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Times-Courier
Representatives of nine Gilmer County convenience stores will soon have administrative hearings with the Georgia Lottery after the stores were issued citations relating to illegal cash payouts from coin-operated amusement machines (COAMs).
The citations alleging that cash payouts were awarded on more than one occasion were issued by a Georgia Lottery compliance inspector between November 2023 and February 2024, noted Tandi Reddick, Georgia Lottery spokesperson. This followed an undercover law enforcement investigation, according to information provided by the Georgia Lottery, which regulates the electronic gaming machines.
To remain within the law, the machines are supposed to award only nonmonetary prizes, which can include in-store merchandise, as well as Georgia Lottery products and COAM gift cards. Cash, alcohol, tobacco and firearms are among the prohibited prize items.
Allowing cash prizes is a level 4 violation of state COAM regulations, which could result in revocation of licenses and fines, according to the Georgia Lottery.
The cited stores are: Valero, 2179 Highway 52; Conoco, 1060 South Main Street; BP, 11 Maddox Circle; Mobil, 920 Industrial Boulevard; Rebel’s Food Mart, 6285 Tails Creek Road; Valero, 600 Howard Simmons Road; Texaco, 2028 Old Highway 5 South; Citgo, 19 Sunlight Road and Marathon, 700 Industrial Boulevard.
The administrative hearings are scheduled for April 24 and 25. Any fines and penalties, if applicable, will be assessed then. The hearings are conducted in person at the Georgia Lottery headquarters or virtually if the cases aren’t settled before the hearings, Reddick noted.
No gaming machines were confiscated from the cited stores, which can continue to operate them while the hearing process is underway.