March 10, 2010

City fines gas station $2,700 for video gambling machines

The city made good Wednesday on a threat to seize video gambling machines in businesses without proper licenses.

The Racine Police Department seized six video gambling machines from the Marathon Gas Station at 3024 Rapids Drive. Owner Amarjit Singh was also given six citations for $460.50 each.

Video gambling machines are allowed in establishments with Class B liquor licenses, which are typically given to bars and restaurants. Several convenience stores and gas stations in the city, which typically have Class A liquor licenses to sell pre-packaged alcohol, were running video gambling machines in violation of state law.

The city sent out a letter in December warning the Class A license holders they would seize video gambling machines if they continue to operate them after Jan. 1.

Here's the press release put out today by the Racine Police Department on the seized machines:

The Racine Police Department has responded to numerous complaints in reference to the use of illegal video gambling machines within the city. Video gambling machines are legal to possess in certain Class “B” alcohol establishments; however, they are not allowed on the premise of Class“A” alcohol establishments (typically gas stations and convenience stores). Neither Class “A” nor Class “B” establishments are allowed to “pay out” any proceeds from the use of a video gambling machine.
In November 2008, the Racine County District Attorney and the Racine City Attorney sent a joint letter to all Class “A” license holders advising them that they cannot posses video games that can be used as gambling devises. Racine City Attorney Rob Weber sent a follow-up letter dated December 17, 2009 to all Class “A” establishments in the city reemphasizing that the video gambling machines are illegal. This letter recommended that all of these illegal machines should be pulled from the business by the end of 2009 or consequences could occur.
The Racine Police Department then followed up on complaints about possible illegal gaming devices in several Class “A” establishments. The operators of these businesses were advised to remove the machines or they would be subject to a citation and seizure of the illegal machines.
Compliance was obtained from most businesses that we addressed.
On 3-10-2010 at approximately 1:30 p.m., the Racine Police Department seized six gaming machines from the Marathon Gas Station at 3024 Rapids Drive for their failure to remove them as requested. In addition, six Municipal Citations for “Gambling Operation” were issued to the license holder (Amarjit Singh D.O.B. - 9-15-63). Each citation has a quoted forfeiture of $460.50.

18 comments:

  1. How come they never got Better Day BP yet on Douglas and Good? is it becuase all the police hang out there and they are protected? Noticed machines there working a couple weeks ago.

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  2. Better Day has a Class B liquor license, which means the machines are legal.

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  3. So, the state can run gambling, the Indians can run gambling and the tavern league can run gambling, but gas stations and convenience stores can't have these machines.

    They need to hire more lobbyists and make more political contributions.

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  4. So, the state can run gambling, the Indians can run gambling and the tavern league can run gambling, but gas stations and convenience stores can't have these machines.

    They need to hire more lobbyists and make more political contributions.

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  5. And yet Caledonia ignores the bank of these machines in their gas stations. The station at 4 Mile and Erie has several and they are always full. I guess they have other internal issues now that are more pressing!

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  6. Ever get a whiff of some of those people that sit thier butts on those things? Reminds me of walking through Potowanami on "check day".

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  7. Why doesn't the police department worry about drugs, shootings and robbery rather than gambling? You can go to Milwaukee and visit Potowatomi and give your life savings away there without any issues. This is stupid, worrying about stupid things like this.

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  8. Legalize it, tax it and use the revenue to pay the government debt.

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  9. What the guy above me said!

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  10. The machines are good for the evironment. Think about all the gas we save from not driving to Milwaukee. They should be called Green Machines.

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  11. Your headline is misleading. By issuing the citations, the City has not "fined" anyone. The citations put the issue before the municipal court. If the municipal court finds the owner guilty, then the court will set a penalty. The penalty -- which is known as a forfeiture and not a fine (fines are crimnal penalties; forfeitures are civil/municipal penalities) -- could be anywhere from $1 to $1,000 per violation.

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  12. Some people think this gambling is no big deal.

    They never walked out to there mail box and found that their spouse blew their life savings gambling. Or there mother isn't eating because she blew her money on lottery tickets. Even bingo hurts when people become addicted to playing it.

    Gambling should be totally banned in Wisconsin -- Including those blood sucking Indian casinos.

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  13. Yes, by all means, lets continue to prosecute innocent people to protect other people from themselves.

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  14. Why don't you try taking away cars from drunks, I have never heard of people dying from getting hit by a intoxicated gambler or killed in a drive-by poker game. Have we heard of priorities and is this one?

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  15. Legalize these machines along with pot and then tax it.

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  16. The city of racine got paid by tavrens leauge so they could have these so called video games. They had numerous meetings so they could be legal in bars. The city never invited any gas station owners to be present at these meetings. What is going on? When will the city listen to small business owners? I can see a lot of businesses going out of business!

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  17. Just who gets this $2700.00 Dickert and his buddys?

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  18. If the Casinos didnt take all the action, taverns wouldnt need to resort to have these machines!
    If the Govenor didnt sell wisconsin down the river maybe a small business person could actually make enough not to have to do put in video machines.
    If the Tribes actually paid sales tax and the state tax on Cigarette sales, maybe Wisconsins tax rate wouldnt be so enormous. Where is the out rage????

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