Are the Slot Machines Legal?

Prosecutors in Rockingham County and state Alcohol Law Enforcement Officials are attempting to crack down on what they consider illegal slot machines, but there is some confusion as to whether or not they actually are. They maintain that the machines are slot machines and are therefore illegal, but customers and operators alike disagree.

The strict definition of the machines is that they are sweepstakes machines. They put money in and get a couple of dollars worth of long distance service. For purchasing the calling card from them, they get to participate in a sweepstakes. The companies say that these are not slot machines and Guilford County prosecutors agree with them.

This leaves the ALE and the prosecutors in Rockingham confused. They say that the machines are slot machines and they are illegal per state law. They say that they are clearly illegal devices and those that own them should be prosecuted.

The ALE has been conducting raids across the state where they are charging people with owning illegal slot machines. They say that they have gotten machines that are desktop computers with specialized software as well as video poker machines that have been retrofitted to become slot machines.

Those in Guilford County say that they don’t have a problem with them in their county, but other counties might. They say that since the law is not clear as to what constitutes a slot machine, it will have to be decided county by county. For now, they are not prosecuting.

 

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