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An Internet cafe ordered to shut down for alleged illegal gambling has closed a day early.
The Marshall County District Attorney's office gave Fat Katz Internet Cafe 48 hours to shut down or face criminal charges.
"Alabama prohibits a lottery or a scheme to further a lottery. And based on our investigation, that's really what's going on," said Marshall County District Attorney Steve Marshall.
Fat Katz' attorney, Greg Johnson, confirms the business is closed indefinitely, but Johnson says they're not doing anything wrong.
He says the way it works, you buy a phone card from Fat Katz, and that gives you an opportunity to enter into a sweepstakes and win money.
Johnson says it's not gambling, but a promotional sweepstakes, which he argues is perfectly legal.
"Tell us what's wrong with it. We can't fix it if we don't know what the problem is," said Johnson.
Marshall has a recommendation.
"The way that they could operate legally if they chose to do so is to hold out a business that sells phone time, to get rid of the computers, to get rid of what we believe are gambling devices, and sell people phone time on cards. That's a legitimate business," said Marshall.
Johnson also feels Fat Katz is being picked on.
He says similar businesses operate without incident in Alabama.
"They're not in Marshall County. And I know that they aren't in surrounding counties. And as long as I'm DA and others take the same position, we'll continue to shut them down unless a judge tells us otherwise," said Marshall.
Johnson says legal action could follow if Fat Katz is not allowed to re-open.
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