Agencies point fingers as Internet cafes reopen

Gambling spots, deemed illegal by state, returning around Jacksonville

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The state has determined that Internet cafes provide a form of illegal gambling, but no agency is taking responsibility for why many of them are being allowed to reopen in Jacksonville.

Seven months ago the city conducted raids on several Internet cafes in Jacksonville and even arrested one person for working at a gambling house. Those charges were dropped by the state attorney.

In July 2014, two Internet cafes were raided, and five people were arrested. They've all entered plea agreements and none got additional jail time. Three were placed on probation.

Now, Internet cafes are cropping up again around the city, and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, City Hall and the state attorney general's office all pointed fingers at each other when asked who was responsible for regulating the cafes and shutting them down.

City officials said that they were relying on the state to implement changes.

The attorney general's office, which orchestrated raids in the past against Jacksonville establishments like Allied Veterans, released a statement that said: "Our Office of Statewide Prosecution is not currently involved with the current gaming operations in Jacksonville. For questions regarding the legality of any gaming establishment in the Jacksonville area, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office."

Numerous cafes are still operating in Jacksonville, doing business as if the raids had never happened.

JSO said police are aware of the operating cafes and that they are part of an ongoing investigation.

One called Treasure Zone is getting ready to open on Dunn Avenue on the Northside. The computers, running slot-machine-like computer programs, are in place. But it's unclear who is running the cafe.

There was no one at the site when News4Jax stopped by, and people who live and work nearby said they're not sure what to expect.

The city said no business permit has been issued for the site and a Planning Department representative released a statement saying, "We have not issued a certificate of use for an Internet cafe, adult arcade or electronic gaming establishment."

The man who used to oversee the Internet cafes no longer works for the city and hasn't since Mayor Alvin Brown left office.

"There is a fine line with these internet cafes," News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said. "If it's a game of chance, it's gambling. If it's a sweepstakes, it's not gambling. Once they find out they are gambling, what they will do is the developer will come in and update the software to fit the law. That requires people to come out and check that software and that is difficult to do, because there are so many of them, and they really don't have the manpower to check them all, and they were not prosecuting a lot of them anyway. They do not want to put the manpower in if they are not going to prosecute."

All of the agencies involved basically said they are keeping an eye on the cafes, but right now, their attention is focused on other issues. 


About the Author:

Jim Piggott is the reporter to count on when it comes to city government and how it will affect the community.