Although Athens is not home to any Internet cafés, a push by Ohio legislators to regulate gambling in these cafés prompted city officials to look into stricter guidelines.
Earlier this month, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced in a news release his support of legislation to regulate Internet cafés and sweepstake parlors throughout Ohio because of gambling occurring in these cafés.
The Internet cafés, which have appeared in Toledo and other northeast and central Ohio cities, are shops where people can play for cash prizes on computerized slot machines, Athens City Planner Paul Logue said.
“A lot of people get confused with what an Internet café is,” Logue said. “These cafes are an unregulated illegal gambling system.”
Officials with the City of Athens Planning Commission hope to skirt this problem by proposing café regulations to Athens City Council before they appear in the area, Logue said.
Ohio’s proposed legislation states the computerized slot machines should go through a pre-play certification process. It also proposes that each café obtain a license through the Ohio Casino Control Commission, according to the release.
“Internet cafés and sweepstakes that are skirting the law are growing in many of our communities. By establishing oversight of these previously unregulated games, law enforcement, consumers and charities can all operate in a more fair environment,” DeWine said.
The planning commission has proposed city council create further regulations on top of the state proposed regulation, including zoning restrictions, Logue said.
These restrictions would require Internet cafés to be a certain distance away from residential districts and only located in the business districts, Logue said.
Councilwoman Christine Fahl, D-4th Ward, said that the regulations are very similar to the restrictions on adult entertainment and that zoning restrictions will help deal with problems faced by other neighborhoods.
“I think (the zoning restrictions) are well thought out,” Fahl said.
Council members have been discussing this topic and a public hearing will be held in approximately a month to continue speaking about the restrictions.
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