The parties over for me!!!

[sparTa]

Soory to hear about this luckydog. Does Florida still have a state lottery(aka voluntary tax)? I lived down there when it first started and don't remember sheriffs arresting people when they scratch off little papers and winners got cold hard U.S. cash, hmm. Florida has dog racing, casino cruises, bingo etc. I wonder what that 'out of hand' really means. aranoid:

[minnesotabrad]

Sounds like it might be a county thing. Where there some newly elected officials this last year? Either that or possibly someone did not get a license that they applied for so turned it into a vendetta?

[alstonj1]

Probably more like a new pastor in town looking to restore the blue laws and turn the country around 200 yrs to the past . or the halls got together and said we ain't paying no more ,What ya gonna do close us all down ??? so they did .......

[drcrippen324]

like LD said i think its unfair as alot of elderly or infirm enjoyed those plases and i for one wished we had somthing like over here me and LD were only discussing it last nite about how much fun he had and how i wished they were over here never mind i hope the culprit for the closure rots and if he be a polotition well then he probebly will :

[sparTa]

Does Florida still have dog racing, cruise boat casinos and the lottery? Someone is getting greedy. Does Manatee County have other forms of "goverment income" (gambling) ?

[luckydog]

They can tax all of those, except for the cruise ships and possibly the indian casinos.

It may not be as bleak as the articule stated, todays paper said only 3 people arrested and a few machines taken, but all the places are still closed.

Maybe a decent lawyer can can fight this.

[logicprobe]

... decent lawyer...

Aren't those two words mutually exclusive?

[ocpachinko]

ocpachinko was just telling me that if you don't cross their palms with some green, they'll get you every time. The fact the Sheriff's department gets to keep what they confiscate is producing an incentive base that we really don't need in our local law enforcement.

Huh? I just collect pachinkos...there's no way I'd own a pachislo in this state, much less operate one--the minute you violate one law you're in a database I don't want any part of.

Actually the local police were very helpful when my car got broken into recently (got my stuff back, caught the guy, etc.) so I'm thinking pretty positively about local law enforcement at the moment.

I think it was another member with that quote...

[ocpachinko]

The longer story:
http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradent...l/14748862.htm

This was interesting:
"No money or cash prizes can be won from chance-style games," Bristow said. "The difference between here and places such as the Seminole Casino is that they're located on an Indian reserve."

Games that involve skill, such as ski-ball or whack-a-mole at Pirate's Cove Family Fun Center or Chuck E. Cheese's, are allowed to offer tickets or tokens that can be redeemed for prizes of value.

But any chance-type game like blackjack, poker or cherry-picker slots are strictly not allowed to offer any cash-valued prize, whether it be gift certificates, gift cards or even bingo-packet credits, an item the Orange Blossom, located in the 400 block of Cortez Road, provides in exchange for credits won. The establishment offers bingo in addition to slot machines.

Lucky, excuse my ignorance, but is a "cherry-picker slot" like a pachislo with reel stops? Or is it like a Vegas slot?

And excuse me, but poker involves less "skill" than Whac-a-Mole? My 4 year old daughter is (probably) OK at the Whac-a-Mole but (probably) won't be on the WSOP anytime soon.

I suspect this boils down to the wording of the relevant law. I remember when I was going to buy my first modern pachinko I looked up the (California) slot law...to learn that it was the COIN PAYOUT that mattered here for less than 25 year old machines.

That meant that antiques were OK, and all Pachinkos are OK (for home).

It seems the "skill" definition is simply the ticket-spitters at the Chuck-E-Cheese.

But on a family vacation (in PA) that I just took I saw what looked like video poker machines converted to ticket-spitters in the kiddie arcade at DelGrosso's amusement park. I should have played them to see, but instead just spent 50 cents to set the high score on the Theater of Magic pinball. I won't let my daughter touch most redemption games...due to the 5 seconds per quarter play time! When I spend a quarter I want an adequate quantity of AMUSEMENT, darnit! Of course, that's why Skee-Ball will always endure.

Do arcades in FL have ticket-spitter modded slots/video pokers?

Is video poker a game of skill?

Could Spin-A-Mania operate a pachinko?

My head hurts.

[ocpachinko]

OK, I've wasted way too much time on this...

http://pachinko.dreamhost.com/whatischerrymaster.html

Now I know. I've seen the pachinko ads from this company (I think they drop ship from GW), but ignored the rest of the site...until now. Turns out these guys seem to be a major supplier of these things!

In my ignorance it seems like the 'cherrymaster' could have a board that has totally random pays (illegal in your county), or one that requires skill (as much as a redemption game at Chuck's).

I also noticed a whole listing of boards that conform to Texas law.

Do these require 'skill'? Enough 'skill' to pass the Manatee 'skill' definition?

Surely this requires 'skill':
http://pachinko.dreamhost.com/8liner...AI%2072dpi.jpg

Did the sheriff review each machine to see if there was an appropriately 'skilly' game (sorry) on it?

It looks like there might be (in some states) some reasonably clear laws on the programs that qualify as skill-based. Did you ever play any like this, or were they all straight slot programs? If there's a state law then you'd think there'd be 'legal' and 'illegal' programs and that's the end of it.

OK. I'm done. No apocalypse or anything.

[dattia]

Huh? I just collect pachinkos...there's no way I'd own a pachislo in this state, much less operate one--the minute you violate one law you're in a database I don't want any part of.

Actually the local police were very helpful when my car got broken into recently (got my stuff back, caught the guy, etc.) so I'm thinking pretty positively about local law enforcement at the moment.

