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City Council Panel Advances Plan to Ban ‘Sweepstakes’ Machines

Clip: 5/12/2026 | 2m 40sVideo has Closed Captions

Thousands of unpermitted sweepstakes machines operate in all kinds of businesses across the city.

Sweepstakes machines look like video poker machines and function in much the same way, but offer tickets redeemable for cash or merchandise, skirting the letter of the law in what officials have long called a “gray market.” Neither the city nor the state tax those machines.

05/12/2026 | Rating NR

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