- Florida tore through 39 unlicensed casinos across four counties, stripping out 525 gaming machines and close to $200,000 in the process.
- Eight illegal casinos across Sacramento County collapsed under a yearlong probe, with rigged gambling equipment and cash seized throughout.
- Lawmakers in both states are pressing for stiffer consequences, citing lenient charges as the driving force behind illegal casinos resurfacing.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Law enforcement came down hard on Friday, ripping apart illegal casino operations across Florida and California. They tore down dozens of unlicensed gambling spots that had been running quietly inside neighborhood bars, gas stations, and nail salons.
Attorney General James Uthmeier of Florida announced the findings of a two-day sting operation that closed 39 illegal casinos in the counties of Volusia, Brevard, Duval, and Flagler. 525 gambling machines and about $200,000 in cash were seized by the authorities. The bust was the biggest crackdown on unauthorized casino activities in Florida's history, according to officials.
These temporary casinos were erected at locations such as Murphy's Bar, Buzzard's Roost, a BP gas station, and even Onyx Nails, a nail salon. These enterprises had no monitoring and were closely linked to human trafficking, drug smuggling, and money laundering, in contrast to Florida's legal casinos, which are governed and licensed by the state.
The illegal gambling machines, according to officials, were also rigged against players and hardly ever paid out because they were put up solely to benefit the house. Elderly people with limited incomes made up a large portion of the victims, and they had no way of understanding that the games were set up to prevent them from winning.
The Florida legislature is currently being pressured by Attorney General Uthmeier to make illegal casino charges felonies rather than misdemeanors. Senate Bill 1580, which was submitted back in January, aims to directly address the issue of lax punishments, which officials cited as the primary cause of unlicensed casinos continuing to reappear.
California's Illegal Casino Network Ran For Nearly Two Years
Across the country, a separate investigation was quietly reaching its conclusion. While pursuing a separate suspect in South Sacramento in April 2025, Sacramento County investigators discovered an illegal casino ring. The discovery of gaming machines, customers, and cash inside sparked an inquiry that lasted for almost a year.
Detectives discovered eight unlicensed casinos hidden within residential districts when search warrants were served on February 19, 2026, at least two of which were located near nearby schools. Theaplus Osborne, 47, the alleged mastermind, was taken into custody along with a number of accomplices.
After conducting raids on the properties, investigators found 16 firearms, more than $100,000 in cash, 13 gaming machines, and more than 60 laptops used for illegal gambling activity. Over $1.4 million was transferred through fake accounts maintained by the network. These underground establishments operated without any of the stringent licensing requirements and consumer protections that apply to legal casinos in California.
Officials in both jurisdictions directed citizens seeking to place legal wagers to go to the best legal casinos and state-approved platforms, which return tax revenue to local infrastructure and public schools.