Is Chuck E. Cheese illegal in Florida?

No, not because of that.

Florida apparently has a really stupid law that bans gambling without any actual gambling taking place. From Reason Magazine: cops raid a free poker tournament after a months long undercover sting operation. Employees and the owner now face fines and possible time in prison. Note: the tournament posted its rules online and had been operating openly for years...

This is a very peculiar case because the poker tournament does not charge a buy-in, no money exchanges hands, and the poker chips are worthless. Players simply accumulate points by playing and players can win prizes including a trip to my hometown of Las Vegas (where most gambling is legal). Apparently winning the prizes makes the whole operating illegal in Florida.

According to Reason Magazine and the Tampa Bay Times,

Pinellas-Pasco Assistant State Attorney Joshua Riba told the Times that Florida's definition of gambling, rather counterintuitively, does not require betting. "The statute itself does not require anybody to ante in," Riba says. "If they are playing cards, and they have an opportunity to win something of value, then they are technically violating this particular gambling statute." In fact, the offense of keeping a gambling house is defined as, among other things, letting people use a place "to play for money or other valuable thing at any game whatever, whether heretofore prohibited or not." [emphasis added]

As Reason notes, this broad stupid law would make Scrabble Tournaments illegal.

I believe it would also make Chuck E. Cheese illegal. Chuck E. Cheese operates 26 gambling houses in Florida. Unlike the free poker tournament the government raided in Florida, Chuck E. Cheese requires players to buy tokens which can be used to play the games (kinda like paying an ante in a poker tournament). Winning games produces tickets which can then be exchanged for prizes...which have value....something that is apparently illegal in Florida.

 Note my evidence from months and months of undercover work a cursory internet search...

Chuck E. Cheese tokens...
Wait, they're making a currency to compete with the dollar too?
I'm surprised the Federal Government hasn't shut them down yet...

Tokens are used to play games. Just look at this little criminal gambling away at Skee Ball!!!

Fun is addictive... so it should be illegal!

Guilty as sin!

 

Tickets can be exchanged for prizes with cash value!!!

Yes, Chuck E. Cheese is an illegal gambling house in Florida.

So do your job Florida State prosecutors and legislators and shut down those gambling houses. Save those children from having fun. You know what is better for them than their parents!

No wait. How about we restrict government power so it can't prosecute people for committing crimes they don't even know they are committing. I'm tired of reading stories where the government tries to expand what is illegal by testing the boundries of their power in court.

Laws should be simple and clear. Period. Better yet, just let consenting adults gamble. Heck, even let children play their video games and skee ball!!!