Tropicana Rec Room Open for Business

A Broward jury found Gale Fontaine, the owner of the Tropicana Rec Room not guilty on all charges. She had been charged with two felony counts of possessing a slot machine and operating an illegal gambling house, plus a third charge of violating lottery laws.  The last charge was thrown out by Judge Michael Kaplan last week, but the Fontaine still had to go to court to fight the other two. The adult arcade caters to mostly senior citizens, who have been waiting to see if their Pompano Beach hangout was about to be closed down. 

Fontaine’s clients come to play the slot machines and hang out, but it is not a casino type club. The games are skill based, and those that win can redeem points for prizes. Other arcade owners have been waiting to see what would happen, because if Fontaine had been found guilty, they all would be in trouble. Fontaine said she took it to court because, ''My seniors were depending on me…I did the right thing for them.'' 

The senior citizens are happy that Fontaine won as well, they enjoy the camaraderie that they run into in the adult arcades. They all know they are going to lose a little money, but they don’t care. It gives them something to do.

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