Three adult arcades raided on Treasure Coast since May.
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ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Another adult arcade was raided Tuesday with Sheriff's officials seizing 56 machines and making more than 10 arrests, as part of a gambling bust, Sheriff Ken Mascara said Wednesday.
The raid at Treasure Bay Arcade, at the 6600 block of North U.S. 1 in northern St. Lucie County's Lakewood Park, follows a Sept. 14 raid at Rio Arcade in the 6600 block of South U.S. 1 just south of Kitterman Road.
Here's which arcades have been raided and where gambling is legal in Florida.
How many adult arcades have been raided on the Treasure Coast?
The Florida Gaming Control Commission has been partnering with local law enforcement agencies across the state to follow through with the raids.
On the Treasure Coast, three arcades have been raided, as of Sept. 28.
What is illegal about gambling in Florida?
If an arcade game includes a randomized element — such as a random chance as to which prize players can win, even if the outcome relies on skill — it's considered a game of chance making it illegal under regulations against slot machines, according to the Florida Gaming Control Commission.
Any type of cash payout is illegal — and most adult arcades have cash payouts, according to Eric Carr, commission spokesperson.
Where is gambling legal in Florida?
Legal gaming facilities in Florida include the following:
- Licensed parimutuel facilities with horse racing, harness horse racing, simulcast Greyhound racing, jai alai games and/or card room poker games
- Facilities operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida
- Bingo, raffles and drawings of chance offered by certain organizations, such as charitable, nonprofit, fraternal and veterans’ organizations exempt from federal taxation
Slot machines became illegal as of July 1 last year, except at 15 approved casinos, because the Legislature approved a Gaming Compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in May 2021. This gave the Native American tribe almost exclusive rights to most gambling activities.
These are the 15 sites:
- Hard Rock Tampa
- Seminole Casino Brighton
- Seminole Casino Immokalee
- Seminole Casino Coconut Creek
- Seminole Classic Casino Hollywood
- Hard Rock Hollywood
- Miccosukee Casino & Resort, Miami
- Harrah's Pompano Beach
- The Casino at Dania Beach
- The Big Easy Casino, Hallandale Beach
- Gulfstream Park Racing, Hallandale Beach
- Calder Casino, Miami Gardens
- Hialeah Park Casino
- Casino Miami
- Magic City Casino, Miami
Arcades offering video or physical games of skill that allow you to win tokens or tickets to be exchanged for prizes are covered by Florida's Family Amusement Games Act, so heading out to Chuck E. Cheese or Dave & Buster's is fine.
Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on Twitter @gonthescene.
