Video Sweepstakes are Illegal Slot Machines

The Alabama Supreme Court has ruled that the video sweepstakes are illegal slot machines. District Attorney Michael Jackson said that now that the “MegaSweeps” video games are ruled illegal slot machines, they are going after anyone and everyone who has possession of the illegal games. "Within the next couple of weeks I'm going to send a memo out to all the sheriffs in our five county circuits telling them that if any gambling machines similar to the ones in Birmingham are operating in this circuit then the sheriff in that county needs to tell the people to shut it down," Jackson said. "The gambling the Supreme Court voted on is illegal in our circuit."

With the ruling, the Birmingham Race Course will need to get rid of all of their illegal slot machines. Governor Bob Riley was thrilled at the ruling that they are slot machines; he said, "These so-called sweepstakes machines are nothing more than dressed-up slot machines. It is time we rid Alabama of these illegal gambling operations, and I'm very pleased the Supreme Court agrees."

This reverses a ruling by Jefferson County Circuit Judge Scott Vowell who said that the sweepstakes games were not slot machines in disguise. It was an 8-0 ruling against the slot machines, and the Birmingham Race Course owner Milton McGregor has filed a re-hearing request. He says that if the slot machines are deemed illegal, there will be many jobs lost over it.
 

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