Last Chance For Sweepstakes Parlors In North Carolina

A group working in conjunction sweepstakes parlor owners in North Carolina is pleading with the governor to squash a bill that will outlaw their machines.

The Entertainment Group of North Carolina sent a letter to Beverly Perdue asking the governor to veto legislation that would tie in computer-based sweepstakes games with banned video poker machines, virtually destroying these parlors businesses.

In June, the North Carolina State Senate voted 47-1 on a bill that says a 2006 ban on video poker also applies to computer-based sweepstakes games. Then on July 7th, the House approved the ban in a vote of 86-27.

The ban is set to go into effect on December 1st.

Supporters of the ban feel that these sweepstakes parlors, that show up in strip malls all across North Carolina, prey on the poor and people who are addicted to gambling.

Many opponents think that a ban such as this, as well as other similar bans on Internet gambling impede on citizens rights to what they want with their money.

Others feel that in this struggling economy, the state could benefit from the money these parlors could bring in taxable revenue, if they could be controlled and regulated.

Now, the survival of the industry falls into the hands of the governor.