Palm Beach moves against internet cafes

In Florida, commissoners in Palm Beach county have voted 5-2 for a plan aimed at blocking new Internet gambling cafes from opening by imposing a year-long moratorium on business licenses for such enterprises.

Commissioners agreed in January to stop issuing new business tax receipts for the establishments while they considered a temporary ban. The moratorium, commissioners say, will give county planners time to review regulations.

An estimated 600 to 1,000 cafes operate across Florida, many offering customers a chance to win or lose while they surf the Internet. By some estimates, the cafes have become a $1 billion industry since they began appearing in Florida in 2006.

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