Florida Outlaws All Computers And Smartphones

Did Florida outlaw all computers and smartphones? A new lawsuit against the state claims just that.

The suit deals with new laws passed recently in Florida. No, the laws aren’t the latest attempt to fight terrorists or pander to the Amish.

The new legislation was originally intended to help crack down on gambling rings in internet cafes by outlawing internet cafes almost entirely in the state, sources at Gizmodo say.

These new laws spawned from law enforcement inquiries that spanned the last several years, involving the investigation of gambling cafes found to be posing as charities.

The investigations ended in more than 50 people arrested as well as Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll resigning. Taking the scandal quite seriously, state legislators passed new laws to prevent such gambling rings popping up again rather hastily.

Maybe too hastily?

Consuelo Zapata thinks so. Owner of Incredible Investments, LLC is a company that runs an internet cafe in a small town south of Miami, Zapata has brought the new lawsuit against the state of Florida. Zapata’s suit claims that the new laws redefine an illegal “slot machine” so broadly that Florida has outlawed all computers and even smartphones, in theory.

This is because the new laws now define a slot machine as “any machine or device or system of network” used to play any game of skill or chance, activated not just by money but a code, number, or account information, according to CNN.

Essentially, the new Florida law bans internet games and any device capable of playing them; this clearly encompasses a large number of electronics.

The lawsuit also accuses the new Florida laws of placing the burden of proving innocence upon citizens, who might be accused of illegal activity just for owning a “slot machine” device, like a smartphone.

The new legislation in which some claim Florida has outlawed all computers and smartphones is already impacting businesses all over the state, with more than 1,000 internet cafes having closed since the new laws were passed.

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