Internet cafes headed for extinction

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Those wanting to try an Internet café don’t have much time left to do so — depending on whether one is even still open locally.

Van Wert Law Director John Hatcher noted that, in his opinion, the enforcement efforts against so-called Internet cafes came about because of two competing interests: the state’s “investment” in legalized gambling and the fact that Internet gambling does not provide tax revenues to Ohio.

Hatcher said his involvement in local Internet cafes came about from a telephone call he received from Van Wert Police Lieutenant Kurt Conn on April 26. “The police department had received correspondence from the (Ohio) Attorney General’s Office and the lieutenant and the (police) chief had some questions,” Hatcher said.

“In my review to the chief of police, after looking into everything, I found that the Eighth District Ohio Court of Appeals (in the Cleveland area) had ruled that these Internet cafes were deemed to be illegal gaming operations and shut those in Cuyahoga County down,” Hatcher said, while also noting that he had found no other legal casework on the subject of Internet cafes.

At the time, the law director added, the Ohio General Assembly hadn’t yet passed legislation outlawing Internet cafes, nor had the Ohio Supreme Court made any decision on the issue. He also noted that the two Van Wert Internet cafes here at the time had not had any complaints lodged against them, so the issue was one local authorities decided to do nothing about at the time.

That changed with the passage of House Bill 7, which was signed last week by Ohio Governor John Kasich. The bill outlaws Internet cafes as illegal gaming operations.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said he was pleased with passage of the measure.

“The new law will provide Ohio law enforcement much needed clarity between legitimate sweepstakes and the illegal gambling which has been taking place at Internet cafes across Ohio,” said Attorney General DeWine. “I thank all those who made this legislation possible, including Governor Kasich, the bill’s sponsor, Representative Matt Huffman, and the members of the Ohio House and Ohio Senate who supported House Bill 7.

“The Ohio Attorney General’s Office will continue to help local law enforcement and county prosecutors in any way that is needed, from law enforcement and investigative help to providing assistance answering questions of law, case development or prosecution.”

Although Internet cafes are now illegal, Hatcher admits state efforts to curb the Internet cafe gaming operations seen to be a way to get rid of competition to legalized state gambling operations, rather than as something that was creating significant problems.

“One is you have the legalized interest in gambling, and, if you’re operating outside of those parameters, what is the taxing authority?” Hatcher said, noting that both of those issues potentially affect state revenues.

Meanwhile, the issue here may be moot, since it doesn’t appear that either Van Wert Internet café is operating at this time. Internet cafes have 60 days from the day HB 7 was signed to cease illegal gaming operations.