Florida keeps the pressure on illegal gambling venues, which have focused on offering slot machines without oversight from the regulator or any license. In fact, slot machines are a rather limited activity to begin with, available in only a pair of Florida counties and on tribal gaming properties.
FGCC Says Its Efforts Are Paying Off – Busts of Illegal Gambling Venues Increase
The Florida Gaming Control Commission has beefed up efforts to collaborate with local law enforcement and ensure that it is taking down such illegal venues as they crop up. While there has been substantial police resources invested in leading these operations, results have already started showing.
However, illegal slot machine venues are continuing to operate in the state leading to more busts carried out by the relevant authorities, but similarly presenting new challenges as well.
But it’s not just local sheriff’s offices and the commission that work on the issue. Carl Harold, the director of the regulator, has confirmed that the number of agencies joining in to tackle these venues is increasing as well, with local, state, and federal agencies working together to uproot the practice.
In August alone, the Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE), which specifically leads efforts against illegal operators, reported 71 cases, and the joint efforts of law enforcement resulted in the seizure of 346 slot machines, along with 15 arrested individuals and $179,717 in cash obtained by investigators.
The FGCC keeps its record-keeping simple – repeat offenders are not tracked, as the regulator is currently focusing on ensuring that it is removing illegal gambling machines and bringing those responsible to justice.
Under Florida law, operating an illegal gambling house currently ranges from a misdemeanor to a felony depending on the offense, though regulators and lawmakers have argued penalties are too weak to deter repeat operators.
FGCC Could Benefit from Keeping Its Data a Bit Better
“The short answer would be no. We have not seen anybody that we have arrested be arrested again. We have seen people with criminal records arrested by other agencies, and then they call us,” said Commissioner John D’Aquila when asked if the commission had any way of verifying what people have been engaging in such operations in the past.
There are some drawbacks to not segregating data a little better, as sometimes it happens that mirror investigations are launched, resources that would have been otherwise best used on finding out more about other offenders.
The FGCC is currently working on 314 new signals in August alone, which could potentially lead to more arrests and more machines removed from the venue.