TAMPA, Fla. – The investigation into illicit gambling that took place on Tuesday targeted venues in Tampa and St. Petersburg, and resulted in the seizure of more than one million dollars in cash and other assets.
Before noon on Tuesday, authorities in Delray Beach, Fort Pierce, St. Petersburg, and Tampa carried out the execution of search warrants at multiple sites in those cities, as stated by the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC). There, they were able to take goods worth over one million dollars, including cash, and gambling equipment similar to slot machines, computers, and ATMs.
According to the commission, investigators searched the Lucky Game Lounge in Tampa, which is situated at 4802 Gunn Highway Suite 140, as well as a facility in St. Petersburg, which is located at 2116 34th Street South.
The inquiry that led to the discovery of “extensive illegal gaming operations” in Hillsborough, Palm Beach, Pinellas, and St. Lucie counties was reportedly sparked by a public complaint against the Midway Arcade in Ft. Pierce.
According to Lou Trombetta, executive director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC), “illegal gambling establishments operate outside of the legal and regulated market to exploit vulnerable Floridians.
” They are typically affiliated with organized crime, they do not earn state tax money, and they do not provide the same consumer rights or precautions as licensed gaming operators.
The statement made by Florida’s Attorney General Ashley Moody was as follows: “These illegal gaming operations will not be tolerated in Florida.”
Illegal arcades typically employ “predatory tactics” to fool clients into thinking that their machines are legitimate, according to the GGCC. “But they offer no consumer rights, no guarantee of fair play, and no recourse if an operator steals their money,” the GGCC states.
