Police in Florida busted another illegal gambling enterprise, detained many people, and confiscated cash and gambling machines.
Florida has continued to crack down on illegal gambling, and while officials have been vigilant, sprawling enterprises continue to thrive. A police officer recently uncovered an illegal gambling operation near Orlando.
Illegal gambling crackdowns continue in Florida
Officers converged on the premises as part of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office operation, which resulted in the recovery of $48,200 in cash from gaming proceedings generated by 125 slot machines found at the venue.
The operation, however limited in scope, resulted in the arrest of three people who were involved in the day-to-day management of the gambling establishment and were later charged with a misdemeanor.
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This is far from the only operation worth noticing over the last few weeks. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office executed a considerably larger sting operation as part of their sarcastically called “Fish & Chips” investigation.
The operation resulted in the arrest of 12 people and was carried out in a clever manner, targeting ten venues suspected of being part of the large illicit gambling network.
A total of 263 illicit gaming machines were seized, with $2.5 million in cash discovered on the premises. The police and detectives also seized $1.7 million in luxury vehicles and other assets, totaling $1.2 million.
Casino raids in Volusia and Brevard counties
Florida’s gambling operations are primarily limited to tribal operations and, more recently, the Hard Rock Bet mobile betting app. However, illegal gaming operations have continued to thrive.
One of the most recent busts, executed in December 2024 in Volusia and Brevard Counties, had police officers going after five illegal gambling casinos that they had been warned about previously. This was also one of the highest hauls recorded by the police that year, with over 500 gambling machines and $845,000 recovered during the operation.
Earlier in October, Florida authorities cracked down on another enterprise in Indian River County, busting 68 illicit slot machines and $37,719 in cash. Florida police are on the watch for more illicit gambling businesses, relying on public tips and their own undercover officers.
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