Colorado bill clarifies internet cafe gambling position

On Friday the Colorado state Senate approved bill HB 1234 with some amendments that will necessitate it returning to the House before going to the governor’s desk for signature.

The bill clarifies state laws regarding internet cafe gambling and deals specifically with the question of whether slot machines accessible online via internet cafes are games of skill or chance.

Under the bill, it is gambling if the player wins anything of value. The bill also defines slot machines as any device that requires skill and chance and allows the player to potentially win something of value.

Importantly, it defines “simulated gambling device,” a phrase some establishments have used in lieu of online slot machines, as actually being slot machines if the player wins something of value, even if it’s a coupon for a drink.

The bill was introduced following police raids and the shuttering of internet cafes in the Denver area, cases that later were dismissed by the courts because of uncertainty over the state law.

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