2 arcades and pool hall raided by Lee County deputies

CRACKING DOWN ON ILLEGAL ARCADE TO TARGET SENIORS AND THEIR MONEY. TODAY, LEE COUNTY DEPUTIES RAIDED 2 ARCADES AND A POOL HALL. >> THE MISCUE LOUNGE ALONG CAROL ROAD IN FORT MYERS, VEGAS KNIGHTS IN NORTH FORT MYERS AND ROYAL ARCADE ON PALM BEACH BOULEVARD. GULF COAST NEWS IS BRINGING YOU LIVE TEAM COVERAGE, ANCHOR CHRISTIE’S SOTO’S IN THE STUDIO WITH HOW THESE BUSINESSES TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE. BUT WE BEGIN WITH GINA TOMLINSON AT THE ROYAL ARCADE. >> THE WINDOWS ARE DARK IN THE OPEN SIGN THAT USED TO BE HERE IS GONE. AND SO WERE THE GAMES INSIDE. >> PEOPLE NEARBY TELL ME THEY HOPE THIS MEANS THE ROYAL ARCADE IS GAME OVER FOR GOOD. TO GET THEM ALL >> GAMING EQUIPMENT AND SLOT MACHINES RULED OUT OF THE ROYAL ARCADE OFF PALM BEACH BOULEVARD SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER YOU THEY ALL HAVE TO DROPPED. >> IN SOME MANNER OR THIS WOULD NOT BE GOING ON. >> TERESA PEREZ, WATCH IT UNFOLD FROM HER OFFICE WINDOW. NUMEROUS SQUAD CARS HAD COME IN COMING IN EVERY DIRECTION. SHE SAYS THE ARCADE HAS BEEN A FACT THAT SINCE SHE STARTED WORKING IN THIS PLAZA, SOME OF THEIR PATRONS HAD. >> OBVIOUSLY HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM WOULD COME OUT HERE IN FRONT OUR OFFICE AS A FEMALE REACH, A LITTLE NERVOUS. DEPUTIES AND MASKS WALKED OUT OF THE BUSINESS WITH A TACTICAL VEST AND EVIDENCE BAGS. I GREAT MAN LIKE TYRONE JAMES WAS LAYING CONCRETE JUST A FEW FEET AWAY WHEN DEPUTIES RUSHED HERE, THERE’S A LIGHT, MAYBE 2 OR 3 HOURS. WELL, ENOUGH TO BRING DAYS ON THE TRUCK THE WAY A TRUCK STUFFED WITH SLOT MACHINES ON ITS WAY OUT OF THIS PLAZA NEARBY AND TO SOME WHO HAVE CALLED DEPUTIES HERE BEFORE THE RAID FELT LIKE HITTING THE JACKPOT. WE WERE ALL HIGH-FIVING EACH OTHER. SO HAPPY. WE HAVE YET TO HEAR OF LCSO HAS MADE ANY ARRESTS OR CHARGES YET, BUT WE’LL KEEP YOU UPDATED. >> FOR NOW, I’M LIVE IN FORT MYERS, GINA TOMLINSON, GULF COAST NEWS. >> JUST LAST WEEK, CAPE CORAL POLICE RAIDED 2 OF THESE ARCADES, PIRATE TREASURE ON DEL PRADO BOULEVARD AND TREASURE ISLAND JUST NORTH OF CAPE CORAL PARKWAY IN TOTAL, 13 ARCADES HAVE BEEN RATED SINCE AUGUST 8 IN CAPE CORAL. 5 IN THE GREATER FORT MYERS AREA. GULF COAST NEWS ANCHOR CHRIS, THE SOTO CONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE IN THE STUDIO WITH HOW THESE BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN PLAIN SIGHT. >> SO IT MAKES IT EVEN HARDER TO PUT THESE ILLEGAL ARCADES OUT OF BUSINESS IS THERE ARE ONLY GIVEN A MISDEMEANOR WHEN THEY’RE BUSTED, MEANING MOST OF THE TIME THESE OWNERS PAY A FINE AND CAN POP UP SOMEWHERE ELSE. >> THERE’S A LOT OF MONEY TO BE MADE RUNNING AN ARCADE THESE GAMES. AND IF YOU GET CAUGHT WELL, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS TO DECIDE HOW MUCH RESOURCES THEY APPLY TO. DOING A MAJOR RAID. SOMEONE HAS A MISDEMEANOR. >> PROPOSED LEGISLATION WOULD HAVE CREATED TOUGHER PENALTIES FOR ARCADE OWNERS, BUT IT DIED EARLIER THIS YEAR. ATTORNEY KEVIN ANDERSON SKI SAYS ANOTHER ISSUE AS IT. THERE ARE NO REGULATIONS TO ENSURE PLAYERS ACTUALLY WIN BACK IN AUGUST WHEN 6 BUSINESSES WERE RAIDED IN THE CAPE, WE LEARNED THOSE MACHINES WERE PROGRAMMED TO ONLY PAY OUT 18 AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE TIME. STATE LAW SAYS IT SHOULD BE PROGRAMMED TO AT LEAST 85% OF THE TIME. SOME FOLKS SAY IT’S WORTH THE RISK. >> WE RETIRED PEOPLE. WE ARE BEING DEPRIVED HAVING GOOD TIME. GOING TO PLACES AND RELAX. YOU KNOW, WHEN MONEY LOSE MONEY. >> ON TOP OF THAT, THESE CASINOS ALSO DON’T PAY THE SAME TYPE OF TAXES THAT LEGAL CASINOS PAY. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 8 LEGAL CASINOS IN FLORIDA NOT OPERATED BY THE SEMINOLE TRIBES SINCE 2020 REVENUE HAS EXCEEDED 600 MILLION EVERY YEAR. SO FAR THIS YEAR, IT’S NEARLY HALF A BILLION DOLLARS TAX REVENUE FROM THESE 8 BUSINESSES HAVE EXCEEDED 1.2 BILLION DOLLARS DURING THAT TI

Lee County deputies raided two arcades and a pool hall on Wednesday afternoon.According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the three locations are Miscue Lounge on Carrell Road, Vegas Knights on US-41 in North Fort Myers and Royal Arcade on Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers. All three were investigated by deputies.LCSO said they partnered with the Florida Gaming Commission to shut down the arcades. Miscue Lounge has been in business for 62 years.Deputies can be seen in one of the arcades inspecting the machines. This is a developing story and will be updated. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

LEE COUNTY, Fla. —

Lee County deputies raided two arcades and a pool hall on Wednesday afternoon.

According to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the three locations are Miscue Lounge on Carrell Road, Vegas Knights on US-41 in North Fort Myers and Royal Arcade on Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers. All three were investigated by deputies.

LCSO said they partnered with the Florida Gaming Commission to shut down the arcades. Miscue Lounge has been in business for 62 years.

Deputies can be seen in one of the arcades inspecting the machines.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.