Preying On Elderly And Disabled Gamblers Leads To Texas Arrests

Gambling raids around the US have become almost as common as gambling itself. The latest raid took place at businesses in Montgomery County, Texas, where illegal eight-liner gaming machines were found.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Special Investigation Unit served search warrants at two separate businesses. The businesses were located on Highway 59 in Porter, Texas, and Loop 494 in Porter. During the search, eight employees were arrested and charged with gambling related crimes.

Citations were also issued to almost fifty customers that were gambling at the machines inside the two locations. The majority of the customers listed themselves as either retired, disabled, or on social security. Other professed on the citations that they were unemployed.

"These illegal gambling operations usually target the elderly, no matter where in the US they are found," said Gaming Analyst Brad Dawkins. "It is the retired community that has the time and the money to sit in front of the machines all day and gamble. In many cases, the gamblers become good friends with the workers who operate the gaming establishments."

In the raids that took place in Texas on Thursday, $13,000 was seized by authorities. The eight-liner machines, and forty-five mother boards were also confiscated. The employees that were arrested were from all different areas, and ranged in age from twenty-three to forty-eight.

Later in the day on Thursday police raided a home poker game in North Carolina. Police agencies across the US have been busy in the past year trying to rid their jurisdictions of illegal gambling. The most popular businesses to raid in recent months have been Internet cafes.

August 21, 2010
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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