Gambling news from http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Re the acquittal of adult arcade owner Gale Fontaine: I am pleased that this woman is not going to jail, and am left with several questions and concerns.
First, it is clear that Fontaine did, indeed, own and use gambling machines. Thus, what the jury was deciding was whether she was guilty or not if these particular machines are indeed illegal.
Would it not have made sense for the government, such as the State Attorney's Office or Broward Sheriff's Office deputies to determine whether the machines were actually illegal before they arrested this woman?
Secondly, even if Fontaine had been convicted, what good would sending this family woman to prison accomplish? She does not present a threat to society. All of her "victims" come to her voluntarily, repeatedly, and came to her defense during the trial. If these machines were found to be illegal, they should have been confiscated, sure, and perhaps Fontaine should be fined to give money back to her "victims" (but the government would keep any fines anyway), rather than sending her to jail because she found a way to make people happy while making a living.
Finally, if the gambling law requires that games have an "application of skill" and credits that are redeemed for "in-house" prizes (read: not money), why does the state endorse the Florida Lottery?
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