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County and sheriff receive Florida Gaming Commission review of Il Villaggio; enforcement options limited until adjudication
Summary
Staff told commissioners the Florida Gaming Commission inspected Il Villaggio and identified gaming equipment that may constitute slot machines under state law; county staff and the sheriff's office received training from the commission, but formal county licensing action is limited until the state law-enforcement investigation proceeds.
Sumter County staff told commissioners July 22 that the Florida Gaming Commission visited Il Villaggio, an Internet cafe in the county, and determined some equipment may violate state gambling laws by operating as slot machines.
County Administrator Bradley Arnold said the Florida Gaming Commission's enforcement division identified potentially unlawful equipment and, because the matter is part of an active state enforcement investigation, the county cannot immediately move to revoke the cafe's operating permit absent adjudication. Arnold said the Gaming Commission does not plan to inspect every Internet cafe statewide but did provide training to the sheriff's office so deputies can better identify equipment that may meet the legal definition of gambling devices in future inspections.
Arnold also said the Gaming Commission offered to house seized equipment if the sheriff's office effects a seizure. Staff said the recent state visit will inform the county's approach when the cafe's operating permit next comes up for renewal.
Why it matters: State enforcement action and training increase local law-enforcement capacity to identify unlawful gambling devices, and the county may consider non-renewal of future operating permits depending on the outcome of the state's investigation.
Next steps: The sheriff's office will use the Gaming Commission training in ongoing oversight and may act on evidence developed; the county will consider the investigation results when deciding on permit renewals.
