The deck looks stacked against Florida Internet cafes of the sweepstakes variety. First the governor and Sen. John Thrasher voiced their displeasure -- and on Thursday the speaker of the House predicted a moratorium on thesefriendless, get-around-the-gaming-law businesses springing up across the state.
At a press gaggle Thursday, when asked if the House is going to join the Senate in calling for a moratorium on Internet "sweepstakes" cafes, Speaker Will Weatherford said, "At a minimum, I would say a moratorium."
His emphasis was on the word "minimum" -- and throughout his response, he sent a message that the House legislation could go further than a moratorium. See the video of Weatherford's comments below.
Toward the conclusion of the last Senate Gaming Committee meeting on Feb. 18, Sen. John Thrasher, R-Jacksonville, guaranteed that the one gambling bill to be introduced in the Legislature during the upcoming session will be legislation to stop Internet cafes in their tracks.
He said "Legislature," not "Senate," indicating he knew there would be a companion bill in the House.
"I can tell you for sure there will be a bill to place a moratorium on Internet cafes in Florida," said Thrasher, a Gaming Committee member, but more pertinent, chairman of the Senate Rules Committee.
Thrasher's announcement followed remarks from Gaming Committee Chairman Garrett Richter, R-Naples, who said 2013 would be a fact-finding and planning year for gambling in Florida -- a time to hear all sides out -- not a year in which new gaming laws would be introduced.
Gov. Rick Scott has been emphaticthat Internet cafes, growing feverishly throughout the state, should be closed down permanently.
Scott never took a public stand last year on the destination gaming bills before the Legislature, but in January 2012 he stood against cafes or arcades that in many communities cater largely to senior citizens, but fall short of being legally considered casinos by offering "sweepstake" prizes rather than directly awarding cash.
I dont believe that the Internet locations are legal or should be legal, Scott told reporters during a media gathering in his Capitol office more than a year ago. Its an area that I think doesnt make sense. I dont believe in it.
The so-called Internet cafes or sweepstakes cafes, once operated in the shadows. But now they number roughly 1,500 to 2,000 statewide, generating an estimated $1 billion-plus in annual revenue.
With every year of legislative inaction, the industry becomes more firmly entrenched.
So far, nobody representing the Internet cafes has stepped forward to make their case.
Reach Nancy Smith atnsmith@sunshinestatenews.comor at (850) 727-0859.
