Unplug video gaming devices
Today's No. 2 editorial.
If it looks like a video gaming machine and works like a video gaming machine ... the state legislature meant to make it illegal.
Whether the law precisely accomplishes that has become a matter of dispute as a new crop of video gaming machines springs up to replace the video poker machines that were banned last year.
As staff writer Mark Binker reported Sunday, many of these machines are operating in Greensboro, apparently with no threat of prosecution. The Guilford County District Attorney's Office doesn't think they break the law.
Alan Fields, the Alcohol Law Enforcement supervisor for the Greensboro region, disagrees: "They appear to fall squarely under the prohibition of a slot machine in the North Carolina statute," he said.
He's absolutely right, because the statute draws a broad target. It defines video gaming machines as offering poker, bingo, craps, keno and others, as well as any video game "based on or involving the random or chance matching of different pictures, words, numbers, or symbols not dependent on the skill or dexterity of the player" -- just as the machines in question do.
Illegal machines require "deposit of any coin or token, or use of any credit card, debit card, or any other method that requires payment to activate play," the law adds.
Players activate the new machines with a purchased phone card, which certainly fits the definition of "any other method that requires payment."
Guilford County Assistant District Attorney Tom Carruthers told Binker the new machines make "the perfect problem for the legislature to solve." The legislature will be surprised it didn't solve the problem already. If one remains, it can be remedied by arrests, prosecutions and convictions.
Video gaming machines constitute a public nuisance and were properly banned. A transparent attempt to evade the law ought to come up lemons in court. What looks and works like a video gaming machine is meant to be illegal in North Carolina
Comments (2)
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Right after the lottery, office pools, sport bets, matching for a coke, no more scat games on the golf course. Seems if I read the papers correct, there plenty of real crimes. Who cares how someone spends ther money. I wished they had raided the golf course yesterday, I know for a fact, there was money changing hands. $2.50 of my money went to other criminals. We need too put these guys in jail. Are maybe I should have putted better.
May I BS. TAKE CARE OF REAL CRIME.
Posted on March 6, 2008 11:00 AM
The reason these machines are illegal is the fact that they PAY-OFF. You buy a phone card with $5.00 and you win $500.00 you get the cash. I know people that will spend there entire paycheck on a phone card and never make the first phone call, only to lose the entire amount paying video slot machines. These machines are illegal when they are paying off. Go ask the clerks at Sumner Curb Market, Randleman Road Business Center, another one behind Mrs. Winners all of these being on Randleman Road in Greensboro. I agree with the sheriff of Rockingham County, they are illegal. Just because they put a banner saying "Sweepstakes" on the front door does not make gambling legal.
Also, the pink, green, yellow and blue ball sheets are illegal and you can be arrested for having these. But J&S Jewelry Store on Randleman Road doesn't think so.
Posted on March 7, 2008 10:59 AM