As North Carolina begins to phase out video-poker machines, the Guilford County Sheriff's Office is phasing in enforcement. State law makes sheriff's offices for responsible for tracking the machines. In Guilford County, that duty falls primarily to Sgt. E.G. Siler. He was out of the office this past week, but before leaving, he sent a letter to the Guilford County locations with three machines, reminding them that, as of this past Sunday, they could have no more than two. "I've got several (people) out and I'm short-staffed" this week, he said Wednesday, "but next week I'll be out in the car checking on these places." Another department employee is compiling the list of sites, he said. He could not remember how many have more than two machines, but said it was not a large number. Since the new limit of two machines per location took effect Sunday, his office has not received any reports of violations, he said. "We sent out that letter, and hopefully -- hopefully -- that helped," he said. Video-poker machines, often found in bars and convenience stores, have been legal in North Carolina as long as the host business gives prizes only in the form of $10 or less in merchandise per winning hand.
Machines are preset to ensure profits for their owner. But some machine owners and host businesses have made illegal cash payouts, sometimes in the hundreds of dollars, to encourage play.
Critics also have decried video poker's addictiveness, likening it to crack cocaine.
Earlier this year, the state limited machines per outlet to two as of Oct. 1 and one as of March 1, 2007, and banned them entirely as of July 1, 2007. Repeat offenders, or those caught with five or more machines, would be guilty of a felony.
--------