Deputies raid illegal gambling arcade in Bradenton, Manatee sheriff says
Detectives seized more than $160,000 in cash and dozens of slot machines during a Bradenton raid Thursday in what the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office described as an “ongoing investigation” into illegal gambling.
Detectives served a search warrant at Good Times Arcade, 105 Cortez Road W., after receiving a tip and conducting two undercover visits that confirmed illegal gambling on electronic slot and gaming machines, the agency said in a news release.
Deputies say they confiscated 55 arcade-style video slot machines, 27 computers and other gaming equipment, along with what investigators said were at least $160,000 in illegal proceeds.
According to Yelp, the arcade is open 24 hours or overnight, depending on the day of the week. As of Friday, the business is marked as “permanently closed” on Google Maps.
No arrests were made Thursday, but the business owner is under investigation and charges are pending, according to the release.
Detectives said they had previously warned arcade management with a cease-and-desist letter.
The Bradenton Herald and Suncoast Searchlight reported in July that storefront casinos like Good Times Arcade often operate in plain sight across the region, offering unregulated slot machines and cash payouts despite state laws banning such games outside of a handful of licensed casinos.
The joint investigation identified nearly 20 unlicensed gambling businesses from Bradenton to Englewood and found that many have reopened after past raids, sometimes in the same location or under a new business name. Others never closed at all, continuing to operate despite warnings and past investigations, according to the report.
In July 2023, the sheriff’s office announced a countywide operation targeting 53 gambling establishments, saying it closed about 40% of them and seized more than $52,000. In April 2024, Bradenton police said they seized four machines from a downtown bar after a month-long investigation. Some of the businesses named in those past operations remain open today, the Bradenton Herald previously reported.
The Bradenton Herald and Suncoast Searchlight investigation also found that because the games are unregulated, there are no guarantees of fair play or payouts. Customers have walked away empty-handed after winning jackpots, and police dispatch records and incident reports show some arcades have been the scene of overdoses, drug activity, thefts and violent crime.
In the past five years, local law enforcement has responded to hundreds of calls at such businesses, from burglaries and fights to stolen cars and threats of suicide.
The sheriff’s office said the Good Times Arcade investigation is ongoing.
This story was originally published August 15, 2025 at 12:33 PM.
