Police Harass The Elderly In Latest Illegal Gambling Bust

When it comes to illegal gambling activities, there are those that are run by organized crime, and then there are those that provide a service to the elderly of a community. The latter has landed the owner of an arcade in trouble.

Play Time Arcade in Parkin, Arkansas, is a location where many elderly people go to have some fun. They play some electronic machines, and they pass the time away. That will not be happening anymore.

Authorities have decided that the machines in Play Time Arcade are illegal, and they raided the arcade on Friday. They did not arrest anyone, but twenty-five people, most of whom were elderly women, were cited.

"It's just getting a little ridiculous that our tax money is going to fund these operations that are ending with no arrests," said observer Nelson Bellows, "budget cuts are happening everywhere and school funding is being cut, but states have the money to fund gambling raids where nobody is arrested."

The Play Time Arcade had been investigated by undercover agents. The Arkansas Tobacco Control Board, Cross County sheriff's deputies, and Parkin police carried out the raid on Friday night.

It has become a popular practice around the US to seek out and raid establishments that are running illegal gambling machines. The owners of many of these establishments believe the machines are legal, and they have been proven right by judges across the nation.

Other judges, however, have found the machines to be a violation of the law. Every state has different laws that govern the electronic gaming machines.

May 11, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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