Palm Beach Makes Move To Stop Internet Gambling Cafes

This story was published more than 12 years ago.

County Commissioners in Palm Beach County, Florida have voted 5-2 to approve of a plan to block internet gambling cafes from opening.

The plan would impose a year long moratorium on business licenses for businesses that operate internet gambling cafes. In January the group of Commissioners agreed to stop issuing business tax receipts for the businesses while they debated the merits of a ban. The group says that the moratorium will give the county time to review regulations.

Currently there are an estimated 600 to 1,000 internet gambling cafes operating in Florida. The cafes offer internet games to patrons, giving them the chance to win or lose money by playing the games. The cafes began appearing in 2006 and have become a $1 billion industry.