COLUMBUS, Ohio --Time could be winding down on the sweepstakes games that emulate the experience of playing slot machines.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien has filed legal action to have the games removed from two Central Ohio locations, including Spinnner's Café on West Broad Street in Columbus and Beulah Park Race Track in Grove City.
The sweepstakes games are designed to resemble slot machines with cash prizes.
Operators argue that customers are technically paying for internet or phone time, then participate in sweepstakes games, much like the prizes offered by fast-food restaurants and under the caps of soda bottles.
Spinners Cafe is fighting the legal action and has been allowed to continue operating the game machines until the court makes a determination about their legality. It is not allowed to add additional machines in the meantime.
Beulah Park voluntarily agreed to a temporary restraining order not to operate the games until the court rules on its case.
"These kind of machines will very quickly expand as others see someone doing it and believing it to be permissible. Then others will join the parade and add machines at every street corner in town," O'Brien said.
A judge is set to rule next month on whether the games constitute gambling and should be prohibited.
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