This Card trick Didn't Work

Published: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 Online-Casinos.com

THIS CARD TRICK DIDN'T WORK

Court makes ruling on value points attached to pre-paid Internet cards

Associated Press reported this week on an enterprising but unsuccessful Fort Worth business that was charged for a scheme whereby gambling value points were attached to pre-paid Internet cards.

Fort Worth Magistrate Robert Davenport Jr who heard the case ruled that selling prepaid Internet cards for low-income consumers, with value points for gambling attached was providing an outlet for illegal video gambling.

Fort Worth, Texas-based Game Systems, which was charged by the police, will not get its confiscated computers back, and Magistrate Davenport upheld an order that they be destroyed.

The business sold the cards in several York County stores. Each $10 card included 1 000 points to play games online. Points could be redeemed for cash or prizes at retailers.

Game Systems operations manager Karl Maahs said the product was designed for people with low income and poor credit.

Magistrate Davenport said the company failed to show that customers were using the cards for Internet time. "When customers keep re-uping and re-uping their cards, it basically turns into gambling," he said. One receipt showed a customer with an account balance of $1 713 worth of Internet time.

Game Systems is considering an appeal.