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.
