Fayette County

District Attorney Bill McBroom has joined other DAs throughout the state

and Gov. Roy Barnes in the call to ban video gambling machines.

McBroom says

Georgia law forbids casino-style gambling, but loopholes exist to allow

the existence of video poker and other similar gambling machines. Although

the law forbids the use of cash prizes, some stores get around that by

offering gift certificates to retail stores, allowing winners to purchase

small items and receive the remainder of their winnings in cash, McBroom

noted.

McBroom and

16 other district attorneys, representing both Republicans and Democrats,

met with Gov. Barnes last week to explain the problems the loopholes create

in prosecuting video game machine operators.

A bust of one

local establishment using such games earlier this year only resulted in

misdemeanor charges because of the legal loopholes, McBroom said.

"It's

a problem all over the state," McBroom said.

The Georgia

Bureau of Investigation estimated there are over 15,000 such machines,

and as many as 20,000 operating in Georgia, McBroom said.

Game operators

have resisted a request to end the prize handouts and reward winners with

free games instead, McBroom added.

The District

Attorneys Association of Georgia is seeking a ban on all slot machines

and machines used to play poker, blackjack, keno or any variation of those

games. The association is also seeking a ban on any matchup or lineup

game machine or device that requires the player to use skill stops to

complete the game.

A ban on giving

any prize to winners other than free replays is also sought by the association.

Monitoring

establishments to determine whether they are giving out cash or gift certificates

as prizes is an "insurmountable obstacle," according to Kenneth

B. Hodges, president of the association.