Last Day For Video Sweepstakes

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Credit Laura Leslie

Today is the last day that video sweepstakes parlors will be legally allowed to operate in North Carolina.  But a judge’s ruling could open the door to other games.

The video gambling industry has been playing cat-and-mouse with state lawmakers for more than a decade, finding loopholes in every attempt to ban the games.  The law that takes effect tomorrow prohibits video poker, keno, bingo, craps, lotto, "pot-o-gold," "eight-liner," and slots. Lawmakers also tried to close any loopholes by banning the use of any other "entertaining display" to reveal sweepstakes results. 

Guilford Superior Court Judge John Craig ruled last week that that language is too broad and infringes on the First Amendment.  But Wake Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway ruled yesterday that the ban should stand as written.  The State Attorney General’s office hasn’t decided yet whether to appeal