Gambling alleged at convenience stores

Thursday, Dec. 28, 2000 | 11:28 a.m.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Li'l Cricket convenience stores have a new game that is drawing the attention of state investigators.

Players put money into machines to buy time on the Internet. But they also can choose to play a game where a computer picks numbers and winnings are paid back to them. The machines are in at least two Spartanburg stores.

State Rep. John Hawkins, R-Spartanburg, said that sounds like video gambling and has asked the State Law Enforcement Division to investigate.

The games are no different than grocery store or fast food giveaways where consumers buy something, then have a chance at winning a prize, said Wallace Cheves, a vice president of First Link, a Greenville company that owns the machines.

First Link sells 100 minutes of Internet time for $20. Buyers then get a chance to play the Toucheasy Keno video game. "They don't challenge McDonald's or Ingles. Why would they challenge us?" Cheves asked.

First Link, which has been in business a little more than a year, is testing the machines in 10 different places in Spartanburg, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Rock Hill, Cheves said.