Today, detectives from the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Florida Gaming Control Commission, conducted a raid at Moonlight Arcade in Roseland, Florida.
“These arcade machines are not regulated and the odds are stacked against our good-intentioned citizens in a predatory way. Our team has been working hard to shutter the doors of the few remaining arcades left in Indian River County,” Sheriff Eric Flowers said.
The arcade, situated in the Riverwalk Shopping Center at 13429 US Highway 1, was targeted following allegations of operating as an illegal gambling establishment.
Flowers said the arcade had previously been warned to halt its operations due to illegal gambling activities. Despite temporarily closing, the arcade resumed its unlawful practices. The operation led to the confiscation of over 60 gaming machines.
Daniel DeCoursey, the Chief of Law Enforcement at the Florida Gaming Control Commission, indicated that the arcade owner might face fines of up to $10,000 per machine.
Flowers expressed his concerns about such arcades in the county. Initially appealing as leisure spots for seniors, he says, these venues have reportedly transformed into centers for drug-related activities and other crimes, including robbery and theft.
The Sheriff’s office is actively working to close the remaining illegal arcades in the area and is advocating for a county ordinance to prohibit these establishments.
