Hundreds of illegal gambling devices seized in Florida in ‘Operation Funny Money’
The Florida Gaming Control Commission (FGCC) assisted the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with ‘Operation Funny Money’ which saw coordinated enforcement action targeting alleged illegal gambling across Florida.
The operation spanned three locations in the Northeast of the state, with investigators executing a search warrant in Jacksonville and two others in Orange Park.
It was during the operation that FGCC personnel seized alleged illegal gambling machines and related components, with these amounting to 230 slot machines, and 23 fish tables, along with further digital media and related equipment.
FGCC seized 253 illegal slot machines in Northeast Florida working with the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security, and the IRS. Read more here: https://t.co/hOOukO1Qw8 pic.twitter.com/vkrWJ9Fc8t
— Florida Gaming Control Commission (@FLGamingControl) December 18, 2025
Florida gaming regulator assisted HSI and IRS in Operation Funny Money
Speaking on the operation, the Florida Gaming Control Commission executive director Alana Zimmer said in a press release: “The Florida Gaming Control Commission welcomes the opportunity to partner with our federal and local partners to stem illegal gambling in our state.
“We will take the vital, necessary steps to shut down illegal casinos that are popping up across Florida. Our agents are constantly working to permanently close the doors of illegal gambling establishments, and we appreciate the collaboration with our federal partners.”
The gambling machines that have been seized have been transported to a FGCC storage facility for evidentiary purposes. Any proceeds from the machines that have been recovered have been collected and documented by HSI evidence technicians as part of the ongoing federal investigation.
In Florida, the law allows gambling machines to only be offered in legal gaming facilities. According to the gaming regulation, in the state this consists solely of eight licensed pari-mutuel facilities in Miami-Dade and Broward counties and at certain facilities operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida.
In the announcement about the outcome of the search warrants, the Florida Gaming Control Commission reiterated it is against the law to offer slot machine gaming or any unauthorized gaming at any unlicensed facility in Florida.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
The post Hundreds of illegal gambling devices seized in Florida in ‘Operation Funny Money’ appeared first on ReadWrite.