TechFlow news, June 18 — According to Decrypt, the Spokane City Council in Washington State unanimously passed an ordinance banning all cryptocurrency self-service kiosks, including cryptocurrency ATMs. The ban affects approximately 50 such kiosks within the city, and operators must remove their machines within 60 days or face civil penalties and potential revocation of business licenses.
City Council member Paul Dillon said the move aims to "protect vulnerable residents of Spokane" from scams involving these kiosks, which have become the "tool of choice for scammers to deceive unsuspecting victims." Detective Tim Schwering of the Spokane Police Department said he receives daily reports from residents who have lost thousands of dollars due to kiosk-related fraud, and at least three suicides in Spokane County have been linked to such scams.
