Internet cafes in Florida could soon be out of business under a bill that is now heading to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott.

The Florida Senate on Thursday approved by a 36-4 vote a measure that would ban the storefront operations.

Some legislators opposed the bill because they said it went too far and would result in the closure of senior arcades.

The Legislature is feeling pressure to act after an investigation into the Allied Veterans of the World charity. It was accused of running a $290 million illegal gambling business that directed most of the proceeds into its owners' pockets

Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, said legislators were responding to what he called "mass hysteria'' that surrounded the federal investigation of Allied.

Below is the full press release from the Senate president's office:

Today, during the fifth week of the 2013 Legislative Session, the Florida Senate by a vote of 36 to 4 passed important legislation to ban unauthorized slot machine gambling in Florida. Senate Bill 1030, sponsored by Senator John Thrasher (R-St. Augustine), clarifies current gaming laws concerning slot machines, charitable drawings, game promotions and amusement games. Substituted with House Bill 155, the legislation was immediately certified back to the Florida House and will now be considered by Governor Rick Scott.

“I am grateful for Senator Thrasher’s strong leadership in guiding this important bill through the legislative process,” said Senate President Don Gaetz (R-Niceville). “The slot-machine gambling found in Internet cafes and other questionable operations is wrong, predatory, and illegal, and today, both Senate Democrats and Republicans alike voted to set the record straight and approve this legislation, which eliminates the ambiguities surrounding the legality of these machines.”

CS/SB 1030 affirms that gambling is illegal in Florida unless specifically authorized by law. It clarifies that: (1) the charitable drawings exception is only for raffles, (2) the sweepstakes exception is only for promotions that truly are incidental to the sale of consumer products or services, and (3) the amusement arcades exception is not for casino style games but only for coin-operated games that involve an element of skill and for which non-cash prizes, excluding gift cards, are awarded. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a device or network is a slot machine if it simulates a game of chance, accepts payment, and awards prizes.

Additionally, the Senate today passed House Bill 239, Practice of Optometry, granting licensed optometrists the authority to prescribe certain oral medications. Under this legislation, which will now be considered by Governor Scott, optometrists who have completed board-approved coursework and examinations on general and ocular pharmaceuticals will be given the ability to prescribe 14 Board-of-Optometry-approved oral medications.

Next week, the Senate will convene on Wednesday, April 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to take up the legislation associated with the 2013-14 budget. To learn more, please visit www.flsenate.gov.