AG shuts down illegal gaming 'cafe's' in Stockton, San Diego

June 27, 7:42 AMCalifornia Statehouse ExaminerScott Sabatini

Previous

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the California Statehouse Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

California Attorney General Jerry Brown/ AP File.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced that agents from his office this week raided Internet cafes in Stockton and San Diego that illegally operated "Las Vegas-style games" including video poker, keno and slots.

"Agents from my office shut down Internet cafes in Stockton and San Diego that are a cover for illegal gaming operations," Brown said. "These are unregulated and illegal gambling parlors, operating Las Vegas-style games in violation of the law."

Beginning in early June, undercover agents entered establishments in Stockton and San Diego and played various Las Vegas-style games on computers at these Internet cafes. The agents purchased a card that allowed them "Internet time" on the café's computers. If they won, an on-site employee paid them in cash.

In Stockton, law enforcement agents raided the Lucky Déjà Vu Internet Cafe and the Déjà Vu topless bar and seized 98 computer terminals, 2 master computer servers, money machines and business records, plus more than $4,000 in cash.

In San Diego, law enforcement agents raided five locations: Café Hong Hung, ‘08 Wireless, Café 2000, Phnom Penh Video and ‘05 Billiards. In total, agents seized 31 video slot machines and approximately $13,000 in cash.

Additional sites in San Diego and Oceanside are under investigation for similar activity.

Brown's office is working with the San Diego Police Department in "Operation Jackpot" to identify and close businesses that offer illegal gambling in violation of Penal Code Section 330b, which prohibits individuals from owning and operating slot machines.

Source: California Atorney General's Office.

The 2010 Contenders:

• Democrat Jerry Brown.
• Democrat Gavin Newsom.
• Republican Meg Whitman.
• Republican Steve Poizner.
• Republican Tom Campbell.
• Next up: Attorney General Candidates.
  See a slideshow of the governor candidates, click here

More California News:

• IOUs coming back?
• Villaraigosa could open doors to new slate of candidates.
• Michelle Obama speaks in San Francisco on service.
• Governor vows to veto Dems proposed budget.
• Obama reaches out to gay and lesbian supporters.
• Office of AIDS on chopping block.