I think it was another member with that quote...

Don't worry, yesterday that quote had Tulsa's name on it, today it has mine. I believe that Admin is having a little fun and whoever is reading that post will find their own name in that place. Funny!

[luckydog]

the cherrymaster machines should be considered games of skill; they have video screens and stop buttons,

http://www.glamusement.com/cherry_master_2005.htm

you can stop one row at a time or all 3 by pushing buttons, on some machines if you have matching symbols you can hold them for next spin.

like the Queen Bee which is my favorite

http://www.glamusement.com/queen_bee.htm

minimun play is 8 cents or 8 nickels to cover all lines.

on bonus rounds you have to press a button to start and stop each turn.

[ocpachinko]

yesterday that quote had Tulsa's name on it, today it has mine

Tulsa continues to educate me on 1) the power of board software and 2) my naivete.

I admit that most things I learn on Pachitalk have little to do with pachinkos.

It's an amazing demonstration of the way a 'community' formed by a board can be manipulated.

I'm thinking now of Phil Hendrie http://www.philhendrieshow.com/, who if you haven't heard him conducts radio shows with fictitious characters he voices, then invites real callers to participate.

Great, now I'm thinking I'm the only real person here...it's just me and Tulsa...

Lucky, thanks for the info...it would be interesting to know what machines were in the closed parlors and whether they operate unmolested elsewhere in FL...

[Tulsa]

For two people though, we're very active!

[ocpachinko]

For two people though, we're very active!

...which is precisely the same illusion that makes otherwise normal people call Phil and sound like idiots!

I'm on to you now!

[dattia]

I think Phil looks a little like Arbycoffee...........

[trout16]

I was!? LD what do you think their definition of recently getting out of hand meant?

[luckydog]

Local gaming probe leads to more arrests
REBECCA BLUE
Herald Staff Writer

BRIAN BLANCO/The Herald
Management of Bingo Land reopened the bingo side of their business one day after Manatee County Sheriff's Office officials seized two of their slot machines while serving search warrants on 16 area gaming establishments.Ray Finecey doesn't understand why his favorite pastime is just now being taken away from him.

"I've been going to Lucky's for 16 months," Finecey said Tuesday. "Nothing's changed since then."

On Monday, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office executed search warrants at the county's 16 gaming establishments, confiscating almost $50,000 and slot machines and making five arrests. Authorities announced two of those arrests Tuesday, a day after the sting, when many of the establishments remained closed.

Authorities say the establishments offered items of value in exchange for winning credits in games of chance, not skilled-type games. A majority of the establishments offer gift cards or gift certificates. The Orange Blossom, an establishment that also offers bingo, issues bingo packets, valued at up to $50.

Even though some of the establishments have been open for a couple years, a majority of them opened over the past few months.

A recent increase in complaints and questions from residents is what partly prompted the investigation, according to Dave Bristow, spokesman for the sheriff's office.

"These type of investigations take time," Bristow said. "They're something you have to plan. They take a lot of manpower, and again, a lot of time. It's not something you can do while you're working on another long-term investigation."

The sheriff's office Tuesday announced the arrests of Michael Weitzel, 38, and Joseph Harris, 27. It is unknown which establishments employed the men. The arrests of Judy Robbins, 47, manager of Spin-And-Win, and Charles Bartlett, 62, of Spin-A-Mania were announced Monday. The four were arrested for allegedly keeping a gambling house, a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison.

Lisa Dennison, 41, an employee of the Player's Club, was also arrested Monday, but on a possession-of-cocaine charge.

At least five additional arrests are expected, Bristow said.

Finecey wondered on Tuesday why the county would grant a permit for the gaming establishments in the first place.

"Didn't they know what was going to take place in these establishments?" he asked.

The county, according to Jon Prettyman, principal planner for the county, issues administrative permits for what's classified as "adult amusement centers." The permits require an application, a site plan and a review process.

"When they sign the paperwork, they agree to operate in compliance with state laws," Prettyman said.

Businesses that offered slot machines in addition to bingo remained open Tuesday, offering bingo, which is not illegal.

Buffy Delisi, of Bingo Land, in the 6800 block of 14th Street West, said the establishment would ban slot machines "indefinitely."

"The only reason we began offering them was to keep up with the competition," Delisi said.

Joanne Molar, a frequent slot machine player, suggested law enforcement officials work with the management at establishments to help them operate under the law.

"Reopen these places and let the owners know what they are doing wrong, such as what is a chance game and what is not," Molar said. "At least tell them to get the right machines, inspect them and reopen them now."

Bristow acknowledged the sting affected many people, but added, "We enforce the laws, we don't make them."

His advice to people upset with the situation - contact their lawmakers.

Rebecca Blue, criminal justice reporter, can be reached at rblue@HeraldToday.com or at 708-7919.

From the statutes

Chapter 849: Gambling

849.01 Keeping gambling houses, etc.- Whoever by herself or himself, her or his servant, clerk or agent, or in any other manner has, keeps, exercises or maintains a gaming table or room, or gaming implements or apparatus, or house, booth, tent, shelter or other place for the purpose of gaming or gambling or in any place of which she or he may directly or indirectly have charge, control or management, either exclusively or with others, procures, suffers or permits any person to play for money or other valuable thing at any game whatever, whether heretofore prohibited or not, shall be guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

[luckydog]

today's paper letters to editor



http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/14763765.htm

[slotter]

This whole fiasco is SO stupid. All political. Perhapsa, it'll backfire on the sheriff in the end? We can only hope.