Police in Connecticut raided two internet sweepstakes cafes last week in the towns of Enfield and Bloomfield as part of an investigation into illegal gambling according to the state attorney general’s office and state police.
Authorities were tipped off to the possible gambling operations. They collected about 200 pieces of evidence, confiscated equipment and concluded that very little legitimate “business” was being conducted in the two operations.
An attorney for the Enfield company, the Mousepad Business Center & Tech Solutions, claimed last week that his client was doing nothing unlawful. Thomas F. Fricke commented, “The Mouse Pad business center has conducted an entirely lawful business in Enfield. We are not going to comment publicly on any proceeding that is pending. We have every expectation that we will be fully vindicated by the courts.”
The Bloomfield business that was raided is called the Bloomfield Business Center.
A state senator, Dante Bartolomeo, said she plans to introduce legislation clarifying that such businesses are “illegal casinos masquerading as legitimate businesses.” She added, “These sweepstakes cafes are like a cancer spreading throughout our communities, taking advantage of seniors and others lured in by the false promise of easy money.”
