Wayne Sanders, a truck driver from St. Louis, and his wife, Betty, play video poker along Interstate 95 in Brunswick, Ga. TERRY DICKSON/MORRIS NEWS SERVICE

Soon, perhaps this month, court decisions will be finalized making use of the machines illegal.

After hearing stories of people gambling away car titles and losing their homes a quarter at a time, Georgia legislators outlawed video poker during a special session this year.

The machines themselves will become illegal to possess as of midnight June 30.

Fans of the game say the ban is unfair. But state officials say the machines must go. They say the games prey on poor people and lead to other social problems.

Mr. Cornett, a truck driver, was among those getting in their final few hands this week. He said video poker is not the evil that lawmakers make it out to be - no worse than the Georgia Lottery.

"I know people who'll spend their rent money or pawn their car to play the lottery when it's up to $30 million," he said.

As he played, a box in the corner of the screen showed he won $33.65, which must be redeemed for merchandise at the travel center. He had risked $1.

"Let me see if I can win that much with a lottery ticket," Mr. Cornett said.

Wayne and Betty Sanders of St. Louis were playing a machine across the aisle from Mr. Cornett. They had been on the road 34 days. They said they play the machines in Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Oregon.

"It's entertainment for us," Mr. Sanders said. "I sit and play $5 to $10 at a time. If you win, big deal. If you don't, no big deal."

Playing video poker beats sitting in a bar waiting for truck repairs or waiting during a layover for loading or unloading, he said.

Mr. Sanders and Mr. Cornett said the issue would have gone away if the government had figured a way to get its cut.

State Rep. Jerry Keen, R-St. Simons Island, carried the original Senate bill to the House in 2001. It didn't pass, but a Democratic version did. Mr. Keen acknowledged that the state loses lottery revenue to video poker but said the real impetus for the ban is social problems that have come with the growth of video poker.