambling devices. These machines can deceive many county residents, according to the ordinance. And despite fiscal regulations, he said, many internet cafés don’t comply with income tax laws.
Twenty-three people spoke against the ordinance during the public hearing.
Sherri Matherly of Dunnellon said she’s visited internet cafés for years. She said not only do they uphold COVID-19 regulations, they are also “very considerate of us as older people.”
“They’re a safe place and a good place for us … to fellowship,” Matherly said. “This is a place that we can go and sit down and have good entertainment.”
Since coming to Marion County six years ago, Stacey Castaneda said working at internet cafés has allowed her to care for her five children as a single mother. After getting denied from 32 job applications, she said it’s become her only source of income.
“The jobs that I’ve went to, they look at me because I’m Hispanic,” Castaneda said. “I have a high school diploma. I have a college degree. Why can’t I get a good job?”
Sam Ali, who owns The Grand Arcade in Belleview, came prepared with paperwork to show that he pays business taxes. He said internet cafés that don’t abide by tax laws should be regulated.
“I do my business by the book,” Ali said. “My landlord is happy. My neighbors are happy.”
Only one person from the public spoke in support of the ordinance.
Roger Knechtel said he’s against all types of gambling. After witnessing others squander their hard-earned money on bets, he said there’s too many people that can’t afford to gamble.
“Gambling is a disease. We’ve cured HIV; Hepatitis A, B and C; we’re working on cancer,” Knechtel said. “But gambling and politicians: There’s no disease cure for them.”
County Commissioner Kathy Bryant made a motion to adopt the ordinance, saying the real issue for her was public safety more so than just regulating gambling.
“To think that someone held a gun to a 9-year-old child’s head: That’s unconscionable,” Bryant said. “My fear is that it’s just a matter of time before something serious happens, and then had this commission not taken action, it would fall upon us.”
Fortitude Valley is set to welcome a new hotspot that adds a retro tinge to our night-time revelry. The classic gaming arcade has come back in vogue in recent years, and the latest venue to mash up old-school games and new-school cocktail chic is B. Lucky & Sons. On Thursday September 27 B. Lucky & Sons opens to the public in the T.C. Beirne Building, inviting all comers to experience the neon lights, the nostalgia-inducing sights, the intoxicating flavours and the memorable fun of this retro gaming nirvana.
The details
The ingenious team at Funlab earned its name by cornering the market on hospitality-meets-entertainment concepts. The minds behind Strike Bowling and Holey Moley Golf Club are stepping up to the plate for a third home-run idea – arcade-come-cocktail bar B. Lucky & Sons. B. Lucky’s inspiration spawned from a desire to rejuvenate the arcade concept, which faltered in the 90s thanks to an influx of home-entertainment systems and a shift away from redemption-style gaming. The idea to reinvigorate the format was inspired by US-based chain Dave & Busters, which honed in on an adult-friendly concept that blended nostalgia with a grown-up appeal. The first B. Lucky & Sons location opened in Melbourne to great success, and now the second larger location has been installed in the heart of the T.C. Beirne Building off the Brunswick Street Mall.
The arcade
The arcade’s concept is grounded in the exploits of fictional British gangster Bill Lucky – who earned his reputation by opening pawn shops in Hong Kong as a front for the White Lantern cartel’s gaming lounges. The entrance to B. Lucky & Sons has been fashioned into an old-school London-style pawn shop, but beyond the shelves of oddities and rarities and through a red-velvet curtain sits a glittering wonderland of fun. The cavernous den is saturated in the light of Hong Kong-inspired neon signage, vibrant gaming machines and decorative British touches. In the arcade, an evolving selection of timeless classics and new-age machines sit side by side – we’re talking Daytona, Mario Kart and The Walking Dead sharing space with claw machines, skill testers, skee-ball and NBA Hoop consoles. Like any classic arcade, using the redemption games affords you the chance to win prizes, and this is where the pawn shop comes into play. The team has sourced an array of hard-to-find goodies from rare vinyl, limited-edition action figures, Chanel bags and gaming consoles to win. That’s right – you won’t have to settle for slap-bands and bouncy balls here. HEAD TO THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHER FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE INTERIOR.
Arcade Public Hall With Gambling Machines Jackpots
The food and drink
While it’s easy to lose yourselves amongst the high-score attempts and prize chases, B. Lucky & Son’s bar and food offering is tempting enough to tear even the most steadfast gamer away for a few. Like the space itself, the menu shares Asian and British influences across its food and beverage options. Mains such as pork bao-gers, spiced Szechuan squid and five-spice chicken wings are available alongside stone-baked pizzas, fish and chips, and chips and gravy. A list of thirst-quenching bubble-cup drinks, classic cocktail concoctions, wine, tap beer and spirits will assuredly offer enough fluid to keep you hydrated for a night of frenzied gaming.
Arcade Gambling Machines
B. Lucky & Sons opens to the public on Thursday September 27. For more details, head on over to the Stumble Guide.
Arcade Public Hall With Gambling Machines Free Play
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.