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Here’s what to know about arcade raids, plus latest at Panda Arcade in Vero Beach

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Here’s what to know about arcade raids, plus latest at Panda Arcade in Vero Beach

Panda Arcade, at U.S. 1 and Eighth Street in Vero Beach, was shut down Wednesday after the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office issued multiple search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation into illegal gambling.

Here’s what to know about ongoing adult arcade raids on the Treasure Coast.

Who was arrested in the arcade raid Wednesday?

Two 35-year-old men were arrested and charged with conducting or participating in an enterprise through racketeering. It’s unclear what their affiliation is with the Panda Arcade.

Jing Guo Yang and Jinquan Lin were in the county jail on $1 million bond, spokesperson Capt. Joe Abollo said.

When did arcade raids begin on the Treasure Coast?

The first arcade raid on the Treasure Coast was May 9, 2023, when 93 slot machines were removed from Midway Arcade in Fort Pierce.

Adult arcades: Florida cracking down on slots in arcades deemed illegal gambling

What arcades have been raided on the Treasure Coast since then?

Are adult arcades legal in Florida?

There are only eight pari-mutuel facilities in Broward and Miami-Dade counties and Native American tribal facilities, according to the Florida Gaming Control Commission.

Slot machines became illegal on July 1, 2022, after the Legislature approved a Gaming Compact with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in May 2021, giving the tribe almost exclusive rights to most gambling activities.

Here’s what’s legal in Florida, according to the Florida Gaming Control Commission:

  • Pari-mutuel wagering on live and intertrack horse and jai-alai activities at licensed racetracks and jai-alai frontons
  • Casino gambling, including slots and table games, on certain tribal lands
  • The Florida lottery games
  • Poker and dominoes being played for money, but only in licensed cardrooms
  • Penny-ante games including poker, pinochle, bridge, rummy, canasta, hearts, dominoes and mah-jongg may be played outside a cardroom only if the winnings of any player in a single game do not exceed $10 in value.
  • Slot machine gaming at one of the eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
  • Bingo, sweepstakes, and drawings for chance, if they comply with state law.

Gianna Montesano is TCPalm’s trending reporter. You can contact her at gianna.montesano@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1429, or follow her on X @gonthescene.

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