03/24/2012 : PALM BEACH MOVES AGAINST INTERNET CAFES
Florida county has a plan to block more internet gambling cafes from opening
In Florida, commissoners in Palm Beach county have voted 5-2 for a plan aimed at blocking new Internet gambling cafes from opening by imposing a year-long moratorium on business licenses for such enterprises.
Commissioners agreed in January to stop issuing new business tax receipts for the establishments while they considered a temporary ban. The moratorium, commissioners say, will give county planners time to review regulations.
An estimated 600 to 1,000 cafes operate across Florida, many offering customers a chance to win or lose while they surf the Internet. By some estimates, the cafes have become a $1 billion industry since they began appearing in Florida in 2006.