- Florida gaming regulators seized greater than $14 million from unlawful playing companies in 2025
- The state additionally confiscated 6,725 unregulated playing machines final 12 months
The numerous unlawful playing rooms throughout Florida have been placed on discover that their illicit companies are being focused by regulation enforcement.
The Triple Cherry Arcade in Ft. Myers is an unlawful playing outfit disguised as an arcade. Florida Legal professional Common James Uthmeier is looking on state lawmakers to extend penalties for operating an unlawful playing operation from misdemeanors to felonies. (Picture: Google Maps)
The Florida Gaming Management Fee (FGCC) is the chief gaming regulator of all types of lawful on line casino playing, parimutuel wagering, and sports activities betting within the Sunshine State. The company’s mission is to “protect and defend” the integrity of gaming actions, together with prison investigation and enforcement.
The gaming regulator says its raids final 12 months of unregulated playing parlors, typically masquerading as arcades, resulted within the seizure of $14,474,336. The regulator doubled the roughly $7.1 million it seized from unlawful casinos in 2024.
“I thank Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for his or her ongoing help of the Florida Gaming Management Fee. Their actions strengthen Florida’s playing legal guidelines and assist defend our communities,” mentioned FGCC Government Director Alana Zimmer.
“The FGCC has been working diligently to halt unlawful playing by way of enforcement actions throughout the state, demonstrating the dedication of FGCC’s regulation enforcement officers,” Zimmer added.
File Crackdown
Together with the greater than $14.4 million in seized cash, the FGCC says it captured a document 6,725 unlawful slot machines through the enforcement actions final 12 months. The division seized just one,287 unlawful gaming terminals within the prior 12 months.
Such gaming machines aren’t examined or regulated by the state for truthful play and client safeguards. Gamers don’t have any assurances that the machines pay, with some machines discovered programmed to pay out far beneath slot machines discovered inside Seminole and Arduous Rock casinos.
The FGCC and state Legal professional Common James Uthmeier are hopeful that 2026 is the 12 months when state lawmakers elevate penalties for operating an unlawful playing enterprise. Presently, violators are subjected to solely misdemeanor expenses.
It’s not sufficient of a deterrent. I encourage the Florida Legislature to pursue heightened prison penalties and enhance the present misdemeanor cost to a felony,” Uthmeier mentioned in November.
“Not solely does it violate our state’s rule of regulation and put our shoppers in danger, but it surely typically breeds different illicit acts, like human and drug trafficking, cash laundering, and racketeering,” the AG continued.
Retirees Focused
With Florida dwelling to one of many largest retiree populations within the nation, many schemers have preyed on the older individuals with unlawful playing arcades the place the machines not often hit massive. In September, On line casino.org reported on one such arcade close to The Villages that reportedly received greater than $24 million from gamers in only a few years.
Proper now, individuals can stand to make tens of millions off illegal playing operations and simply find yourself with a slap on the wrist,” Uthmeier mentioned.
Slot machines are restricted to eight licensed parimutuel amenities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, together with casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe. For a listing of authorized, regulated slot machine areas, click here.
