City Of Hendersonville To Lose About $250 Thousand As "Sweepstakes" Gambling Operations Close Down

• | Print |

  'SWEEPSTAKES" VIDEO GAMBLING

Internet or "sweepstakes" gambling gambling operations began disappearing in Hendersonville and throughout Western North Caroliuna this week.  This is coming after the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled last week that they are, in fact, illegal  Many of the operators apparently saw this coming after the court ruling and some began closing down immediately after they got word of the Supreme Court';s ruling last Friday night.

Some local goverments, like the City of Hendersonville, had attached a high price tag for "sweestakes" gambling operators to do business with fees, permits, etc..and as those operations are closed down, Hendersonville will be losing well over $200 thousand in revenue.  Hendersonvilled's interim city manager, Lee Galloway, told WHKP News that of course the revenue will be missed by the city, but he explained it was not "budgeted" revenue for the city so no city services or operations will suffer because of the loss.

The internet or "sweepstakes" gambling operations had been popping up all over the community while a final court decision was pending.. 

For those who did not voluntarily close down, calls have gone out from local governments to them notifying them that they are now officially illegal and must cease operations.

The state legislature had outlawed the "sweepstakes" gambling several years ago, but they had remained in operation after a state court judge raised a technicality in the ban which sent the issue to the state Supreme Court.

Most local governments in Western North Carolina will be losing considerable "unbudgeted" revenue as the operations disappear...the City of Asheville will be losing close to a half million dollars of annual income.

By WHKP News Director Larry Freeman

12/18/12 4pm