Internet Cafes Promoting "sweepstakes"

[Tony]

You might of seen these, and you may or may not know what goes in in these. They are popping up all across the U.S. and a couple opened up in my town in the past couple months.

Basically ,these Internet Cafes promoting a "Sweepstakes" are ran more like a casino than an internet cafe. You buy internet time, which comes with "Sweepstakes entries". you can rather surf the web, or play Games that look like slot machine and video poker, to see if any of your" sweepstakes entries" are winners. most people ignore the "internet time" all together, and just go there hoping to win money, just like they would at a casino.

There's quite a debate with these things, if its gambling or not. Proponents are saying "nope, it falls under the same law as McDonalds Monopoly since you're buying internet time". while others think it it's illegal gambling and should be shut down, and in fact. some have been shut down in NC and Florida. One thing's for sure, they are walking a very fine line with their loophole.

so yeah, just curious if anyone's seen these, or even been in them? I'm pretty leery of them.

Edited May 13, 2011 by Tony

[Nihil Obstat]

Maybe a better question to ask is whether or not gambling is morally wrong. State laws be damned; how about moral law?


2413 Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers [b]are not in themselves contrary to justice[/b]. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.

[Tony]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1305267187' post='2240766']
Maybe a better question to ask is whether or not gambling is morally wrong. State laws be damned; how about moral law?


2413 Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers [b]are not in themselves contrary to justice[/b]. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.
[/quote]

yeah I wasn't leary of the morality, I'm leary of the " possible "unfair wagers and cheating" these things could have.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Tony' timestamp='1305318304' post='2240998']
yeah I wasn't leary of the morality, I'm leary of the " possible "unfair wagers and cheating" these things could have.
[/quote]
So the question really is about whether these particular internet cafes are being run ethically or not, yes?

[Chamomile]

They're here and they're creepy-looking from the outside. I wouldn't even go in one.

[Nihil Obstat]

[quote name='Chamomile' timestamp='1305333503' post='2241109']
They're here and they're creepy-looking from the outside. I wouldn't even go in one.
[/quote]
What don't you like about them?

[Tony]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1305328977' post='2241068']
So the question really is about whether these particular internet cafes are being run ethically or not, yes?
[/quote]

yeah pretty much. I got nothing against actual casinos because they have gaming laws they have to answer to.. these things, Im not too sure

Edited May 14, 2011 by Tony

[Chamomile]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' timestamp='1305333989' post='2241114']
What don't you like about them?
[/quote]

Ummmm... they look creepy and depressing from the outside. Really. And they're usually in odd places, like hidden strip malls or somewhat dilapidated buildings.