Florida House Passes Bill To Ban "Internet Cafes"

A user writes "Concerned about their use as fronts for gambling operations, the Florida legislature passed a law banning Internet cafes. The law appears to be a reaction in part to the recent stepping down of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, embroiled in a scandal involving a company that operates Internet Cafes. More ordinary cafes with Wi-fi, where you supply your own computer (such as Starbucks), are not affected by the ban." The nomenclature here is confusing; the bill (PDF) (summary) is clearly aimed only at "cafes" that are essentially gambling venues; an Internet cafe wouldn't violate the proposed rule merely by providing computers. Whatever you think of prohibitions on gambling among consenting adults, the bill itself is sort of amusing for its very specific loopholes for bingo and "reverse vending machines."

Re:What?

[fyngyrz]

There is a simpler solution, though. Ban the Florida legislature.

Libraries

[Anonymous Coward]

Wouldn't this basically make libraries illegal? Once again, Florida, paving the way for stupidity since 2000.

Reverse vending machines?

[pianophile]

Is that where, e.g. someone inserts a candy bar and $0.75 is dispensed?