Port St. Lucie Denied Slot Machines

The city of Port St. Lucie has denied a request for St. Luce West to open a video slot machine parlor. They say that the slot machines are illegal and classified as gambling, which they do not allow. Businesses are saying that they are picking and choosing what sort of gambling they will allow, and they are going to fight the city.

George Catalano bought two storefronts in St. Lucie West and was planning on opening a video slot machine arcade on one side and an adult card room on the other. It was to be called Top Cats Players’ Club, but he was denied his occupational license. He says he already bought the slot machines, and now he is out hundreds of thousands of dollars.

He says that the city says it is gambling and won’t allow it, but he was given permission to open the card room, which is thinks is more gambling than the slot machines are. Catalano says that there are a slew of the slot machines that give out coupons outside city limits, but the Police Chief says he doesn’t care and will do “whatever it takes” to keep the slot machines out of their town.

The Sheriff’s Office agrees with the police, as does the State Attorney’s office – they say that they are games of chance and do not involve skill and they are therefore illegal in the state of Florida unless you live in Broward County. However, they do not arrest the people who run the illegal slot machines anymore because the juries won’t convict them.

Back to Monthly Archive // Main Slot Machine News Index