NC Supreme Court; Sheriff may enforce ban on gaming machines

On Thursday the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed a lower court decision that kept the Onslow County sheriff from enforcing laws banning video poker gaming. The decision was issued a month and a half after federal prosecutors struck an amnesty deal with six video sweepstakes machine and service providers. No federal prosecutions will occur if the machines cease operations by July 1.

The Supreme Court ruling will take effect on July 1st as well. On that day law enforcement officers can once again begin their raids and arrests at businesses offering “electronic slot machines” in violation of the law. Onslow officers have been barred from enforcing the law since a county judge issued an order in November 2013 halting police actions while legal challenges were being de…