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The booming business of Adult Arcades

State attorneys say they're illegal. And yet you can find them in strip malls all across South Florida. Bryan Garner looks at the big money and big attraction behind adult arcades.

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ANNIEouel - 8/9/2009 12:30 PM
WE GO AROUND TO ALL THE ARCADE...THEY ARE NOT RIP OFFS....THEY ARE GREAT FOR THE ELDERLY TO ENJOY...JUST LIMITED YOURSELF....I HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL MONEY CARDS...GAS FOOD WALLGREENS AND VISA...NO COM[PLAINTS HERE...IF YOUR PLACE DOES NOT PAY WELL...GO SOMEWHERE ELSE....PROBLEM SOLVED...THEY ARE FANTASTIC PLACES ALSO TO MEET GREAT PEOPLE!!!!!! GOOD COMPANY... SPEND AN HOUR OR TWO AND LEAVE...

Patricia - 6/6/2009 1:01 PM
I was so surprised when I went there for the first time last week. The Venetian Arcade in Stuart is beautiful, immaculately clean and the service reps there are delightful and very helpful. What a lovely way to spend an hour or two. Nice lunch, coffee/drinks, comfy black "leather" lounge chairs. Do you want your money back when you spend $25 going out to lunch,a bar or the movies. What is the difference. You feel comfortable/safe going in there alone. Leave them be.

memerejome - 5/18/2009 9:50 AM
Yes, if some people have a problem to control themselves to gambling they should ban themselves from these arcades.Some folks ban themselves from real casino so this could also be done with the arcades.Let the rest of us enjoy ourselves.These arcades are a great entertainment for us seniors.

memerejome - 5/17/2009 6:20 PM
We are tourist going to Florida for 5 months each year.We actually look forward to going to the arcades.This is a good source of entertainment for us seniors.We limit ourselves and don't past the whole day there.Please leave them be;wish we had them back home.

EnjoyItAll - 5/14/2009 8:26 PM
Barred for NOT losing. In January 2009 a new adult arcade opened in my area called Spin and Win at 15280 Jog Road Suite A, Delray Beach FL 33484. Owned and operated by Todd Surber and John Kaelin Jr and his wife, Donna. I quickly became a regular going 4-5 times weekly for up to 6 hours. I would put up to $150 into the slot machine(s) on any given visit. As I would accumulate $25-50, I would get a gift card in that dollar amount and then continue to play. If you put $20 on your gaming card or into a machine, you would receive “promotion” money of $5 free play and a ticket for drawing for additional promotional free play. At one point, I was told that I could no longer receive promotion money and would have to put the $20 DIRECTLY into machine. This meant the ENTIRE $20 had to be played in THAT machine and could not be moved to a different machine. That was ok with me as I liked the people, players and setting. I especially liked the machine I played (almost exclusively). In the beginning, I lost. Sometimes I lost as much as $90 in a visit. But in the last couple of months, I would break even or win/lose $5-10. On Sunday, April 19, 2009, as I tried to enter the arcade, John would not allow me entrance with no reason given except “it’s not working out”. Many questions arise such as: 1-Are these any rules or regulations that govern the operation of these adult arcades?, 2-Is there a government agency who oversees the adult arcades?, 3-What happens to any money remaining on my Spin and Win card that is due me as “winnings” since there is no means by which to claim less than $25?, 4-What is the reason that the adult arcades in Delray and Palm Beach County do not belong to the arcade association based in Broward County. I guess if they did belong, they would be held accountable and then THEY would be taking the gamble. There are now seven arcades between Atlantic Avenue and Linton Blvd and Military Trail and Jog Road.

