Job well done
Florida gaming officials and local law enforcement have given themselves a pat on the shoulder for dismantling ten different illegal gaming operations across South and Central Florida in April.
joined with sheriff’s offices and police departments
According to a news release from the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC), the body joined with sheriff’s offices and police departments in the state to execute the crackdown.
The FGCC stated six of operations it took down were in Okeechobee, with the rest in Daytona Beach, Dade City, and DeLand.
The state gambling regulator filed multiple charges against those targeted, including keeping a gambling house, underage possession of illegal drugs, and possession of slot machines.
Florida is heavily gambling regulated and only permits slots in licensed gaming establishments.
Crackdown
Any operator other than the eight pari-mutuels licensed in Broward and Miami Dade counties and the six venues under the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s control always ran a major risk of operating in the tightly regulated state.
proud to stand shoulder to shoulder”
FGCC’s Acting Executive Director Ross Marshman said in the Monday news release that the commission was “proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners as we collaboratively tackle illegal gaming throughout our state.”
Marshman added slots were only legal in “a handful of places” and directed gamblers to the FGCC website to check its licensed venues. The exec also warned Floridians and state business owners to “be wary of any establishment operating these types of gaming devices outside those authorized locations.”
According to the regulator’s release, the biggest bust was at Dolly’s Old Town Tavern in DeLand. Law enforcement officials there seized 14 illegal slot machines along with over $8,000 in cash.
Next biggest was the Mobil Gas Station bust in Okeechobee, where officials seized four illegal slot machines and $6,000 cash.
Warning shot
The FGCC also took the release to highlight how its legally authorized venues “ensure player protections, generate state revenue, and uphold game integrity.”
The FGCC ended on a warning, however, that illegal slots operators face criminal charges and administrative fines of up to $10,000 per machine, and risk suspension of their business permits and liquor licenses.
