Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke issued a call Monday for a statewide ban on commercial gambling machines, saying they exacerbate crime, poverty and family suffering.

“As DA, there’s a lot I can do once we have sued or indicted individual store and machine owners who have violated the law. And I intend to use all the tools I have available to hold those who violate the law accountable,” Cooke said during a news conference. “But this problem will not go away until the legislature acts to ban these machines that are wreaking havoc in our communities.”