Summary
- Slot machines are only legal in licensed casinos.
- Florida Gaming Control Commission is sending out Cease and Desist letters.
- Over three dozen letters have been mailed to illegal operations.
Illegal casinos are operating in the southwestern portion of Florida and officials are trying to shut such facilities down. Police and gaming regulators have been cracking down on unlicensed facilities for quite some time and cease and desist letters were just recently sent out.
To operate legally, a gaming venue must have the appropriate licensing from the Florida Gaming Control Commission.
Dozens of Illegal Operators Have Been Warned
The state has alerted around three dozen operators in Lee County about stopping services or they will face serious consequences. Anyone offering casino gaming without licensing is walking on thin ice. So far, the majority of operations appear to be in Lee County. However, smaller numbers of facilities have been reported in Charlotte and Collier County.
Any business that does not comply with the cease-and-desist order will be subject to raids. Officials have already raided businesses in Tampa as well as Palm Beach. Operators can face criminal prosecution as well as fines that can reach up to $10,000 per machine. The more machines a facility has, the higher the total fine will be.
Police and regulators are asking the public to report any illegal operations. If someone sees a venue that is offering casino games illegaly, contact the state gaming control commission via their website. A complaint can be filed, and the commission will follow up with an investigation.
Cape Coral is a Prime Location for Illegal Gaming
Reports by NBC2 indicate that the Cape Coral area is ripe with illegal activity. A news report from this week showed that at last six arcades are in operation in the area with illegal gaming machines. Many of these games are also offered in licensed businesses, so the illegal arcades seem legit.
Casinos are upset of course by the operations as it takes away from their business. Illegal operations are not subject to tax payments and other fees that licensed operators in Florida must pay. It is unfair for the legal businesses to have to pay a portion of their earnings while the illegal game providers simply make money from gaming.
Raids are likely if the contacted businesses do not stop offering the illegal services. We should see over the next few weeks if the operators comply or if police will be busy working on business raids. It would work out better for the illegal venues to stop as a raid can result in the seizure of machines, money, and other items.
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