Florida Gaming Control Commission seizes illegal slot machines
The operation targeted two alleged illegal gambling locations in Sarasota County.
US.- The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office have seized 69 illegal slot machines at two alleged illegal gambling locations in Sarasota County. Operation Early Morning involved the execution of search warrants at Bingo Palace in Venice and an unnamed venue in Sarasota.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office served as the lead investigative agency and requested assistance from FGCC. Some 39 slot machines were seized at the Venice location and 30 in Sarasota. The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office seized $62,376 in cash.
Recently, the Florida Legislature approved two new enforcement units for the FGCC to strengthen the state’s response to illegal gambling. One will be located in Sarasota County.
FGCC chair Julie Brown said: “Illegal gambling operations are not harmless businesses. They operate outside the law, avoid oversight, create opportunities for crime, and take money from Florida communities. This operation reflects our continued commitment to working with law enforcement partners to protect Floridians and enforce the law wherever illegal gambling activity is found.”
FGCC director of gaming enforcement L. Carl Herold added: “The Legislature’s support for additional enforcement officers is timely and important. Illegal casinos are spreading into communities across Florida, and they require a focused, coordinated law enforcement response. The new Sarasota County-based enforcement unit will help us respond more quickly, build stronger local partnerships, and keep the pressure on illegal gambling operators who believe they can profit by ignoring Florida law.”
Earlier this month, the FGCC announced it had dismantled a multi-location illegal gambling operation with assistance from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Homeland Security Investigations. It seized 265 illegal gambling machines and more than $120,000 in illegal gambling proceeds.
