The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations division has mounted a new operation that resulted in the arrests of several individuals as well as the seizure of 230 illegal gambling machines.
Florida Cracks Down on Illegal Gambling with 230 Machines Seized
Conducted in Florida, in collaboration with various other agencies, including the Florida Gaming Control Commission, investigators and response teams raided three locations across Jacksonville and Orange Park, and seized 23 fish tables, 230 illegal slot machines, and other paraphernalia tied to the operations.
At least two women are suspected of having been arrested, but no details about their identities were provided in the official press statement. Homeland Security saw ICE’s criminal investigators carry out the raids on December 11, 2025, leading to the arrests as well as seizures of items.
The operation was dubbed “Operation Funny Money,” with FGCG executive director Alana Zimmer welcoming the development and arguing that the regulator was constantly on the lookout to help dismantle illegal gambling.
Florida is looking to toughen its stance on illegal gambling in 2026, with the state already planning stricter measures against both land-based and online gambling.
Deterrence May Not Be Ideal – Expansion of Legal Options Likely Better
One of the floated ideas is to criminalize the activity, meaning that offenders will face much harsher penalties, and potentially dissuade people from engaging in such behavior.
However, tougher penalties are not necessarily linked to deterrence, as multiple studies have shown. Operators of illegal gambling machines continue to proliferate in the state, with legal options limited.
A far better approach than criminalizing such operations could be the stimulation of a vibrant local market of regulated machines, which leaves the underbelly operators exposed to competition as they struggle to catch up to modern devices, games, and payouts.