WINSTON-SALEM -- For some, a visit to an Internet sweepstakes parlor is a good way to unwind.
"I won $100 today. It's very relaxing. I love playing the game," said Octavia Hill, as she left A1A Sweepstakes on Waughtown Street.
By the end of the month, people like Hill are going to have to find another form of recreation.
District Attorney Jim O'Neil sent letters to the nearly 30 operations remaining in Forsyth County, telling them to shut down.
"As of June 30, law enforcement would be going out, shutting them down, making charges and seizing equipment," said O’Neil.
The crackdowns began after an April ruling from the State Supreme Court, upholding a state law that the businesses were involved in illegal gambling.
"Now that it has worked its way through the court system, it's my sworn duty to uphold the law,’’ said O’Neil.
Prior to the ruling, city officials had also tried to rein them in.
"We decided to put a fairly significant privilege license fee plus a fee per machine, really in an effort to try and curtail these sweepstakes operations,’’ said Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines.
The privilege license was $2,500, and the city was also charging $500 per machine. Some operations had up to 100 computers set up.
The city of Winston-Salem's been making between $.5-million and $1 million a year off fees for Internet sweepstakes businesses. Their closing has been taken into consideration for the next budget.
"We felt like more than likely we were going to lose that revenue,’’ said Joines. "We actually began weaning ourselves away from it last year."
While players don't see any harm in the games, they're resigned to the change.
"I hate that they're closing, but hey, it's the law, so we gotta do what we gotta do," said Hill.
Law enforcement is expected to start making raids on July 1.