FORT MYERS, FL. -- Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the results of a multi-day operation targeting illegal gaming operations today. The operation spanned Lee and Collier counties and resulted in the seizure of 479 illegal machines and $294,150 in illicit proceeds, along with 11 arrests.
“Illegal gambling operations pose a threat to public safety and undermine our compact with the Seminole Tribe, which provides billions of dollars to the state to protect our environmental resources,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “These illegal casinos fuel larger criminal enterprises that contribute to drug and human trafficking. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to shut down all illegal gaming operations across the state.”
“I want to thank Attorney General James Uthmeier, Gaming Control Commission Chair Julie Brown, and their respective offices for their partnership in keeping our community safe,” said Collier County Sheriff Kevin Rambosk. “These illegal and unregulated gambling businesses and machines provide zero consumer protections, no guarantee of fair play, and no recourse if an operator simply disappears with their money. Unregulated machines take advantage of customers. Make no mistake–these are not harmless establishments.”
“This coordinated, multi-agency effort led by the Florida Gaming Control Commission, working alongside the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Attorney General’s Office shows the residents of Southwest Florida that we are a law-and-order state,” said Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno.
This was a joint operation led by the Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Florida Gaming Control Commission have led a statewide crackdown on illegal gaming operations, seizing 3,114 illegal machines and $1.7 million, and arresting 81 individuals involved in unlawful gambling.
The Attorney General also notified payment processors that their facilitation of illegal online gaming may implicate Florida’s RICO act. To view a copy of the letter sent to Visa, click here.
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