The sweepstakes games being played at the new Internet Cafe in Casper appear to be illegal under Wyoming law, State Attorney General Pat Crank said Friday.

Although Crank said he had limited information on exactly how the Extreme Insured Promotions (EIP) Phone Card, Internet and Computer Time Sweepstakes works, he said that the games appear to use gambling machines - and gambling machines are illegal in the state.

Players of the EIP sweepstakes pay $5 for a 100-minute phone card that can also be used to access the Internet for one hour on the Internet Cafe's computers.

When players purchase the card, they are given 100 sweepstakes entries. Players can then use the sweepstakes entries to play slot-machine-style games on the Internet Cafe's computers.

If a winning combination is hit on the game, the player is awarded win points that are redeemable for cash.

"There does not seem like much difference between that and putting a quarter in a slot machine and pulling the lever and having coins trickle out of the bottom," Crank said. "You are still playing a slot machine and ultimately you can win cash because you are playing that slot machine."

The fact that one can access the Internet to e-mail friends and other perfectly legal activities on the Internet Cafe's machines should not make much of a difference when it comes to their legality, the attorney general said.

"If that logic held, I guess I could put a phone receiver on the side of a slot machine and so when I put my dime in, I could either play the slot machine or I could call my grandma," Crank said. "If in fact that slot machine is being used as a slot machine, it would be illegal under Wyoming law, even though I had the ability to call my grandma as well."

According to Crank, he is unaware of any discussions held between his office and attorneys from EIP, the California-based company that puts on the sweepstakes.

Discussions on the legality of the game were also not held between the 7th District Attorney's office and EIP, District Attorney Mike Blonigen said.

Like Crank, Blonigen said he did not know much about the games being played at the Internet Cafe, he said.

But Blonigen did say his office will be looking into the legality of the EIP sweepstakes.

Enforcement of Wyoming's laws, including gambling laws, are the responsibility of local law enforcement agencies and local prosecutors, Crank said.

According to EIP Vice President William Consterdine, his company's sweepstakes game is just as legal as a Pepsi Twist-off game.

EIP's sweepstakes is not gambling because the player does not wager anything of value as the sweepstakes entries one plays cannot be redeemed for money, he said.

Consterdine added that his attorneys looked hard and long into the legality of the sweepstakes, which is played in 15 other states, before setting up shop in Wyoming.

According to Crank, sweepstakes are, in general, legal in Wyoming.

But it is the way the games are played that ultimately determine their legality, he added.

The Internet Cafe, located on the southwest corner of Second and Jefferson streets, opened its doors on Thursday.

The Treasure Chest in Rock Springs also first started offering play of the EIP sweepstakes this week, Consterdine said.

Staff writer Brendan Burke can be reached at (307) 266-0589 or Brendan.Burke@casperstartribune.net.