Florida authorities announced a major crackdown on illegal gambling operations on Friday, shutting down about 40 locations across Central Florida and seizing more than 525 gambling machines and nearly $200,000 in cash.<\/p>\n
The operations targeted illegal gambling sites in Volusia, Brevard, Duval, and Flagler counties. Authorities say these weren\u2019t harmless bingo games\u2014they were sophisticated operations often hidden in restaurants, bars, convenience stores, and arcades.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese locations are not just harmless spots for games like bingo or Uno; they are sophisticated operations that can lead to serious criminal activity,\u201d Attorney General James Uthmeier said at a news conference in Titusville.<\/p>\n
Uthmeier warned that illegal gambling operations are connected to more serious crimes.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou almost always see connections to money laundering, to human and drug trafficking, to burglary, drugs, weapons,\u201d Uthmeier said. \u201cIt is serious. And here in Florida, it is going to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigators found that many of the seized machines were designed so players couldn\u2019t win.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we go in, and we examine these machines, we find out that many of them are even set to not even pay out. There is no chance that you can even win playing these particular machines because they are unregulated,\u201d said Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.<\/p>\n
Officials say these operations often prey on vulnerable people, including seniors on fixed incomes who lose their life savings.<\/p>\n
The seized gambling machines are now stored in warehouses, stacked from floor to ceiling. Authorities say this is just the beginning of a broader enforcement effort across Florida.<\/p>\n
Uthmeier is calling on the state legislature to increase penalties for operating illegal gambling sites. Currently, it\u2019s a misdemeanor offense, but he wants it to be a felony.<\/p>\n
For those who want to gamble legally in Florida, Uthmeier pointed to regulated options like the Hard Rock online betting app and licensed Seminole Tribe gaming facilities, which are monitored and contribute funds to state education and infrastructure.<\/p>\n
If you suspect illegal gambling activity in your area, you can report it to the Florida Gaming Control Commission through their website or by contacting them directly.<\/p>\n
Click here<\/a> to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here<\/a> to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.<\/p>\n
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