The Cape Coral Police Department, along with officers from the Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC), raided six gaming arcades and seized 428 gambling machines and more than $540,000 in cash, the department said in a press release on Friday.
“These businesses were found to prey upon vulnerable populations, particularly elderly residents struggling with gambling addiction. Preliminary analysis revealed that the illegal machines were deliberately calibrated to ensure consistent losses for patrons, further exploiting those at risk,” the release stated.
The businesses are owned and operated by Jackpot Island Arcade, Inc., which is registered in Cape Coral to Faisal Khan as president, Bhavani Shekhawat as vice president, and Syed A. Ali Shah as company secretary.
Police add that the machines were calibrated to ensure constant losses to keep users coming back for more. FGCC officials note that machines must be calibrated to 85 percent or higher to result in payouts to players, but the Jackpot Island machines were set at only 18 percent, ABC News reported.
Regulators reported that the raid in Cape Coral is part of a larger, state-wide effort to curtail illegal gambling in the Sunshine State. So far, more than 1,000 machines and up to $3.5 million have been seized since 2023.
“The FGCC will continue to work diligently to keep Florida communities safe from crime by curbing illegal gaming, and we appreciate the public’s help in identifying suspected illegal gambling sites,” said Carl Herold, FGCC’s Director of Law Enforcement.
“Every dollar wagered on illicit slot machines is revenue diverted from the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund, which finances education for the next generation in Florida,” added Lou Trombetta, Executive Director of FGCC.
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