Four internet cafes in Sumter County are closed and others now are operating without violations, according to a report provided Tuesday night to commissioners.
Sumter County has issued operating permits for 13 internet cafes.
Also known as adult arcades, internet cafes skirt Florida’s gambling laws by offering cash or prizes to customers who play well on video games. Residents have complained about loitering, theft and other issues near the cafes, especially in the Lake Panasoffkee area.
An ordinance approved earlier this year required existing internet cafes to obtain operating permits and face inspections for building code violations and by the sheriff’s office for safety requirements. New internet cafes cannot be located within 1,000 feet of residence or within 2,500 feet of a school, child care center, day care center, church, public park, playground or library.
Last month, commissioners authorized filing for an injunction close Spin the Wheel Internet Cafe of Wildwood because the owner, MK3 Plus Software, was registered in Georgia and not in Florida.
The owner told commissioners Tuesday night that he had moved the registration to Florida, but County Attorney Jennifer Rey said the registration change was not completed in the proper timeline.
The owner of Fun Time Arcade in Lake Panasoffkee, which operated in the former Moose Lodge, surrendered the operating permit on May 31 after the business was shut down because the building was considered unsafe.
In a letter to Rey, Fun Time Arcade’s attorney, Mark Loerzel, asked for a clarification of whether the business eventually could open in the same location. The business would not meet the location requirements for new arcades.
Fun Time Arcade was a focus of resident complaints at Sumter County meetings earlier this year. Loerzel referenced this in his letter.
“It is understood that the Lake Panasoffkee community found the cafe to be controversial,” he wrote. “That certainly was not the intention and it is important to my client that the commission is aware that my client is always willing to resolve issues when brought to their attention.”
Sumter County planner Sue Farnsworth said 50K Arcade in Lake Panasoffkee also has closed after the owner failed to obtain an operating permit by the deadline.
Winner’s World on Buenos Aires Boulevard in The Villages also has closed even though two recent inspections found no violations. A sign in the window apparently blamed the closure on a dispute with the county, but county officials said they are not aware of a dispute.
Internet cafes currently operating without violations include Gold Rush Arcade of Lake Panasoffkee, Good Time Arcade of Lady Lake, Lady Dawg’s Cafe of Bushnell, Coconuts of Lady Lake, Il Villagio of Lady Lake, Sunshine Arcade of Lady Lake, Players Place of Lady Lake, Senior Center of Lady Lake, Tech Center/Dreamer’s of Bushnell, Senior Social Center of Lady Lake and VIP/Dreamer’s of Lake Panasoffkee.