New Jersey gambling software supplier heavily fined

VS2 Worldwide Communications, a New Jersey provider of computers and software to internet cafes in Ohio has been hammered with punitive forfeitures and fines following a plea agreement with Ohio prosecutors.

The charges against VS2 form part of an Ohio enforcement push aimed at shutting down internet cafes that offer controversial ‘sweepstakes’ style online gambling facilities to punters.

The Plain Dealer newspaper in Cleveland reports that as part of its plea agreement, VS2 was fined $10,000 on charges related to gambling and money laundering, and a judge has ordered the company to forfeit more than $615,000.

VS2 owners also pleaded guilty to misdemeanours and were fined $1,000.

Ohio’s attorney general accused the company of providing computers and software to Ohio Internet cafes, and that the business and its employees illegally marketed the games in terms of state law.

Since the prosecution began, Ohio lawmakers have passed legislation that effectively bans this sort of operation.