Ohio Attorney General Backs Crackdown On 'Internet Cafes'

Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine is blasting the estimated 200 Ohio storefronts that call themselves, 'sweepstakes' or 'internet cafes.' "These places are frankly consumer rip-offs." Says Dewine. Dewine says they're raking in tens of millions of dollars per year by exploiting a loophole in current law. According to Dewine, the stores insist they're not selling illegal gambling, they're selling items, like phonecards and the opportunity to play a machine and win something is just a freebie attached to that purchase. Dewine is backing a crackdown plan in the legislature, he says, would mess up the store's business model so much, they'd have to close. Workers at a northside Columbus sweepstakes cafe are declining comment.