Law enforcement shuts down adult arcade with illegal slot machines in Fort Pierce

Laurie K. Blandford, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Updated ·3 min read
2

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — An adult arcade in Fort Pierce with illegal slot machines has been shut down — the first of what will be many on the Treasure Coast.

Midway Arcade, 4986 S. 25th St., was served a search warrant about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday as part of a statewide raid by Florida Gaming Control Commission officials working with local law enforcement, said Special Agent Robert Bethea. An arrest warrant also was issued for the owner, who wasn't there at the time.

“We just talked with the patrons," Bethea said. "We came in real casual, nothing crazy.”

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Agents executed search warrants simultaneously in Fort Pierce, Delray Beach, St. Petersburg and Tampa, targeting illegal gambling operations at adult arcades and seizing more than $1 million in assets, cash, slot-style gaming machines, computers and ATMs.

In Fort Pierce, movers from Lauren Florida Trucks in Palm Bay spent Tuesday afternoon loading the machines.

The slot machines seized from the arcades were going to be taken to various warehouses across the state where officials planned to store them for evidence until the case goes to trial, said commission spokesperson Eric Carr, and then the machines would be destroyed.

Here’s how many machines were removed Tuesday from each arcade:

  • Fort Pierce: 93

  • Delray Beach: 120

  • Tampa Bay: 44

  • St. Petersburg: 103

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One of the people arrested in connection with Midway Arcade was 57-year-old Alexandre Borisovich Barmak, who remained in the St. Lucie County Jail on Wednesday without bail. He was arrested on a Palm Beach County warrant with the following charges:

  • Racketeering

  • Conspiracy to commit racketeering

  • Money laundering, totaling or exceeding $100,000

  • Conspiracy to commit money laundering, less than $100,000

  • Keeping a gambling house

  • Agent or employee of gambling house

  • Unlawful possession of slot machine devices (at least 40 counts)

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said in a news release Tuesday that Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Colleen Monroe will be prosecuting the case.

The investigation was started by a public complaint against Midway Arcade. Florida Gaming Control Commission agents served a warning notice letter regarding a complaint of violations of Florida gambling laws on Jan. 27. Agents then discovered an extensive illegal gaming operation in the four counties.

“They all pay out money, so even possessing these in the state of Florida is illegal," Bethea said. "It’s a big money-maker here, and it’s affecting other businesses.”

Movers with Lauren Florida Trucks of Palm Bay remove slot machines from inside Midway Arcade, an adult arcade at 4986 South 25th St., on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Fort Pierce, during a statewide raid of such arcades that agents discovered operated illegal slot machines. The Florida Gaming Control Commission investigates complaints against facilities that are believed to be running an illegal operation. Slot machines became illegal July 1, 2022, except at 15 approved casinos.

Slot machines became illegal as of July 1 last year, except at 15 approved casinos. That's because the Legislature approved a Gaming Compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in May 2021, giving the Native American tribe almost exclusive rights to most gambling activities.

“Illegal gambling establishments operate outside the legal, regulated market to exploit vulnerable Floridians," said Lou Trombetta, the commission's executive director, in a news release. "They are usually associated with organized crime, do not generate state tax revenue, and do not provide the same consumer protections or safeguards as legal gaming operators."

The Florida Gaming Control Commission has been issuing warning letters to arcades across the state and is starting to shut down illegal activities, Trombetta said.

Movers with Lauren Florida Trucks of Palm Bay remove slot machines from inside Midway Arcade, an adult arcade at 4986 South 25th St., on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, in Fort Pierce, during a statewide raid of such arcades that agents discovered operated illegal slot machines. The Florida Gaming Control Commission investigates complaints against facilities that are believed to be running an illegal operation. Slot machines became illegal July 1, 2022, except at 15 approved casinos.

The other three arcades shut down on Tuesday include the Players Paradise Arcade, 4900 Linton Blvd., Delray Beach; the Lucky Game Lounge, 4802 Gunn Highway, Tampa; and an unnamed arcade at 2116 34th St. South, St. Petersburg.

“The FGCC will continue to work diligently to keep Florida communities safe from crime by curbing illegal gaming," said Carl Herold, the commission's director of law enforcement, in the news release, "and we appreciate the public's help in identifying suspected illegal gambling sites."

Residents and business owners can report any suspected illegal gambling activity anonymously by going online to flgaming.gov/file-a-complaint or calling 850-880-3433.

Laurie K. Blandford is TCPalm's entertainment reporter and columnist dedicated to finding the best things to do on the Treasure Coast. Follow her on Twitter @TCPalmLaurie and Facebook @TCPalmLaurie. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com. Sign up for her What To Do in 772 weekly newsletter at profile.tcpalm.com/newsletters/manage.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: State closes Midway Arcade with illegal slot machines in Fort Pierce