Video Gambling Raid Nets Fourteen Arrests In Chamblee, Georgia

Video gambling machines have become a popular fixture in convenience stores and gas stations around the US. While many of these operations are legal, some are paying out cash prizes, which makes their existence illegal.

In Chamblee, Georgia, authorities raided four different locations and arrested fourteen people in conjunction with illegal video gambling machine operations. In one case, undercover officers found that up to $20,000 in cash was being paid for a winning spin.

"Every single place that we raided was giving out cash," said Chamblee Police Captain Michael Beller, "With all of these game machines, not one of 'em had a coin slot. They take ones, fives, tens, twenties, fifties, and hundreds."

Most video machines these days in casinos around the country do not take coins anymore. The technology of the machines has advanced, and gamblers now understand that they will have to bring paper money if they wish to gamble.

Of the fourteen people charged in the raids, twelve are facing felony commercial gambling charges. The other two will be looking at misdemeanor gambling. The patrons doing the gambling were spared arrest, while the owners of the establishments and their managers who were paying out winners in cash were arrested.

There has been a large amount of these video gambling operation busts across the South this year. Authorities in Florida, Georgia, Texas, and Alabama have all been busy monitoring businesses that are offering the video gambling machines to their customers.

October 19, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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