ReportWire

Tag: parimutuel

  • Florida Gaming Regulator Doubles Down on Illegal Gambling Raids

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    Posted on: January 6, 2026, 02:00h. 

    Last updated on: January 5, 2026, 04:03h.

    • Florida gaming regulators seized over $14 million from illegal gambling businesses in 2025
    • The state also confiscated 6,725 unregulated gambling machines last year

    The countless illegal gambling rooms across Florida have been put on notice that their illicit businesses are being targeted by law enforcement.

    Florida gambling illegal casino arcade
    The Triple Cherry Arcade in Ft. Myers is an illegal gambling outfit disguised as an arcade. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is calling on state lawmakers to increase penalties for running an illegal gambling operation from misdemeanors to felonies. (Image: Google Maps)

    The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) is the chief gaming regulator of all forms of lawful casino gambling, parimutuel wagering, and sports betting in the Sunshine State. The agency’s mission is to “preserve and protect” the integrity of gaming activities, including criminal investigation and enforcement.

    The gaming regulator says its raids last year of unregulated gambling parlors, often masquerading as arcades, resulted in the seizure of $14,474,336. The regulator doubled the roughly $7.1 million it seized from illegal casinos in 2024.

    “I thank Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature for their ongoing support of the Florida Gaming Control Commission. Their actions strengthen Florida’s gambling laws and help protect our communities,” said FGCC Executive Director Alana Zimmer.

    “The FGCC has been working diligently to halt illegal gambling through enforcement actions across the state, demonstrating the dedication of FGCC’s law enforcement officers,” Zimmer added.

    Record Crackdown

    Along with the more than $14.4 million in seized money, the FGCC says it captured a record 6,725 illegal slot machines during the enforcement actions last year. The department seized only 1,287 illegal gaming terminals in the prior year.

    Such gaming machines are not tested or regulated by the state for fair play and consumer safeguards. Players have no assurances that the machines pay, with some machines found programmed to pay out far below slot machines found inside Seminole and Hard Rock casinos.

    The FGCC and state Attorney General James Uthmeier are hopeful that 2026 is the year when state lawmakers elevate penalties for running an illegal gambling business. Currently, violators are subjected to only misdemeanor charges.

    It’s not enough of a deterrent. I encourage the Florida Legislature to pursue heightened criminal penalties and increase the current misdemeanor charge to a felony,” Uthmeier said in November.

    “Not only does it violate our state’s rule of law and put our consumers at risk, but it often breeds other illicit acts, like human and drug trafficking, money laundering, and racketeering,” the AG continued.

    Retirees Targeted 

    With Florida home to one of the largest retiree populations in the country, many schemers have preyed on the older people with illegal gambling arcades where the machines rarely hit big. In September, Casino.org reported on one such arcade near The Villages that reportedly won over $24 million from players in just a few years.

    Right now, people can stand to make millions off unlawful gambling operations and just end up with a slap on the wrist,” Uthmeier said.

    Slot machines are limited to eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, along with casinos owned by the Seminole Tribe. For a list of legal, regulated slot machine locations, click here.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • Is Horse Racing Rigged to Benefit a Select Few?

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    Posted on: October 31, 2025, 02:23h. 

    Last updated on: October 31, 2025, 02:48h.

    • A proposed class-action lawsuit in federal court alleges horse racing is rigged to benefit a select few
    • The litigation claims computer-assisted wagering platform wrongs ordinary bettors

    A proposed class-action lawsuit filed in New York’s Eastern District Court against several of the horse racing industry’s biggest players levies allegations that the companies have colluded to rig betting outcomes through computer-assisted wagering (CAW) schemes.

    horse racing rigged Stronach Churchill
    Elegant hats and fancy attire are pictured at a horse race. A lawsuit filed in federal court claims that betting on horse racing is rigged to benefit a select few, including the tracks and their cohorts. (Image: Shutterstock)

    Hagens Berman, a Seattle-based nationally recognized law firm known for its class-action lawsuits, filed the complaint in New York on behalf of lead plaintiff Ryan Dickey and other similarly situated individuals.

    Dickey is a Colorado resident with an extensive history of wagering on thoroughbred racing for the past two decades. Dickey claims to have previously resided in Kentucky, where he wagered about $100 per week on racing, primarily through TwinSpires, an advanced deposit wagering (ADW) business owned by Churchill Downs, Inc..

    Dickey’s lawyers claim that the defendants have conspired to exploit so-called “ordinary bettors” like their client through so-called “Insider Betting Groups.” The groups allegedly consist of wealthy bettors who benefit from using algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI), and other inside information to transfer “billions to a small group of inside bettors and the operators of racetracks and betting platforms.” 

    Case Allegations

    The complaint describes CAW as “high-volume parimutuel betting done by professional teams using models, direct tote connections, and automation to fire thousands of highly targeted bets — often in the final seconds before pools close.”

    The litigation says the CAW schemes monitor real-time pricing and data, with the AI computing fair odds in real time and pouncing when an attractive opening arises. The high-volume wagering facilitators often are provided lower fees from tracks and ADW operators, and have privileged connections for faster bet placement.

    The case named Elite Turf Club, a CAW that is 80% owned by Stronach Group and 20% by the New York Racing Association (NYRA). Velocity Wagering is another defendant. Velocity is a CAW owned by Churchill Downs.

    AmTote, the largest betting processor in North America, is additionally named as a defendant. AmTote is essentially a clearinghouse for parimutuel wagering. It handles more than $15 billion in bets annually. AmTote is a Stronach subsidiary.  

    The lawsuit seeks compensatory and treble damages as allowed under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. 

    Stronach Seeks Dismissal

    In a joint statement, Elite Turf Club and AmTote called the horse racing lawsuit naming them as defendants “meritless.”

    The lawsuit fundamentally misrepresents the nature of computer-assisted wagering and the role Elite Turf Club and AmTote have in operating, managing, and regulating wagering activity. CAW is a long-standing industry, federal- and state-regulated component of the North American and global parimutuel wagering system. All participation in CAW is subject to the same pool rules, tote system audits, and state regulatory approvals that govern all other forms of wagering,” the companies said.

    “Claims that CAWs receive an unfair advantage are unfounded and ignore the safeguards built into the regulatory and technological framework for racing,” the release continued.

    Churchill Downs hasn’t yet commented on the litigation.

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    Devin O’Connor

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