Attorney Claims Jacksonville Has More Elite Entertainment Games Cafes Than Other Florida Cities
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Seminole Tribe of Florida has filed a lawsuit against numerous elite entertainment games cafes in Jacksonville, seeking an injunction to shut them down.
The attorney who filed the complaint stated on Thursday that Jacksonville has more elite entertainment games cafes than any other city in the state.
“The reason we selected Duval (County) is there appears to be considerably more of them in Duval than other counties,” said attorney Barry Richard, who represents the Seminole Tribe.
Investigators have been monitoring the spread of these popular, but often criticized, businesses in the city since the first cafe opened in the early 2000s.
The number of cafes operating in Jacksonville has since grown to nearly 200, raising questions about their future.
We visited many of the cafes listed in the lawsuit, most of which feature so-called fish games. With the new games, prize dollars can accumulate quickly, leading to significant profits for owners.
That’s one reason why the Seminole Tribe is suing, arguing that these cafes are not arcades but gambling establishments.
“These facilities are in direct violation of Florida law,” Richard told us by phone. “They are also in violation of the contract.”
Under that agreement, the Seminole Tribe of Florida pays millions of dollars to the state for exclusive rights to casino-style gambling.
COURT DOCUMENT: Seminole Tribe lawsuit
The suit does not list all nearly 200 locations operating in Jacksonville, but those named are spread throughout the city. We visited many of them Thursday and received no comment.
However, at Funcade on Emerson Street, we were able to enter and observe operations. A supervisor claimed they have a legal permit. Customers were unhappy about the lawsuit.
“I don’t see anything wrong with it myself,” customer Calvin Mobley said.
In the past, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has conducted high-profile raids on some cafes, which ended without prosecutions.
On Thursday, Sheriff Mike Williams stated there is little he can do currently.
“We are almost in limbo,” Williams said. “We need some type of legal direction about whether it is gambling or not.”
However, the attorney for the Seminole Tribe disagreed.
“I don’t share his belief that the law is uncertain,” Richard said. “The law is very clear.”
Richard mentioned this could eventually go to court, but they hope to resolve it without taking that step.
