111 Illegal Slot Machines and $37K Seized in Lee County

Deputies in Lee County shut down three illegal gambling spots, seizing 111 slot machines and nearly $37,000 in cash during coordinated raidsImage Source: Shutterstock.com

The Lee County Sheriff’s Officeshut down three illegal gambling operations on Wednesday, seizing more than $36,000 in cash and over 100 slot machines.

Over 100 Illegal Slot Machines Discovered 

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies from the Narcotics Unit worked with the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) to raid three locations in Lee County: Miscue Lounge, Vegas Knights, and Royal Arcade. 

Investigators say all three were running unauthorized gamblingsetups that let customers play slot machines for real cash payouts, which violates local law.

At Miscue Lounge, police officers confiscated a total of 10 slot machinesand also issued a notice to appear(NTA), which is a legal document used to initiate court proceedings.

The operation at Vegas Knights led to a larger haul, with deputies seizing $21,679 in cashand 48 machines. The biggest collection came from Royal Arcade, where $15,209 and 53 slot machines were ngaken.

In total, the coordinated raids resulted in the removal of 111 machinesand nearly $37,000in illegal gambling proceeds. The sheriff’s office says investigations into the operations are ongoing.

Similar Raids Across the Country

At the start of the month, we reported on a similarly large operation focused on the sale of drugs and illegal gambling in Monticello, Kentucky. The multi-agency operation, made possible with the help of the FBI and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, led to two arrests after police searched several addresses across the city. 

Toward the end of March, we spoke about three different locations in Tallahassee that also became the targets of an investigation led by the FGCC together with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Then, investigators seized over 100 gambling machines that were in full operation despite lacking the necessary license, as well as approximately $20,000 in cash.

In February, the FGCC issued cease-and-desist letters to the daily fantasy sports operators that were offering or accepting illegal bets or wagers from Floridians.