Authorities in Volusia County have conducted a crackdown on illegal gambling operations as part of a wider regional effort. The Volusia Sheriff’s Office worked with the Florida Gaming Control Commission and Attorney General James Uthmeier to target illicit gaming activities across the area.
During the operation, detectives visited seven locations in Volusia County, where they seized approximately $97,000 in cash and confiscated 225 unregulated gambling machines. According to officials, some of these machines were designed so that winning was impossible. Law enforcement stated that profits from these enterprises are often sent overseas and may be linked to crimes such as money laundering, drug smuggling, and human trafficking.
Regionally, Operation Reel of Fortune focused on 39 locations. Authorities reported seizing around $190,000 in cash and removing 525 gambling machines from circulation.
The specific sites targeted in Volusia County included Stop & Save at 1020 S. Nova Road in Ormond Beach; Old Papi’s Bar at 1376 N. Nova Road in Daytona Beach; Old Glenwood Grocery at 2534 N. Spring Garden Ave., DeLand; Preview Games at 2411 Enterprise Road, Orange City; Sea Drift Sports Bar at 1368 Ocean Shore Blvd., Ormond Beach; Buzzard’s Roost at 2748 Elkcam Blvd., Deltona; and Murphy’s Bar at 1200 Deltona Blvd., Deltona.
“These machines are unregulated and in some cases, set to be impossible to win. Profits from these illegal enterprises are shipped overseas and connect to money laundering, drug smuggling, human trafficking and other criminal activity,” according to law enforcement officials.
