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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