INTERNET CAFES BANNED BY GOV

The Gov­er­nor on Tues­day signed into law an effec­tive ban on store­front sweep­stakes par­lors that leg­is­la­tors had become con­vinced were har­bor­ing ille­gal gam­bling oper­a­tions.

An imme­di­ate mora­to­rium on open­ing new Inter­net cafes is now in force until the law signed Tues­day takes effect.

More than 620 Inter­net cafes oper­ate in Ohio, rep­re­sent­ing grow­ing com­pe­ti­tion to legal­ized casi­nos and char­ity games. The facil­i­ties’ employ­ees say the oper­a­tions are legal and their liveli­hoods could be ruined.

A group of local gov­ern­ment offi­cials who oppose the new law want vot­ers to decide its fate and are prepar­ing an effort to over­turn the law through a bal­lot referendum.