More than 160 slot machines and nearly $250,000 were seized, according to the Florida Gaming Control Commission.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Two businesses in St. Petersburg have been shut down after state gaming officials say they were operating illegal gambling operations.
The Florida Gaming Control Commission announced the bust of Action Arcade and The Zoo Sports Club and Grille, both in west St. Petersburg.
Officials seized 163 illegal slot machines and $247,285 in cash from the two businesses on Sept. 10.
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According to the FGCC, investigators seized 90 machines and $142,020 from Action Arcade, located at 6541 54th Avenue N. At The Zoo Sports Club and Grille, located at 5111 66th Street N., investigators seized 73 machines and $105,265.
Three people were issued notices to appear in connection with the investigation.
Two people at Action Arcade were each charged with possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house. A third person at The Zoo was charged with possession of slot machines and acting as an agent or employee at a gambling house.
The operation involved the Florida Gaming Control Commission, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
Carl Herold, director of gaming enforcement for the FGCC, said investigators were initially tipped off after an inspection station intercepted a truck carrying multiple slot machines. Documents showed the machines were destined for The Zoo.
Investigators then noticed traffic between The Zoo and Action Arcade that they believed involved management of the two businesses.
Herold said Action Arcade was operating solely as an illegal gambling establishment, while The Zoo operated a restaurant and bar in one portion of the building and an illegal arcade through a separate entrance.
10 Tampa Bay News was unable to get in contact with the owners at the Action Arcade. We did reach the staff at the restaurant side of The Zoo, but they said a manager was not available.
Herold said many of the machines investigators encounter are older machines that previously operated legally in other states and have since entered a black market.
He said the machines can enter Florida through ports or across state lines.
The St. Petersburg bust comes as state and local officials report a series of illegal gambling investigations across the Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida region.
Earlier this month, Sarasota County deputies seized 76 machines from two businesses in Sarasota that authorities said were operating illegal gambling establishments.
In July, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office seized 34 gambling machines and more than $23,000 in cash from an unnamed arcade in Bradenton.
And in May, state gaming officials seized 265 illegal machines and more than $120,000 during an operation at multiple locations in Manatee County.
Herold said the FGCC has received a large number of complaints about illegal gambling operations from the Tampa area south toward Naples and Fort Myers. The agency is now in the process of establishing an additional enforcement squad in Sarasota to serve as a hub for illegal gambling investigations in Southwest Florida.
“Southwest Florida is probably the single largest area that we are getting reports from,” Herold said.
In Florida, slot machines are legal only at licensed locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, as well as at facilities operated by the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes.
Herold said legal gaming locations are heavily regulated, including requirements governing payouts. He said investigators have found illegal machines that return only a small percentage of the money played, leaving customers with little chance of winning.
State Rep. Berny Jacques, who was involved in the St. Petersburg operation in a ride-along capacity, said illegal gaming is also a consumer protection issue.
Jacques said unregulated machines can be manipulated, leaving customers with no state oversight or meaningful recourse.
“Because they are illegal, the state has no oversight. So you don’t know what you’re getting. You’re literally throwing your money away,” Jacques said.
Jacques said he has heard from residents who believe family members, including seniors, have lost significant amounts of money at illegal gambling establishments.
Jacques said he has also worked on the issue from a legislative perspective.
During the most recent legislative session, he filed legislation aimed at cracking down on illegal gaming and increasing penalties. The legislation did not pass.
But Jacques said his goal is still to strengthen enforcement and deter businesses from operating illegal gambling establishments.
“We’re trying to make sure that we push back against this,” he said. “Let the criminal actors know that this type of activity is not welcome in the state of Florida and certainly not here in our community in Pinellas County.”
If you would like to report any suspected illegal gambling activities, you can click here, email Contact@FLGaming.gov or call (850) 880-3433.