JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Adult arcades, formerly known as internet cafés, are present in storefronts across almost every neighborhood in Jacksonville.
Once banned by state law, the city of Jacksonville has now issued permits for 94 of these businesses. Hundreds more attempted to open but never received permits.
Earlier laws limited the number of these gaming businesses to 25, but enforcement has been lax, allowing them to continue operating and proliferating in Jacksonville.
Councilman Al Ferraro informed a group of council members on Friday that he is proposing a moratorium on any new arcades until they establish effective enforcement rules.
“Of course it bothers me because you got people that are going around what should be done,” Ferraro said. “That is not what we were put in office to do. We are trying to uphold the law. We are trying to look out for the community.”
Jerry Bass, involved in a chain of Jacksonville’s original internet cafés, Allied Veterans of the World, attended Friday’s meeting. After dozens of Allied Veterans locations in the state were shut down by regulators in 2013 and charges were filed against 29 people, the Florida Legislature banned them altogether.
“I think they are as legal now as they ever were until they sit down and pass a law saying they are illegal,” Bass said.
The moratorium will be introduced to City Council at its next meeting. Additionally, a lawsuit filed by the Seminole Tribe challenging the legality of several Jacksonville internet café operators has been in the courts for almost two years.
None of the owners contacted on Friday wanted to comment, but customers of the businesses expressed their support.
“I don’t see why they are doing any harm,” said Rob, who didn’t want to give his last name. “You know, it’s just like Las Vegas I guess. It’s just something to do to cool off.”
