TLDR
- Manatee County approved a new ordinance on Tuesday banning unauthorized simulated gambling devices in unincorporated areas.
- Florida regulators seized 6,725 illegal slot machines and $14.47 million in 2025, more than five times the machines seized in 2024.
- So far in 2026, the state has seized 3,959 illegal slot machines and about $3.15 million in illicit funds.
- Regulators say some operators move or reopen after raids because first offenses are only misdemeanors.
- A bill to toughen penalties passed both chambers in different forms but died before the 2026 session ended.
Manatee County commissioners unanimously approved a new ordinance on Tuesday aimed at unauthorized simulated gambling devices. The move adds another local tool to Florida’s growing crackdown on illegal gambling.
State regulators say a key problem remains. Some operators shut down after raids, then move or reopen somewhere else.
Raids and Seizures Keep Climbing
The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) seized 6,725 illegal slot machines and $14.47 million in 2025. That was more than five times the 1,287 machines seized in 2024. Seized funds more than doubled from $7.11 million.
Enforcement has stayed high this year. The FGCC has seized 3,959 illegal slot machines and $3,147,069 in illicit funds so far in 2026.
In July, the commission said it had closed 184 illegal gambling arcades and made 177 arrests over the prior 12 months.
Southwest Florida has been a main focus. A June operation seized 479 machines in Lee and Collier counties, and a May raid took 265 machines in Manatee County. Sarasota County operations seized 69 machines in May and 76 in August.
Other raids reached across the state. A February operation seized 525 machines at 39 locations, and authorities took 163 machines from two St. Petersburg arcades in September.
Weak Penalties Remain the Main Issue
Under current law, a first conviction for illegal slot machine violations is a second-degree misdemeanor. A second conviction is a first-degree misdemeanor. Only a third offense becomes a felony.
“They’re going to get a slap on the wrist and move to another location,” Brown, speaking for the FGCC, told Gambling Insider in June. She said some operators treat fines and lost machines as a cost of doing business.
The FGCC confirmed this week that the problem continues. “Some illegal gambling operators continue to relocate or resume operations after enforcement action,” the commission said.
Lawmakers came close to changing the law this year. Sen. Jonathan Martin’s SB 1580 proposed tougher penalties for gambling-house and illegal slot machine crimes, plus a temporary machine-surrender program.
The Senate passed the bill 34-0. The House amended it and approved its version 82-31, but the Senate did not agree before adjournment and the bill died.
Several other bills, including HB 189 and SB 204, also failed. The FGCC says tougher criminal penalties remain a top priority for the 2027 session.
The Legislature did approve two new FGCC enforcement units in May, including one based in Sarasota County. Brown said 48 law enforcement agencies now work with the commission.
The new Manatee County ordinance allows cease-and-desist orders and civil citations. Its criminal penalties are still misdemeanors, so it does not create the felony-level punishment the FGCC wants.
The county also approved an agreement with the sheriff’s office to coordinate enforcement. “The intent here is let’s make it more difficult for these to just pop up,” said sheriff’s spokesperson Randy Warren.
