Shomoko
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Court rules slot-addicts can sue VLT manufacturers - 2005/11/30 04:10
A slot machine backlash has already begun in some states where video gaming was legalized several years ago.
South Carolina completely banned VLT gambling two years ago when the people finally became fed up with the myriad of social problems they spawned. Even heavily casino-financed politicians could not ignore the grass roots public outcry. Vancouver BC just blocked a further expansion of slots in the city, citing their addictive nature, and in Alabama, politicians are running on the crest of an anti-gambling backlash.
Now the South Carolina Supreme court has opened the legal door for gambling addicts to recover their losses from the video lottery terminal [VLT] manufacturers.
Attorneys for the gamblers say they will go after the assets of the video machine companies and the personal wealth of their owners.
The SC court found that the industry routinely operated outside the boundaries of state law and was, therefore, an illegal gambling business.
The court also ruled gamblers are eligible to recover THREE TIMES their losses because machine operators were in violation of fair trade practices. "The practices are so flagrant and obviously violative of public policy and so fraught with deception and unfairness that this court cannot but conclude that they constitute unfair trade practices as a matter of law."
This local state ruling will probably not affect slot gambling in others states, but it should be noted, a legal precedent has been established and it won`t be long before attorneys in others states could be making more successful challenges to slots based on their proven addictiveness as tobacco was.
The policy of introducing slots at horse racing, although profitable to racetracks, needs to be thought through more carefully with more consideration given to their addictive properties and potential lawsuits. Slots may eventually become a double edged sword that could result in prohibition.
It`s already happened once before in US history, where gambling was legal in the 19th century, but the social problems and corruption it fostered led to a complete ban on casino gambling in every state but Nevada.
Current report: http://community.webtv.net/thunderbooly/Weeklybreakdown
Breakdown report: first year http://community.webtv.net/thunderbooly/Horseracinginjury
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