Two Florida Men Arrested for Operating Illegal Casino
Written by Renee K | Thursday, July 15th, 2010
For a Port Charlotte, Florida video arcade, slot machines could mean jail time. Josue Joel Molina, 33, and Gustavo Ernesto Ortiz-Moran, 23 have been arrested after a sting operation by undercover detectives. While slot machines aren’t illegal under Florida state laws, the conditions required to secure a license mean that casual arcades can’t operate cash slots. Moreover, according to state records, no permit has been issued in Charlotte County, the county which housed the Max Video Arcade.
While many arcade games mimic casino games, and often prizes such as toys, trinkets, and even electronics are given in exchange for tickets or tokens at arcades, most states require a casino or gambling license for an establishment to give any cash prizes. At the Max Video Arcade, the prizes were reported to be in cash, which sparked an investigation.
In order to be certain of their case, an undercover detective purchased a play card for $20, then played until he won $1. The following week, a different detective went to the MAX Video Arcade and informed the operator, Molina, in writing, that he was violating the law. Molina denied this.
Last Friday, detectives went back to the arcade, played some more at the slot machines, and cashed out $43. According to the detective, the arcade attendant gave no trouble in cashing in the detective’s winnings, and said that winnings were always paid in cash.
After the weekend, authorities went to the Max Video Arcade and arrested Molina on charges of keeping a gambling house. Ortiz-Moran’s charge was “being the agent of a keeper of a gambling house.” Both men have been released on bail, and the slot machines have not been confiscated.
Even those who agree that slots should be legal have a difficult time with cases like this one. Arcades are often frequented by children and teens. These youngsters are easily drawn in by the allure of making money. Even if the arcade tries to prevent underage use of the machines, the effort is likely to be half-hearted at best.
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· Written by Renee K · Filed Under Poker News · Comments Off
