Internet Cafes in Florida are locking their doors after Governor Rick Scott signed their demise on Wednesday. Cafe owners and patrons are waiting to see what happens next.
Goldrush Sweepstakes in Jacksonville, word had gotten around that the bill had been signed, but also it’s enforcement was up to local law enforcement, not the state. So they weren’t sure what they were supposed to be doing next.A man called Ace, who works for Number 1 Venue, one of the game rooms permit holders, says closing the doors will hurt a lot of people who have done nothing wrong. Just after we spoke Ace got off the phone and told the staff to lock the doors and have everyone log off the machines.
About ten minutes earlier, in the parking lot of the Hardwired Internet Cafe in downtown Jacksonville, a small group of women were exiting the cafe, locking the door behind them. None wanted to comment.
Near the "open 24-hours a day, 7-days a week" sign, a note was posted on the door that said they were “temporarily closed”.