CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Law enforcement descended upon multiple gambling establishments across the Charlotte area Wednesday in what appeared to be a multi-agency, multi-county raid on computer gaming arcades, also called "skill arcades" or "fish game arcades."
Authorities were spotted at locations on Albemarle Road near Independence Boulevard in Charlotte, Independence Boulevard in Matthews and Bessemer City Road in Gastonia.
WCNC Charlotte is still working to learn more about the apparent busts and has contacted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, as well as North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) for details.
Charlotte is no stranger to these types of busts, with some of the prior investigations centered on the types of games these businesses have. The WCNC Charlotte VERIFY team looked at the nature of these establishments and the legal battle centered on them.
What are "fish games?"
A case brief describes one of the games called Ocean Fish King, where the player tries to shoot and destroy sea creatures, by placing wagers and then firing. If the player destroys a sea creature, the player gets a credit value.
The arcade companies argued Ocean Fish King was a game of skill, not gambling, and thus, was not breaking state law.
However, a gaming engineer hired by the defendants analyzed the game and testified the number of shots or wagers to destroy each sea creature appeared to be random each time, and there was no way a player could develop their skills to improve their outcomes in the game.
Are "fish game arcades" legal?
North Carolina has outlawed electronic sweepstakes machines, with those found guilty of operating them subject to penalties of a Class 1 misdemeanor. Repeat offenses can elevate the crime as high as a Class G felony.
Several types of devices fall under the category of a sweepstakes machine, including "a video game based on or involving the random or chance matching of different pictures, words, numbers, or symbols not dependent on the skill or dexterity of the player."
In the legal challenge involving Ocean Fish King, the state appeals court ruled against the arcades, aligning with a 2022 North Carolina Supreme Court ruling, which said these games are not purely skills-based, are considered electronic sweepstakes machines, and are illegal.
In 2022, CMPD offered its insights into concerns with the games following a bust of a location on Brookshire Boulevard. Officers said they seized numerous video gaming machines and $21,000, noting "Any arcades that do cash payouts are illegal. CMPD will continue to conduct search warrants until the illegal gambling operations stop."
"The community themselves may not be aware of the fact that these machines can be altered by the owners themselves," CMPD Sgt. Kevin Triola said in a video from inside an arcade. "Out in Las Vegas, those machines are regulated by the gaming board. These machines are not regulated, and the owner can determine whether they want to set payouts at 80% or 10%."
North Carolina's Alcohol Law Enforcement Division has previously said these so-called "skill arcades" that operate video keno games, slot games, and fish tables are illegal in North Carolina.
State law prohibits anyone from operating a game of chance or to bet on any game of chance that involves winning money, property or anything of value unless it's done through a state-regulated entity like approved sports betting apps or the lottery.
The State Lottery Commission told WCNC Charlotte it has no involvement with this type of arcade gaming and no oversight of it. Therefore, the machines in these establishments are not regulated.
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