EnjoyItAll - 5/14/2009 8:26 PM
Barred for NOT losing. In January 2009 a new adult arcade opened in my area called Spin and Win at 15280 Jog Road Suite A, Delray Beach FL 33484. Owned and operated by Todd Surber and John Kaelin Jr and his wife, Donna. I quickly became a regular going 4-5 times weekly for up to 6 hours. I would put up to $150 into the slot machine(s) on any given visit.As I would accumulate $25-50, I would get a gift card in that dollar amount and then continue to play. If you put $20 on your gaming card or into a machine, you would receive “promotion” money of $5 free play and a ticket for drawing for additional promotional free play. At one point, I was told that I could no longer receive promotion money and would have to put the $20 DIRECTLY into machine. This meant the ENTIRE $20 had to be played in THAT machine and could not be moved to a different machine. That was ok with me as I liked the people, players and setting. I especially liked the machine I played (almost exclusively). In the beginning, I lost. Sometimes I lost as much as $90 in a visit. But in the last couple of months, I would break even or win/lose $5-10. On Sunday, April 19, 2009, as I tried to enter the arcade, John would not allow me entrance with no reason given except “it’s not working out”. Many questions arise such as: 1-Are these any rules or regulations that govern the operation of these adult arcades?, 2-Is there a government agency who oversees the adult arcades?, 3-What happens to any money remaining on my Spin and Win card that is due me as “winnings” since there is no means by which to claim less than $25?, 4-What is the reason that the adult arcades in Delray and Palm Beach County do not belong to the arcade association based in Broward County. I guess if they did belong, they would be held accountable and then THEY would be taking the gamble. There are now seven Adult Arcades between Atlantic Avenue and Linton Blvd and Military Trail and Jog Road

Mophead - 5/14/2009 7:30 PM
All I can say is the state attorney's don't mind the state lottery!!!!! I bet you the arcade's odds are better than that!!!

seethelight8 - 5/14/2009 1:31 PM
I can see the light.. How ridiculous to say that Seniors are being lured into the Senior Arcades to steal their life savings, the most addictive, disgusting machine out there are slot machines and ours are not, Casino's could care less if Mary or Sally can't pay thier rent, or have food to eat or live alone with no other human being to share conversation or a meal with. No Casino is walking their customers to the car to make sure they get into it safely. This is nothing more than a smear attack by a certain gaming Industry that wants these places gone, believing that these customers will then go to the tracks, well that's not happening. If these places close it would mark the end of any social or recreational aspect for many, the lady in the piece played her game for days but what your news caster didn't mention is that you can play a game for eight cents, the track casino's have filled their places with penny slots, but would never be able to survive with people playing for eight cents. These ARE not casino's they are PENNY ARCADES and provide something for this praticular clientele that ony a Penny Arcade can provide, it can't be ok for little children to play at chucky cheese, and baby boomers play at Dave and Busters and for truck stops that have these exact same machines but because they have diesel tanks their machines are legal, it is just too funny, It is so obvious who and what are behind this story, and shame on Channel 5 WPTV to not show what the Penny Arcades are really all about.

INSOMNIAC666 - 5/14/2009 9:49 AM
To quote PBR01 : "the arcades are rip off's" I very strongly agree. They arrange the odds massivly in there favour. The poor customer hardly stands a chance. Insomniac666 http://www.digitaldirect.co.uk

PBR01 - 5/14/2009 8:08 AM
I believe gambling should become legal in florida. The State already is in the gambling business, more now than ever with Power Ball, the indians are allowed gambling, and their machines are controled by a computer and are not independant like Vegas, the State has allowed foriegn companies to bring boats to Florida for gambling...So just make it legal for all in Florida. The arcades are rip offs. They do make a huge profit off people, Why? because there isn't any regulation or law that dictates the percentage of win! The State of Florida needs to legalize gambling and set laws for all venues to keep Floridians safe from con artists who set up shop here. I bet if Florida leagalized and regulated it, there would be less arcades and bigger revenue for Florida's budget. The State attorney's need to stop wasting our money on prosecuting and start finding ways to make it legal with regulation. Give the authority to the Department of Agriculture and Bronson will run it smooth...besides he wants to be our next Govenor anyway
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