The parties over for me!!!

[luckydog]

The government takes all the fun out of things, no more Cherrymasters or Visa gift cards for me.

Manatee County shuts down illegal gaming houses

BRADENTON - A five-month illegal gambling probe culminated with a handful of arrests Monday as search warrants were executed at 16 businesses in and around Bradenton.

Manatee County Sheriff's Deputies say they've been investigating these gaming businesses for about five months now, and on Monday they had enough information to go in and shut them all down.

They way these places work is that you put your money into the slot machines in the same normal fashion, but if you win you are given money in the form of gift cards. Those gift cards are for places like Wal-Mart or even for Visa, which is essentially like a debit card.

That's where the law gets tricky. Local law says you cannot receive cash rewards for gambling, but deputies say a debit card is the same as cash and therefore illegal.

But by shutting these places down they've upset many of the people who frequent them.

Many of these gaming places have been around for a few years now, but deputies say they've noticed they've gotten out of hand this past year. That's why they say they began this investigation.

Deputies did make a few arrests, but didn't arrest any of the gamblers, only managers and owners. According to a Manatee County Sheriff's Office report those charged are facing third-degree felony counts for keeping a gambling house. A large amount of slot machines and a significant amount of cash was confiscated from the establishments were the search warrants were executed.

Money and equipment was seized from the following businesses:

- Pot of Gold: 9516 Cortez Road.
- Lucky's: 303 301 Blvd. W.
- Gold Rush: 5108 15 Street E.
- Spin A Mania: 1127 53 Avenue W.
- Pair of Dice: 1408 55 Avenue W.
- Player's Club: 5149 14 Street W.
- Jokers Wild: 6513 14 Street W.
- Lucky Spinners: 2004 43 Street W.
- Spin N' Win: 6412 14 Street W.
- Reel Time: 5108 14 Street W.
- Bingo Land: 6832 14 Street W.
- Lucky Stars: 6245 14 Street W.
- RJ's Coin: 7920 14 Street W.
- Orange Blossom: 445 Cortez Rd. W.
- Bradenton Arc: 5854 14 Street W.
- Tropical Arcade: 4525 14 Street W.

The names of the arrested individuals will be released as they become available.

[Sid]

Bummer LD!!!

Hmmmm.. maybe you should open your own LD's Pachi Fun park,
no cash rewards just a small admission fee, kinda like an internet cafe
charge a fee per hour..
Just let people come and play they have fun and the pachi experience...

maybe work out a side deal with a vendor.. have a few featured machines for sale. etc etc

you certainly got the equipment......

[MrGneiss]

[Random_Hajile]

I'd be interested to know how things got 'out of hand'... Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I mean the USA and UK are run as democracies, but the police seem to be their own little dictatorships... Visa Gift Card... Not cash... Not a debit card, either... Debit cards can be taken into a negative balance... Gift cards cannot... And I'll stop there before I get myself worked up and go off an a huge rant...

[drcrippen324]

Hey LD theres the 666 curse we were only talking how fun they were and what a good idea those places were last nite

[Tony Junior]

How disgusting. "We're from the goverment, and we're here to protect you from yourselves because you're too stupid to know what you want."

So sorry Lucky!

[fhagar]

It's too bad the government has to get involved in things that are working ok and bothering no one. It's also strange how long it takes them to make a move. Perhaps someone missed a payment to the police!:06:

[Tulsa]

and people wonder why we don't support converting our toys to take real money...

[Tony Junior]

Can someone please explain to me how these stuffed animal/toys grabber machines that you see all over the place are not considered a "gambling device?"

You pays your money and you may or may not win a prize.

[RKnarr01]

lucky,

do you get charged any kind of tax on your winnings?

[dattia]

Sorry Luckydog, I know how much you enjoyed going to them. I'm crying for you!

[alstonj1]

the explanation is simple if Uncle SAM gets a piece of the pie its legit if not its gambling and immoral and bad for you .......anybody going thru with drawl i still have a video poker machine available .......with a little work i can make it a 8-liner for about $100.00 extra....

[logicprobe]

Perhaps someone missed a payment to the police!:06:

That was my first thought, too.
And it got "out of hand" this past year?
Nooo... just didn't make it INTO the hand. A governmental spin of words.
Sorry, LD.

[slotter]

Just stupid. I'm sorry, Lucky. This really s*cks.

[johntofva]

Gee.....I wonder if you can buy the confiscated machines. There is always a silver lining.

[luckydog]

No taxes on winnings under $1099.00.

The county issued permits to open all these places legally , with up to 50 machines in each.

They even issued permits during the last 6 months the police claim they were investagiting. a few new places just opened.

The sherrif's dept gets to keep all the cash and gift cards they confiscated and most likely will destroy all the machines.

some of these places have been in business for close to 3 years and now its illegal

The owners of these places followed all the rules to get permits and invested at least 100,000.00 each and now they are arrested and lost it all.

A lot of retired poeple liked to go and have some fun, it was just a short trip compared to going on the boats for 1/2 day.

free meals and snacks at nite and free beer and soda all day.

I've seem people in wheelchairs, walkers and with oxygen tanks having a little fun in thier lives and the government takes a little bit of pleasure away because they don't get a cut of it

[johntofva]

I agree lucky. It is a shame...... But I wonder how many retired people spent money they didn't have.

[Sid]

I agree John, casinos and things like this are wonderful places to go and have a bit of fun. maybe win a little money maybe lose a bit..

sadly some people get the shine in their eyes that they are gonna take the house down... and end up losing money they couldnt afford to lose..

its a double edged sword..

[slotter]

Seems to me it's up to the people to either play or not play, win or lose. It's not up to the government to be protecting them from themselves. People should be responsible for their own choices, whether good or bad.

[Tulsa]

[you] was just telling me that if you don't cross their palms with some green, they'll get you every time. The fact the Sheriff's department gets to keep what they confiscate is producing an incentive base that we really don't need in our local law enforcement.