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Greek Anti-Gaming Laws Still Being Enforced
Gamaroo writes "An AFP report on Yahoo indicates that innocent Internet and gaming cafes in Greece are still being raided by police, despite the laws being ruled unconstitutional by the supreme court of the land. From the article: 'In a desperate attempt to clamp down on out-of-control illegal gambling, Greek parliament passed in 2002 a law that summarily banned all public gaming conducted by electronic and mechanical means. Said one man, 'They treat us like criminals,' said Aris Assimakopoulos, a 28-year old computer specialist who runs an internet cafe in downtown Athens. Policemen stormed Assimakopoulos' enterprise twice in January, threw out all clients, confiscated 50 PCs and arrested an employee.'"
Next thing you know, they'll be outlawing Greek sex...
' "These guys earn so much, that even when police catch them and confiscate their PCs, they can pay the fines and buy new material with just a single day's proceedings," Gusakis added.'
Wow, let the raids continue! Let justice ring clear! So long as they can afford it, its perfectly ok to steal computers?! Off to Walmart I go!
It's just ridiculous. I can't understand what the law is possibly trying to accomplish.
It's simple.
1. Pass laws to prevent people playing computer games.
2. Watch as the rest of the worlds productivity drops due to computer game addiction.
3. ????
4. Profit.
Billy Madison would say...
Greeks? More like... Geeks!
Um... excuse me if this is a stupid question... but if courts across the land, including the supreme-motherfucking-court of your country rule a law as being "unconstitutional"... then how in the hell could it possibly remain in effect!?
Seems stupid. But maybe I just don't understand their laws. It is, after all, all greek to me! *Rimshot*.
*Ducks and runs*
Posing as clients, we ascertained that in 49 out of the 70 PCs installed, prohibited video games were being played such as 'rally', 'football' and 'war games'
The only game I know of titled simply 'Football' was for the Atari VCS2600.
"war games" is, of course, a Colecovision title.
And "Rally" really takes us back - it seems to be an arcade pong clone, circa 1983.