The Virginian-Pilot
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CHESAPEAKE
The Planning Commission recommended harsher zoning restrictions on Internet gaming businesses Wednesday.
The code, which is subject to approval by the City Council, requires a conditional-use permit for computer-based gaming establishments in the city. Existing businesses will have to prove they are operating legally but won't be required to get a permit. The city typically requires use permits for businesses that are incompatible with the surrounding area.
In August, the City Council asked the Planning Commission to consider changing the zoning regulations for "Sweepstakes" and "Goldrush" businesses operating under a retail Internet gaming business license.
Marjon Rostami, (757) 222-5207, marjon.rostami@pilotonline.com
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Use permits ?
In Chesapeake Conditional Use Permits are a joke. Stipulations are tied in to the the Use Permit. The business or company go go back at a later date, when no one is looking and make changes. Walgreens on S. Battlefield Blvd has done this. The Use Permit means nothing. They are doing what they want. All the Town Meetings, going to planning commission meetings & council meetings mean nothing 5-10 yrs down the road. This City needs to look at their own policies! If a Use Permit has 10 stipulations tied in to it, one can be deleted or changed at a later date and the Use Permit is VOID ! I have paper work to prove this. Wake up Chesapeake !!
You know that pesky 1st Amendment?
That one that guarantees freedom of the press? Well as included right is the right to posses a press. The Internet Cafe is the modern day equivalent of rentable printing presses complete with ink and paper. This law will get nowhere, fast.
Legalize and tax
Virginia needs to go ahead and legalize gaming and tax it - Lottery and Bingo are both gambling - and if the difference is whether they are games of 'chance' or not - NOTHING is more of a chance than lottery and bingo....Just legalize it and tax it instead of spending taxpayer dollars to try and shut these things down - collect money on it instead.
Be careful what you ask for
Gulf Port and Biloxi were quaint little towns that had vacation homes and a fishing industry. After they legalized casinos they have turned into sleezy dirty little towns full of hooker, grifters, with panhandlers on every corner. You want that? Move there then.
Taxation control.
That's what they are trying to figure out, how to monitor the business to squeeze every dime out of it.
why is this illegal?
Va has the lottery. Isn't this illegal too? I don't play the lottery nor do I gamble so I really don't know. maybe these places aren't giving the state and cities their fair $hare and that's the problem??
Gambling in Virginia is controlled.
Any form of gambling in Virginia has to be sanctioned by law for it to be allowed. The lottery is allowed because the state runs it, and it's intended to raise education money. Bingo is permitted only for nonprofits. Horse race betting is limited to Colonial Downs itself and eight sanctioned OTB sites. The current debate is whether or not these internet centers are really gambling sites trying to skirt the law.
thanks...
for the explanation. Funny how the lottery was set up for 'education' but has anyone seen how much of the proceeds actually goes to it?
100%. But that is only
100%. But that is only because the state pulls a bait and switch with the money.
Doesn't Chesapeake already have internet horsetrack betting ?
I wonder how that was somehow deemed legal ?
I expect this Smokey Joe's Internet Cafe enterprise to be Chesapeake's next revenue venture.
The 'ol boy network on Cedar Road lives for the smell of money, and at almost any cost, including railroading their own citizens through that meat grinder they call a judicial system, they will go after it.