The state of North Carolina has acted on the vexed issue of Internet sweepstake parlours and the uncertain gambling laws impacted by these offerings. This week the state Senate voted 47 to 1 in favour of a ban on the genre, which has been spreading rapidly across the state as operators and punters try to circumvent a 2006 ban on traditional video poker machines.
Players technically pay for Internet access time, but are still playing for money, critics claim, as enforcement authorities grapple with the legal confusion surrounding the issue.
The banning legislation now moves to the state House of Assembly for further debate and a vote.
