Judge tosses out NC’s ban on video poker machines

RALEIGH — A state court judge has thrown out North Carolina’s ban on video poker machines.

The order issued late Thursday says the state can’t ban video gaming machine while also allowing the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to operate the games on their lands within the state.

The ruling won’t lead to the immediate return of the machines. Wake County Superior Court Judge Howard Manning said his order won’t take effect while state files an expected appeal.

Lawmakers abandoned a 13-year experiment with video poker machines in 2006, imposing a phase out of the games that could legally offer only $10 in merchandise as a prize.

The state’s sheriffs had long complained about the video poker machines, saying it was too hard to weed out those that illegally offered large cash pay outs.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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