70 Internet cafes operate in Mahoning Valley

By David Skolnick

skolnick@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

Attorney General Mike DeWine said the state has 667 Internet sweepstakes businesses, considerably more than what his office previously had estimated — and he is concerned that they may not be operating legally.

In the Mahoning Valley, 70 such businesses operate, according to DeWine’s office.

“These Internet cafes are multiplying at an alarming rate, and I again am encouraging the Ohio General Assembly to act swiftly to regulate them with the same scrutiny as other forms of gaming in Ohio,” DeWine said. “Ohioans currently have no way of knowing that these games are what the cafes report them to be, or if they are being completely ripped off by the owners.”

As part of a state law, owners of “Internet cafes” were required to provide the attorney general with an affidavit of existence. The law, enacted June 11, also puts a moratorium on any new electronic sweepstakes businesses from opening.

DeWine’s office had estimated in March that 280 Internet sweepstakes businesses operate in the state.

DeWine has called for tougher regulations on these businesses for more than a year, saying he is concerned about the legality of the games. Customers pay for Internet time on machines that allow them to win prizes.

DeWine’s office lists 70 Internet cafes in the Mahoning Valley: 38 in Trumbull County, 28 in Mahoning County, and four in Columbiana County.

Warren has the most in the Valley with 16, followed by Youngstown with 11, seven in Austintown and six each in Hubbard and Boardman.

Only the Cleveland and Mentor areas have more Internet sweepstakes businesses than the Valley in Ohio, according to DeWine’s office.