Drew Dixon
A pair of illegal gambling operations in Tavares went bust following investigations this month.
Law enforcement seized some 125 illegal gambling machines in the bust and arrested two people in the joint probe between the Tavares Police Department and the Florida Gaming Control Commission. In addition, investigators seized more than $62,000 in cash.
The two illegal casinos were both operating within the city limits of the Central Florida city. One was called the Jungle Hut on Burleigh Boulevard. Investigators seized 71 illegal slot machines and six illegal fish tables along with nearly $32,000 in cash at that location. One person was arrested on one count of possession of slot machines and keeping a gambling house.
The other illegal operation was at the Lucky Arcade at South Duncan Drive. Another 47 illegal slot machines and one fish table were seized by agents at that location along with more than $30,000 in cash. Another person was arrested at the South Duncan Drive location on a count of keeping a gambling establishment.
“We are grateful for the collaboration with (Tavares Police) Chief Sarah Coursey and her outstanding team,” said Florida Gaming Control Commission Acting Executive Director Ross Marshman. “Illegal casinos continue to be a concern in Florida’s communities, and we are glad to shut the doors on these two criminal enterprises.”
To operate slot machines legally in Florida, establishments need to get a license. Most of those sites are in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and are operated by the six Seminole Tribes that run Florida’s legal operations.
The latest bust by gaming and law enforcement officials comes as Marshman himself has been lobbying for increased authority and commitment by the state to help crack down on a rise in illegal gaming operations.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has pledged more funding to be considered at the beginning of this year’s Regular Session, including money to regulate and license legal gaming in the state.
The planned spending earmarked for the Gaming Commission includes $748,000 for technology. That tech allocation would fund investigations into illegal gambling outfits in Florida, similar to a crackdown announced in early February that sought to stem overseas illegal gambling organizations infiltrating Florida.
