The city is right to streamline the process for owners and operators of businesses that offer gaming machines.

Any time the city streamlines any process for business owners, entrepreneurs and citizens, we think it is a good idea. Since gaming is legal, there should be no legal impediment to setting up gaming sites, regardless of any moral qualms.

That said, the city should also think seriously about cracking down on operators who hand out cash prizes and the city should crack down on citizens who demand such prizes and both participants are participating in illegal gambling at that point.

We are not taking a moral stance on gambling. However, when the city allows gaming rooms to switch hands within families and remain open despite potentially countless ticketed offenses, the city is turning its back and allowing unscrupulous businesses to continue (and presumably thrive) while hurting businesses that seek to do the right thing and hand out only non-monetary prizes. If a business has a string of citations, at some point their license should be revoked.

There will probably always be gamers who choose to frequent gaming rooms that break the rules and there will always be gamers who hector proprietors and demand cash, knowing they’re encouraging legal violations.

However, ignoring these infractions only encourages gaming operators who would otherwise operate legal gaming facilities to join the crowd and do the wrong thing.

If the city has gaming laws, they need to be enforced for all.